Page 43 of Game Changer
“You are going to see him again, aren’t you?”
“Sure, yeah.At some point.”
“How about tomorrow?Give him a call and see if he wants to do lunch.”
“Why are you pushing me to see my dad?”
“I’m not!”She pauses.“Okay, I am.I just think it would be good for you.”
“Good for me?”Annoyance fizzes in my gut.“What does that mean?”
She doesn’t answer right away.Finally she says, “I should stay out of it.”
“Good idea.”
My words came out harsher than I intended, and I sense her hurt.We walk in silence for a moment, then in a low voice I say, “Sorry.Again.”
“Sorry for what?”Her tone is light.
“I was rude.”
“No, I was.It’s not my business what’s between you and your father.”
It’s true.Molly and I are friends, but not like best buds.It reallyisn’ther business.So why do I want to know why she said it would be good for me to see my dad?I really don’t care about him that much.
“I came here to fix things with Grandpa,” I say stiffly.“Not my dad.”
Silence expands between us.
“Jax.You just said it might be too late for you and your grandpa.Why wait to fix things with your dad?What if something happens to him?”
Christ.She’s right.As always.
This wasn’t part of my plan in coming here.My relationship with Dad is what it is.I had no intention of trying to make things up with him too.But… “I’ll call him tomorrow,” I say gruffly.
She just nods and we keep walking.
“Do you play golf?”I ask.
“Um.I have.I’m not very good at it.”
“We could golf one day.There’s a nine-hole course here.”
“I guess we could.But Jax, you don’t have to entertain me, really.”
I’m afraid to open my mouth in case what I say comes out sounding wrong again.I know I don’t have to entertain her.
“And don’t use me to procrastinate on dealing with your family,” she adds.
My head jerks back.“I’m not doing that!”
She purses her lips.“Are you sure?”
Maybe I am.But admitting to that makes it sound like I don’t want to be with her.Goddammit, this conversation is full of land mines waiting for me to step on.I rub my face.“Look.I admit hanging out with my family isn’t my favorite thing to do.I’d rather hang out with you, and that’s not using you.I’ll spend time with my family, but I also want to have a little fun on this trip.Okay?”
“Okay.Except I’m not supposed to be here.”
“But you are, so let’s make the most of it.”
