AllFreeNovel
Share Us
7:53. Almost there.
“Your daddy’s almost home,” I coo to Violet as I perch on the edge of the sitting room armchair with a view of the front door. “We’re going to make sure he feels welcome when he comes home, aren’t we?”
Violet blows a bunch of bubbles out of her mouth, giggling as they pop. I bop her delicately on the nose. “That’s a yes if I ever saw one.”
The next seven minutes take seven years. But by the end of it, the front door’s lock clicks open. It swings inward.
And Reese walks in.
I’m on my feet instantly. “Welcome home! I missed?—”
My words get stuck in my throat when Reese looks at me. The light that had been so bright in his eyes when he left is gone. That brilliant emerald green is more like ashen gray.
I’ve seen that look before. That look comes with distance. Detachment. Apathy.
My brain scrambles to find something to say as Reese brushes past me and Violet. He doesn’t even spare a glance her way. I feel a painful tug in my chest, but it quickly morphs into indignation. If he’s going to ignore me, fine—but the least he could do is not ignore his own daughter.
“Reese—”
He doesn’t even pause. His strides take him swiftly upstairs. I don’t get the chance to yell for him before the slam of his door echoes through the house.
Then… silence.
44
OLIVIA
Knock, knock, knock.
I rap my knuckles on Reese’s door. I gave him plenty of space last night, but he’s not getting away from me this morning. I made myself get up early, before Violet’s usually ready. The plan is getting ahead of him waking up and heading out to practice so I can ask him just what the hell was up last night.
I knock again. No response.
Unfortunately for Reese, I’m stubborn. Mama made me that way, and I’ll probably hit the grave kicking and screaming, too. I keep knocking, louder and louder, rap-rap-rap-rap-rap?—
“What?” His voice and the door creak open at the same time.
Reese fills the frame. He’s haggard, a gaunt five o’ clock shadow peppering his chin. Dark circles envelop his eyes like he hasn’t slept a wink.
I almost waver, soften, reach up to stroke the mussed hair off his forehead. But then I remind myself of how he behaved last night and decide that I can cut him some slack after I’ve given him a hefty piece of my mind.
“Don’t get an attitude with me. What was that last night? You totally blew me off! I had dinner ready; I even got Violet?—”
“I didn’t ask you to do that.”
“No,” I snap, “you didn’t. But I figured after the game you’d want a distraction.”
His eyes narrow. “What does that mean?”
Something in his voice gives me pause. The wind whooshes out of my sails. “I mean that because the game didn’t go that well, I thought that you’d want something nice to come home to?—”
“You make a lot of fucking assumptions, Olivia,” he says harshly. “The fuck do you even know about hockey, huh? Nothing. And unless I’m paying you to mind my business—which I’m not—I suggest you mind your own.”
There’s a cold rush of air as the door slams in my face. Hot, prickly tears sting my eyes.
I could scream. Bang my hands on Reese’s door until he opens up. I could tell him what a dick he is, how he’s a terrible man and behaving like an even worse father.
But I don’t.
