Page 40 of Fabulous Filthy Friend

Now please let it go.

“So, Bash is your brother, and Mike Fury was your dad.”

I nod. Hopefully, my reluctance to volunteer any information will be a hint that I’m not comfortable with this conversation.

“Wow. I’m a huge hockey fan. I never put two and two together because Flynn never mentioned it.”

I shake my head and take another sip of my beer. “He wouldn’t have. It’s not something I really advertise.”

Or like talking about.

Growing up with a man like Mike Fury as a father—a living legend—made it hard not to only be seen as his child and nothing more. And then once Bash’s career took off, I became his little sister. It was one of the reasons I took the job out here instead of staying in Michigan to teach. A huge part of me needed to break away from the legacy of the Fury name. Ironic since now all I want is to be closer to Bash and Jameson since Mom and Dad are both gone.

Dan lowers himself into the plastic chair next to me. “I can understand why. It must be hard always being thought of as somebody’s daughter or somebody’s sister instead of as your own person.”

I turn to him slowly. “Wow. I’m surprised you picked up on that.”

“I would think it would be pretty obvious to anyone who bothered to pay attention. I mean, I have three older siblings. I always felt like I was living in their shadows, and none of them are professional hockey players.”

A laugh slips from my lips, and I shake my head. “It’s not all bad. Bash and I are close, and I always get amazing seats for games when I can make it.”

He chuckles. “You have to take me to one sometime.”

Not a bad way to feel out if I’m interested in a second date.

Smooth and kind of adorable.

I smile at him. “I will.”

And to my own surprise, I actually mean it. Despite all my reservations about being set up—especially by Flynn—I’m having a great time with Dan.

He’s handsome and charming, and we definitely click. Maybe I should’ve let Flynn arrange this a long time ago. It might have saved me a lot of trouble and heartache with some of the other guys I’ve dated in the meantime.

Another date with Dan is definitely in the cards, but that strange tingle that something is missing hits the back of my mind. A nice, handsome, charming guy…kind of sounds like the other men I’ve dated.

And I have serious doubts he can be much different.

Dan motions toward the lane.

“You’re up. Go get ‘em, Ace.”

I freeze with my drink halfway to my mouth, then slowly lower it while I try to shake off the chill that just rolled through my spine.

His brow furrows. “What’s wrong?”

”Nothing. It’s just…my dad used to call me that.”

“Oh, shit.” He places his hand on my forearm. “I’m so sorry. I know he passed away recently.”

I suck in a deep breath and nod. “Yeah, he did. We were never very close, though.”

In fact, I think most people would consider the father-daughter relationship we had volatile, at best. He was a shit father and an even worse role model as a husband. The only good to come from it was that I knew what I didn’t want in a partner. Even though he came around in the end and tried to make amends before his death, it still stings when I think about him and his role in my life as a child.

Dan shrugs slightly. “That doesn’t make it any less hard. He was still your father, right?”

I nod again. “Exactly.”

A fact Jameson can’t seem to come to terms with. He’s still in deep denial that Dad’s death can have any effect on him at all, and I’m not sure what it will take to get through to him. He’s an emotional lockbox, always putting on a brave front and refusing to acknowledge anything can hurt him.

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