Page 36 of Second Chance with the Single Dad Goalie
Then my phone buzzes.
My stomach knots.
I press the side button, silencing it.
Blake watches me. “Look, I don’t know what happened, but I do know it had to do with your family.” He shifts, his tone softer. “Staying up here won’t fix it, Whit.”
I cross my arms. “Why does everyone keep treating me like a kid?”
He tilts his head, eyes narrowing slightly in confusion. "Who’s treating you like a kid?"
"Literally everyone! The constant calls, the lectures, the whole ‘come home, Whitney’ thing - like I don’t have a brain of my own."
He shrugs. "Sounds less like treating you like a kid and more like people who care."
I grit my teeth, dragging a hand through my hair. “Right. Because you’ve suddenly become an expert on my life?”
After a moment, he stands, stretching. "It’s getting late." He glances at his watch.
I groan, standing up too, my legs stiff from sitting on the cold rock. “Ugh, fine. Guess I should head back before the search party rolls out.”
We start walking down the trail together, the sky darker now, stars peeking out from behind the clouds.
When we reach the bottom, he glances at me. “You need a ride home?”
I shake my head. “Nah, my car’s around the corner.”
Blake raises an eyebrow. “Come on, let me drive you. No point in walking the distance.”
I hesitate, but he gives me that easy, lopsided grin of his. “I won’t bite, promise.”
Rolling my eyes, I finally give in. “Fine.”
It doesn’t take long to get to my car. We sit there in his car for a second, the quiet stretching between us again.
I turn to him, fiddling with the hem of my shirt. “Um… thanks. For earlier.” I swallow. “Just… thanks.”
Blake looks at me, his expression softening. “You’re welcome.”
I nod, then hop out of his car and into mine. As I pull out onto the road, I catch his headlights in my rearview mirror.
I frown, honking at him.
He just honks back and keeps following me.
All the way to my house.
When I park in the driveway, he gives one last honk before driving off, disappearing into the night.
I sit there for a moment, exhaling deeply before heading inside.
Dad is asleep on the couch, his face soft in the dim light. He must’ve been waiting for me.
Sighing, I grab a blanket and drape it over him. Leaning down, I press a soft kiss to his head. “Good night, Dad.”
He stirs slightly but doesn’t wake.
I slip into my room, peel off my clothes, and collapse onto my bed, face-first.
