Page 6 of Crush
She groaned at that word.
“Okay, fine, you're ateen.But legally, you're still a minor, got it? And that means I'm responsible for your care. And that means you have to follow my rules. And Chloe, youknowthe rules. You know you're not supposed to have friends here past nine o'clock. And you know you're not allowed to be unsupervised with boys.”
“Weweren'tunsupervised. Estel knows that Adam was over. I even introduced her to him.”
“Right. But I found Estel asleep in the den, so she wasn't really watching you, was she? Which means you were unsupervised.”
“So what? Now it'smyjob to make sure the nanny stays awake? I don't think so! Besides, me and Adam could've snuck up to my bedroom if we reallywanted to be'unsupervised'so badly.”
The nuclear level of sarcasm she slathered on that word, 'unsupervised'—and the fact that it was obviously code for something else in her mind—made my throat clench.
No no no, not my baby girl.
“Just obey the rules, Chloe. I don't think I'm asking a whole heck of a lot here. Okay? Are we good?”
“Yeah. Sure. Whatever.”
Sometimes, a dad has to settle for a sarcasticwhatever.
“So is thatallyou wanted to talk to me about or what?” she asked, her eyes flicking towards the door—an obvious hint that it was time for Dad to hit the road.
“Do you always have to be this sarcastic?” I asked.
Chloe groaned, her head making an exaggerated roll around her shoulders.
Right. Wrong question to ask a teen.
“Forget it. Listen, I actually did want to ask you something.”
“What?”
“The Brawlers' season ends in two months.”
“And?”
“Well, just like every other year, the team is throwing the end-of-the-year gala. It's the team's last bit of fun before the playoffs begin and the real grind begins.” I patted her thigh. “I was hoping you'd go as my date again this year?”
She let out a deep sigh. “Oh, God. Notthisagain.”
I reared back, both surprised and maybe even a little hurt. “But you went with me last year.”
And every year since the divorce.
“Yeah, and every year I've been mortified on the inside. Like,whodecides to bring their daughter as their date? No one else, Dad, only you! The other players bring their wives and girlfriends … do you have any idea howweirdit is to be your date? I'm too old for that. It's not cute anymore, it's just creepy. Everyone's looking at us and laughing.”
I made a sour face. “They're not laughing at us. They think you're adorable.”
“That'sweird too. I'm not 'adorable' anymore and I don't want to go, Dad.”
I slapped my palms on my knees. “Well. Fine. Can't make you do anything you don't want to do.” I sat up and made a beeline for the door. “Don't stay up too late.”
She sighed with a hint of remorse. “Dad …”
“Goodnight, Chloe.”
***
I made my way back downstairs, where Estel was gathering up her things. She was getting ready to head home.
