Page 89 of Can't Kiss the Chef

“The Byron I’ve always known would want to help. He may be the aggressive hockey player to opponents or the goofy class clown to our friends, but I know the Byron that brings home a stray dog after a night of drinking and gives her a home. The one who will do anything for his friends. Or his mom.”

I let those last words hang between us.

He’s spoken with his mom a couple of times this week. I don’t know what they’ve talked about because he hangs up the second I enter the room. Everytime I ask him about their conversations he abruptly changes the subject.

“Yeah, why don’t you ask him?” he says. His smile doesn’t reach his eyes. I just want him to let me in.

I grab my phone off the coffee table and go to get up, but am stopped by Byron tugging me back into his lap.

“Thank you for doing this, Lola.”

Then he kisses me. It’s the kind of kiss that tells me he loves me without him having to say the words.

“Let me go call him now. He’s coming up for the games this weekend too so maybe he can have some appointment days ready.”

He lets me go and I head to my bedroom. Even though my mom is an oncologist, working with breast cancer patients, my dad and I have always had a better relationship. So knowing that they will have to set up the appointment with another doctor I think it’s best to call him.

I tuck my legs under me as I pull up his contact and hit the call button before I lose my confidence. It rings, then rings again. A small part of me hopes he’s been called in for an emergency surgery.

“Hey Lowy, is something wrong?”

That goddamn nickname again.

I ignore the nickname and jump into the reason that I called.

“I’m fine Dad. I’m actually calling for a friend,” I say, deciding it’s best not to dive into my current relationship drama.

“You know Byron, he’s on Oliver’s team?”

“The blonde center?”

“Yeah, so when we were at Ivy and Jalen’s engagement party this weekend he found out his dad has cancer. I was wonderingif you could set up an appointment for him to get a second opinion?”

“What kind of cancer does he have?”

“I don’t know. He left right after his dad told him.”

I hesitate for a second knowing it’s not my family drama to tell. I make the decision it’s best he knows. I think it’s an important part of the story.

“They haven’t had the best relationship. But his parents will be up for the games this weekend.”

He sighs in understanding.

“I’ll get some tentative dates but I’ll have a better understanding of the direction we need to go in after we talk this weekend.”

“Thanks Dad.”

“Anything for you Lola.” I hear the muffled voices over a speaker.

“I’m getting called into an emergency surgery. I’ll see you this weekend honey.”

“I’ll see you Dad. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

A small sense of relief comes over me, but my shoulders are still tense. I don’t know if Byron fully understands that if he doesn’t try to fix his relationship with his dad now he might never get another chance.

When I get back to the den Byron has the Westvale men’s basketball game on the television and Mia curled up in his lap.

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