Page 78 of Love is a Game

That gets his attention. He studies me, eyes crinkled with concentration.

“Iwantto be,” I admit. “But she makes it hard. She doesn’t trust our odds. She’s scared I’m not in this for the long haul. That if it all goes wrong, we’ll lose what we do have. And after meeting you? I get why she thinks that.”

His face tightens.

“Sure, you were super young when Pen was born. And yeah, maybe you had struggles. But what about after? Was there never a time you wanted to make it right? To prove to her that she was loved? To rebuild her trust?”

His jaw twitches. “Listen here, Tuck. Whatever you’ve heard, it’s just one version of the story, okay? I’m glad Penny has someone in her life. I hope you two work out better than Caitlyn and I did.”

“Oh, we will,” I promise.

He stares at me for a long beat, and maybe he senses what I’m thinking.

Because one thing I know for certain?

I would never let Pen down the way this man has.

All my research about fatherhood, the studies, the articles, the ammunition I’d planned to use to convince Pen how important a dad is in a child’s life, points to the same truth. A father can shape a child’s self-worth, their confidence, their belief in love. And for girls especially—an absent father can do damage that lingers.

And now, it clicks.

This isn’t just about me making a case for being involved if she decides to have a kid.

It’s about understanding why Pen is so afraid to let me in at all.

Now I step aside as her father makes to leave, shoving on his sunglasses.

“That’s it?” I ask.

“What the hell more can I do?” He drops his shoulders, tipping his head to the sky like it might hold an answer. “Itried.She won’t listen. What more can I possibly do?”

“Well, number one—you don’t give up,” I answer. “You don’t walk away before the deck’s even laid. Did you really expect to say sorry and have her just forgive you for never being there?”

“What the fuck else can I do?” he repeats helplessly, spreading his arms wide, his oversized jacket fluttering in the breeze.

“Show up for once. Show her you give a shit. Betherefor her. Don’t run away just because she’s angry.”

He shakes his head. “She doesn’t want me there.”

“That’s not what she said.Youwere the one who said you weren’t up for it.”

He stills, as if in a battle with himself.

“She hates me.”

“I don’t think she totally hates you.”

“Oh yeah?” he scoffs. “How can you be so sure?”

I smirk. “Because no one ever gets to call her ‘Penny’ and live to tell the tale. Believe it or not, she actually went easy on you.”

His throat bobs. “You think?” His voice is quieter now. “And, you think if I try again…she might listen?”

“I didn’t say that.” I hold up my hands. “But isn’t it worth a gamble? Aren’t the stakes big enough to try?”

He looks down, rubbing a hand over his jaw, his gaze distant.

And I grasp for some self-restraint. To hold back everything else I want to say. This is his move. His choice. I don’t know his life, don’t know what’s held him back all these years.

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