Page 189 of Call the Shots
“Oh.”
“You didn’t…?”
“No. Nobody told me.”
“Oh.” She gazed at me before taking a quick drink of her lemonade. “I guess your mom thought it was like…written in the stars or something, and she named you Bear.”
How did June know about this? My mom wasn’t something we discussed at my dad’s house, he always motioned questions away. Did he talk about her with June?
Willow and King started discussing some music thing, and June excused herself for another lemonade. I watched her leave before following her to the bar.
“Hey?” I said, my voice soft, and June flinched.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t know you didn’t know.”
“No, it’s fine. Do you want to get dessert?” I placed a hand at the small of her back, but she shied away from the touch. I drew my hand away.
“I wanted to know more about your mom because I was so close to your family, I loved your dad’s big, romantic story,” June said suddenly. “About how he wasn’t prepared to be a father, but he took you in and…”
“And…he told you about the documentary?”
“No.” Her big green eyes flickered to me. “The lawyer who oversaw your custody paperwork did.”
“Oh.”
“You never came to those lunches. I was so angry with you because I was doing this work to learn more about your mom and you weren’t there?—”
“Hockey took up my time, I missed out?—”
“No, Bear.No.”
“It’s why Xavier and I aren’t…you know…close.” I hesitated. “I’m trying to repair that with my dad?—”
“You were a kid,” she interrupted. “You not knowing about these things isn’t because of anythingyoudid. That’s not your fault, that wasn’t your responsibility—” June sucked in a breath, her eyes darting to the bar. “You didn’t know how to do laundry, you didn’t know how tocook,because you didn’t have a consistent home to stay in?—”
“I had hockey and the wrong priorities?—”
“That’s not—no,Bear?—”
Surprised, I wrapped my arms around her. “You’re freaking out, baby.”
She pressed her face to my chest, silent.
“Protective June is hot.” I grinned, reaching down to tilt her face to me. “I’m bridging the gap with my dad, don’t worry. It’ll just take time.”
I kissed her but June stiffened, pressing her lips firmly against mine before she broke away. What the hell was that? That was the most innocent, wholesome kiss I’d ever experienced with her. No tongue action to speak of.
June hugged me tight in the kind of quick, embarrassed hug you get from relatives, before untangling from me.
I didn’t know what to make of it. I just knew I didn’t like it.
CHAPTER 70
JUNE
INTENSE, OVERSTIMULATING…
The problemwith Bear’s family was a serious and complicated issue I wasn’t equipped to handle. I wanted to help but when I tried to explain, Bear insisted it was his fault.
