Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 107687 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107687 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
It’s as if he’s slapped me across the face. I gawk at him and shake my head. “As much as I hope it doesn’t come to that, I’ll do it, no problem.”
“Dimitri,” he stresses, “you’ve worked too hard—”
“I don’t fucking care,” I say, holding his gaze. “When you knocked Mom up, you had to choose to be with her and keep your career or lose it all. You made the right choice, and I trust I can do the same.”
“It was different, Dimitri. I had a kid coming, and yes, it worked out for me and I’ll never love anyone the way I love your mom, but there is nothing holding you to this girl.”
“The fuck you say!” I roar. “She holds my heart, my soul, my everything. I love her. With all of myself and more.”
He looks away, closing his eyes. “Jesus, Dimitri. Out of all the girls, out of all the times in your life, you had to choose right now and that girl to fall in love with?”
“I didn’t have a choice in the matter, Dad.”
He lets out a resigned sigh. “You’re going to throw it all away for her, aren’t you?”
“If it comes down to it,” I say without hesitation. “But I don’t want to believe it will.”
He looks back at me, his eyes full of frustration, but I can see the understanding in there too. “Are you sure, Dimitri? Are you sure she feels as deeply as you and this isn’t about lust or the newness of each other?”
“Yes,” I say, my voice almost a whisper. “It’s more than that. It always has been. Dad, she challenges me. She makes me want to be the best I can ever be because I know she deserves it. She is incredible, strong-willed, and beautiful. She pushes me, she puts me in my place, she… God, Dad, she makes me laugh. I love her, and I know I do because I see how much you love Mom, and I feel like that’s how I am with Austen.”
His eyes soften before he looks away. “I want you to be happy, Dimitri. I do. But I’m struggling with knowing you could give up your career for someone you’ve only known for a couple weeks.”
“I would have given it up the day I met her,” I admit, and fuck, my chest hurts. “Dad, she’s absolutely astonishing, and I love who I am with her.”
He meets my gaze. “Nothing I can say will change your mind?”
I shake my head. “No.”
He nods slowly and then reaches for me, pulling me into his arms for a tight hug. He holds me for a second before he whispers, “I love you, Dimitri, and I am proud of you. But I hope you know what you’re doing.”
I squeeze him close. “I do. I learned from you.”
His breath catches, and he squeezes my shoulder as he pulls back. He doesn’t say anything, but he doesn’t have to. I can see the anxiety, the anger, and the pure adoration he has for me on his face. He squeezes my shoulder once more. “I can’t wait to get to know her.”
“You’re going to love her.”
“I don’t think I have a choice, huh?” I smile at that as he hugs me once more. “Call me after.”
“I will.”
He pats my back and then moves out of my arms. I watch as he walks away, and I know he may love and be proud of me, but he’s also disappointed. I know he wants me to give up everything for hockey. But for me, I can love hockey all I want. I can crave it, I can work for it, but there are times when it will not love me back.
Austen, I know, will love me back.
thirty-six
Austen
“Hey, honey. How are you?”
I eye my peepaw, confused why he is here. We didn’t leave on very good terms. Not that they were bad, but nothing went his way, that’s for sure. “I’m fine. I didn’t expect to see you here.”
He nods. “Here to watch and check things out.”
My gaze narrows. “Watch what?”
“How things are going,” he says vaguely, tucking his hands into his pockets.
“Why?”
“Why not?”
“Considering you haven’t done that since I started here, I’m curious as to why you’re here now?”
“No reason at all. Just had the day off, and I know the roster is getting cut today.”
Something doesn’t feel right. Anger bubbles in my throat. “What are you doing, Peepaw?”
He shrugs once more. “I just told you.”
“And I told you, I will not stand for you interfering with Dimitri’s career.”
He holds up his hands. “That isn’t what my being here is about.”
I don’t trust a word that is coming out of his mouth. “I’ll walk away,” I promise, and I’m surprised by how easy it is for me to say that. “I won’t cut off contact and I’ll love you for the rest of my life, but I will walk away.”