Page 116 of The Pucking Date
“And I’m not your possession.” I throw the words at him like knives. “I’m not a contract you get to negotiate. I’m not one of your rookies to be lectured in the locker room. I’m a grown woman. And if you think you get a say in how Inavigate this, then you’re even more out of touch than I thought.”
He exhales sharply through his nose. “Watch your tone.”
“No,” I shoot back. “Watchyours.Because coming into my office, interrogating me about my uterus like I owe you an update, that is not fatherly concern. That is control.”
His jaw clenches. “You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into.” He straightens, shifting tactics to concerned father. “A baby—babies change things. Your career, your freedom, your entire life.”
And there it is. The classic line.
The woman has no idea.
I laugh, sharp and humorless. He opens his mouth, but I’m already steamrolling.
“Tell me, Dad, what exactly did you give up when we were born? Which contracts did you turn down?”
“That’s not?—”
“But Mom gave up plenty, didn’t she? Raised us practically alone during seasons.” My voice drops to something deadly. “So don’t stand there and lecture me about sacrifice when you clearly have no idea what you’re talking about.”
He tries to change gears again. “The media will crucify you. Coach’s daughter pregnant by a player? They’ll?—”
“Ah… So you didn’t come here because you’re worried aboutme,” I deadpan, low and bitter. Because he cannot win this argument anyway he tries to approach it. And the shadow that creeps onto his face tells me he is starting to realize it. “You came here because you’re worried about headlines. About how it looks that Coach Novak’s daughter ended up pregnant by one of his players. That’s what this is about.”
“Thatispart of it,” he fires back. “Do you understandwhat the media will do with this? Withhim? You know his reputation. He’s not careful, Jessica. And he’s not subtle.”
The one player I specifically warned you about.
The words hit like a reflex.
He’ll ruin your future, Jess.That’s what Dad said last year. And for a while, I believed him. But now I know better. Because Finn O’Reilly didn’t ruin my future.
He’s the only one who made me believe I could build my own.
“I’m not yours to protect anymore.” My words rise, clear and furious. “You told me to watch it with Finn. Well, guess what? I heard you, and I chose not to. And I’m not sorry one bit. My personal life is exactly that—personal. You don’t get to police my choices any more than you police Adam’s. I’ve never once heard you warn him about staying away from a girl.”
He flinches like I slapped him. “I raised you better than this,” he says quietly.
“You raised me to be strong,” I shoot back. “You just didn’t think I’d ever use it to put you in your place.”
For a long moment, we just breathe. Nothing but the air conditioning and the tension crackling between us.
He finally looks away. Out the window. “I didn’t want motherhood to happen like this for you.”
“Neither did I,” I say, my voice softer now, but still steady. “But it did. And I’m handling it.”
“Jessica—”
“No,” I cut him off. “I’m done. You asked me to be professional. To maintain boundaries. To remember my place.” I meet his gaze. “Well, today, I remembered exactly where my place is. And it’s not here.”
The color drains from his cheeks. “What does that mean?”
“It means I’m done. Resignation letter will be on Rotschild’s desk Monday.”
“You can’t be serious. Not with the babies on the way.”
“I’m starting my own agency. My clients. My rules. My life.” I move to the door, hand on the knob. “And if you have a problem with your grandchildren or their father, you can take it up with me then.”
“Jessica, wait?—”
