Page 150 of Catch Me
“Ready to settle down and be a dog dad?”
“Exactly.” I went to take another drink, then remembered that my glass was empty. “I’ll be back. Want me to grab you one?”
He nodded before he returned to the conversation with the other guys. I passed a group of women, some of whom were married to the players. I’d never really understood the way some people went their separate ways like that. Kai was practically glued to Sen most of the time, and the same went for the others. Maybe that was codependent. If they were happy with it, I thought that was the better option.
As I set my empty glass on the counter, I felt the weight of it all for a moment. Loneliness, maybe. When it was just me and Tessa, it didn’t feel this oppressive. If it ever creeped in, I just hopped in the Jeep or took off into the woods with her. It didn’t really make any sense that it was worse now, when I was surrounded by my team and my friends.
“Why so down, kid?”
I looked up and broke into a smile. My dad came around the counter and threw his arms around me with a laugh.
“You didn’t tell me you landed.”
“I don’t need you to babysit me. I’m not quite that old yet, y’know.”
“Yeah, sure. I think it’s about time I put you in a home, actually.”
“If you’re paying and the food is good, maybe I wouldn’t mind. Now, tell me why you’re not celebrating right now. You alright?”
I was really tired of people asking at this point. God forbid I wasn’t always a bundle of joy.
“I’m good,” I assured him. “Literally making history over here, so give me a break.”
“You’re right, you’re right. You gonna introduce me to your friends or what? You talk about ’em enough, I feel like I already know them.”
I looked through the window behind me. West and Linc were wrestling in the grass like a couple of teenagers. Brooks and Tilian were walking in the distance, almost too far for me to see them. Probably smoking. Sen and Kai were dancing, which was too adorable to interrupt.
“Actually,” I said, turning back to my dad. “I’ve got two gloves and a ball if you’re not too tired.”
He smiled softly, and there was something in his eyes that told me he understood exactly what I needed. Clapping me on the shoulder, he squeezed it tightly. “I’m never too tired. You’d have never gotten so good at the game if I was.”
“You’re a machine,” I agreed. “When people ask me how I stay so busy, I’ll have to start blaming you.”
I swiped the gloves from the laundry room and led him out the front so that nobody would bother us. He threw the ball, and as soon as it thudded into my hand, I felt the weight fall away.
Chapter 49
Roman
“What the hell, man?” I shouted.
Kai leaned against the side of the house as if he didn’t have a care in the world. I knew that he was probably distracting himself from his own shit by meddling in mine. His dad had been doing well up until a month ago, and that was eating at him more than he’d tell anyone except Sen. But I was still pissed at him.
“What’s got your panties in a bunch?” he asked.
“You know what. What happened to the getaway driver spiel?”
“Relax,” he drawled. “It’s just an escape room.”
“Well, I’m not going.”
“Why not?”
“Why do you think? I’m not playing these games. Not with you, and especially not withhim.”
“Can you even say his name?”
I huffed and looked down at my phone. “Of course I can say his name. I’m not a child.”
