Page 74 of Single Dad Dilemma
I pried my eyes open and risked a look up at his face. He was watching me so intently that it took my breath away.
“And I don’t think you should try to save him. Even if it makes you look bad. Let him feel the weight of his own consequences, because no matter how badly we want to, we cannot change someone who doesn’t want to be changed. It’s pointless to try,” I said, voice tapering off to a thready whisper. “We have to want to change.” My cheeks flushed with heat. “He.Hehas to want to change.”
Barrett nodded slowly, eyes searching mine. “I agree.”
“Did he do something really bad? Or just sorta bad, like giving you attitude in practice?”
He let out a short huff of amusement. “Well, a couple nights ago, he was at a party with players from an opposing team that we played recently. He got into a fight at that party—I’m told he instigated—and because of that, it’s up to those opposing players to press charges or not.” Barrett sucked in a quick breath, focusing on the men in front of him. “But I told him this morning I was benching him unless he could show me that he was ready to take this seriously.”
“A little coach tough love, huh?”
He hummed. “Sort of.”
“What else would it be?”
In the bright lights of the cavernous space, there was no hiding the warm streaks of gold in his eyes, especially not when he looked down atme the way he was now. “No one can make us change unless we want to, right?”
I managed a jerky nod.
“I needed to change too. Because he wasn’t wrong, you know. I’ve tried to save people because, deep down, I worried how their mistakes might reflect on me. That’s a level of arrogance that I don’t particularly care to hold on to anymore.” Barrett searched my eyes, and I found it hard to breathe. “Change is never easy. But the hardest part is having to look in the mirror and know that no one can do it for us.”
Through the quaking of my ribs, completely unmoored by this forthcoming side of him, somehow I managed to speak. “How will you know if it works?”
Barrett let out a small noise. Not quite a laugh. Not quite a huff. He did that a lot. Made those quiet little sounds, a tell that he was listening but wasn’t ready to speak. Then his face softened, a glint of rare humor in his eyes. Inside my chest, something melted right along with it.
“Either he’ll pull his head out of his ass, or I’ll get fired for benching the franchise quarterback without the permission of the team owner.”
“Is he nice?”
“Sheis smart and intimidating, and I’m not sure I’d ever trust you in a room with her because you’d gang up on me mercilessly.”
A surprised laugh burst out of me, and Barrett’s eyes lingered on my mouth. “I should make a point to meet her, then.”
“God help me,” he said fondly.
“Oh mygosh, are you Lily?”
At the sound of my name, I tore my gaze from Barrett’s but still caught a glimpse of his face flattening.
“Bridget,” he said, voice low in warning.
“Ah, the woman who runs his life,” I said.
She was petite, with thick red hair and a bright expression. “I got a text from him a few minutes ago that I wasn’t allowed down here, and he never says that stuff to me, which is why I came down immediately. Plus, if I listened to everything he said, life would be incredibly boring.”
“I’m going to fire you,” Barrett growled.
“No, you’re not.” She stuck her hand out. “Bridget. Absolutepleasureto meet you.”
“You too,” I said hesitantly. Why did it feel like I was shoved onto a stage, naked, anytime I met someone from Barrett’s life? Friendly curiosity felt like I was being poked and prodded, up on display so they could study the recipient of his weird shovel-friendship gestures.
“I hope I didn’t interrupt,” she said.
Barrett crossed his arms. “You did. And I’m pretty sure you have a meeting right now.”
“I canceled it.” Bridget looped her arm through mine. “Please tell me everything awful he’s ever done to you, and feel free to go into detail.”
My eyes flew up to Barrett’s, and after a prolonged beat, he looked away, the slightest flush in his cheeks that was so stupidly attractive, I felt it in my wobbly knees. “I’m not sure you have enough time, Bridget.”
