Page 75 of Face Off
Camden needs him.
I need him.
Hayley
Skipjacks Eliminate Screechers, Advance to Second Straight Final.
Yeah, you read that right. The Skipjacks are heading to the Stanley Cup finals. All the sports headlines are buzzing with news that didn’t relate to my child’s paternity for once. That is until the Heat won Game 6, securing their slot in the finals.
Great.
Just peachy.
A week after Camden took his paternity test, it was confirmed he was Boyce’s. Surprise. Surprise. I’m not the liar he once made me out to be. But even though it’s been confirmed that Camden is in fact his, he has yet to make any moves to see him. However, I feel like that’s all going to change now that the Skipjacks will be facing off against the Heat in the finals.
Hugging Brooks’ bicep, we walk into the practice arena, heading toward my father’s office. I’m grateful there’s no press around. I can only imagine the questions that would come up today. I’d do anything to keep that from happening right now.
“Dr. Marshall, Mr. Miller, Mr. Richards will see you now.” My father’s secretary greets us, looking like she just swallowed a box of nails with how forcefully pinched her smile on her face is. I feel like she looks how I feel right about now. This is the last thing I want to be doing today before we gear up to leave for Game 1.
“Come in. Have a seat,” he says as we step through the doorway.
“Miller, Hayley,” he starts as we take our seats, the anticipation completely gutting me. “As you both know, we’re playing Boyce Cameron.”
“The Heat,” I interject.
“The Heat, in the finals starting tomorrow,” he corrects. “I just wanted to check in with both of you to make sure we’re in the right head space heading into the finals.”
Back to boss mode I see. My father, though he isn’t physically there when I have to be in Arizona, has been keeping tabs on me since we came home. Giving support when needed. But I guess he’s back to the same old business. The team. The team. The team. Not sure I blame him though. How much can we continue to dwell on the fact that Camden has now officially been deemed Boyce’s child, and he has yet to reach out to him.
There can’t be any slip ups heading into tomorrow’s game. We know it’s going to be a physical one, and we need the focus out on the ice, not behind the scenes. There’s something that can’t be delt with after the season has officially ended. I mean there’s not much we can do anyway until our court date in late August.
“No need to worry, Mr. Richards. The boys and I have been prepared for this day. Nothing will stop us from takinghome the Cup,” Brooks says, reaching over and squeezing my thigh slightly.
“Yes, but with the history between you, Boyce Cameron, and…” He pauses for a moment as if he’s silently asking if I told him yet. I haven’t. “Dr. Marshall, I need to make sure that no slip up will happen on the ice. And off the ice.”
I shift uncomfortably under my father’s watchful gaze. Receiving the message loud and clear. “It won’t be a problem, Mr. Richards.”
“You sure?”
“Yes. You have my word.”
Nodding, happy with our response, he dismisses us. But not before stopping me from exiting all the way. “Dr. Marshall, if you would.”
I look to Brooks, giving him the okay to leave me as I walk back to the seat I just vacated. The door quietly shuts as I blow out a deep breath, begging for this to be over.
“Hayley, are you sure you’re going to be okay for this?”
“Yes.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes, Dad,” I finally say through gritted teeth. “I will be perfectly fine. Let’s just go out there, kick some ass and bring home the Cup.”
He finger strokes the stubble he’s been sporting ever since the playoffs started, observing me as if I’m a china doll that will soon break. Truth of the matter though, I’m already broken. I’ve been broken since the day Boyce abandoned me. Breaking my heart each and every day until I was completely scattered into a million pieces like a puzzle.
Until Brooks that is.
I always thought I was fine living a broken life, as long as I kept Camden happy. But when Brooks came charging in, stepping up, wanting to help out whenever, wherever he could, I realized that I wanted to be whole again. Slowly, those puzzle pieces assembled themselves. And it’s all because of Brooks. No matter the fears we both have, he has shown me love.
