Page 29 of Romancing My Grumpy Goalie

I wrinkle my brow in confusion. “I wasn’t dating anyone.”

“I mean with Jeremy. Have you guys tried working it out lately?” Drew asks.

Dad turns off the grill and brings another plate of meat to the table.

“I know you were pushing for that, Drew, but I can’t work something out with someone who doesn’t want anything to do with Nolan and me. But even if he did, I’d say no.” Nolan is off at the back fence, looking at the neighbor’s horses. My heart aches at how much he’s had to go through.

Dad sets the plate down, a dark look on his face, and his silent disapproval of my divorce hurts more than anything. He seems to think I could have worked harder to keep Jeremy around. My dad and brothers all got along extremely well with him, and they’ve taken the divorce really hard.

“Jeremy and I are over. End of story. The sooner you accept this, the better.” I lower my voice. “It doesn’t help Nolan to hear you guys say stuff like this. I know he’s not right here, but sometimes you slip up and he hears what you’re saying.”

Mom comes outside from the kitchen. “I think we’re about ready to eat.” She gives Drew a stern look. “I heard you picking on your sister about Jeremy again. You need to leave that alone. She’s done everything she can.” She gets starry-eyed. “Plus, you never know who might show up in her life next that could be even better.”

“Is she seeing someone?” Grant asks.

“No,” I say.

At the same time, Mom says, “Yes.”

“Which one is it? Yes or no?” Drew asks.

Dad pulls up a chair and loads up his plate silently, but I’d give anything to know what he’s thinking.

“Mom, I’m not seeing him.”

“Oh, so there is someone,” Drew says.

“No, there isn’t!” I insist.

Drew scoops up some chocolate pudding and flings it toward me. “Tell the truth!”

It lands square on my cheek. “Oh, no you didn’t,” I screech and dash toward him, but he takes off running. I tackle him right as we hit the pool’s edge, but the impact sends both of us toppling over the edge and into the green water.

The water is icy, as I predicted. I come up sputtering and push my hair back from my face.

“Hey, Mom, no fair! You said we weren’t allowed to go swimming.” Nolan rips his shirt and shoes off and jumps into the deep end.

Nolan: one. Mom: zero.

“Swimming in April?”

I know that voice. I twist around, and Lucas is standing in the kitchen doorway, arms crossed over a button-down that somehow makes his shoulders look even broader.

His expression is unreadable, but that jawline is criminal, and I hate that I notice it while I’m dripping like a drowned rat.

I should be cold, but instead, heat crawls up my chest.

Nope. Absolutely not. Do not be attracted to the man who just watched you wipe out in front of your entire family.

So much for subtle. “Why not?” I shrug with water dripping down my face. “It’s refreshing.”

What is Lucas doing here anyway?

I climb out of the pool, chattering, and my mom hands me a pink floral towel. Drew is already out, wrapped up in one of Nolan’s favorite Spiderman towels.

I grab the towel from Mom and cover up the parts of me that are currently putting on a wet t-shirt contest. Why do I always wear the push-up bra on thewrongdays?

“You’re a lot braver than me, getting in that water,” Lucas says.

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