Page 118 of The Pucking Date
And threw it all away.
The knock is soft. “Jess?”
Liam steps in holding a coffee cup, concern written all over him. “Joy said—” He stops short when he sees my face. “Shit. That bad?”
I don’t answer. I’m still perched on the edge of my desk, too hollow to move.
“Decaf cappuccino,” he says gently, setting it down in front of me. That one small act—familiar, thoughtful, him—breaks something loose in my chest.
“I’m quitting.” The words tumble out. “I told my father off. Told him I love Finn. And Finn was standing outside the door, listening to me make an even bigger mess of his life.”
Liam doesn’t say anything at first. Watches me in that quiet way he has of sitting in the wreckage with you when there’s nothing left to say. Finally, he exhales.
“O’Reilly’s bleeding, Jess.” His voice is soft, but sure. “You’re the only one who can stop it.”
I stare at the cup. “Do you think he can ever forgive me?”
He holds my gaze as he leans in. “Yeah. But not today. He needs more time.”
Before I can respond, there’s another knock.
Adam fills the doorway in his after-practice gear, hair damp from the shower. “Dad just stormed through the locker room looking like someone killed his dog.” His eyes scan my face. “You okay?”
“No,” I say. “I just quit…and apparently, I’m the one who killed the dog.”
He crosses the room in three strides and pulls me into a hug. I resist at first; I don’t want comfort, I want armor, but then his awful high school body spray hits, and my chest caves. I bury my face in his hoodie and let it come.
“He doesn’t hate you,” Adam says quietly. “He’s just being…Dad. The guy still plans my workouts. Yours and Mom’s too. Like it’s 2013, and we’re all expected to run laps before school.”
I let out a breath that’s almost a laugh.
“Sophie was the only one who dared to shut him down early,” he adds. “The rest of us let him boss us into thinking it was love.”
“I’m pregnant.”
It slips out. Quiet. But total. He stills. Arms frozen around me. Then leans back to look at my face.
“Wait—what?”
I nod. “Yeah. I found out a few weeks ago.”
He blinks, processing. “Is it…?”
“Finn,” I sniff.
Adam blows out a long breath. “Well. That explains Dad’s hallway murder-glare. He’s going to kill that scoundrel.”
Liam groans. “Don’t.”
“I was there too, you know. It wasn’t some immaculate locker room conception. So unless you want me listing the names of your exes and assigning shame scores, I suggest you zip it.”
Liam lets out a laugh. “She’s not wrong.”
Despite myself, I grin.
Adam sighs. “Fine. Point taken. But if he hurts you, I will make him pay.”
“Dad already called dibs.”
