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“It was Connor’s turn to run plays. I was on strategy. I’m playing next week.”
“Connor.” Douglas snarls. “Junior’s runt.”
I furrow my brow. Alex doesn’t seem thrilled, either. It’s all fun and games when they poke at my height. For anyone else to do it is an act of war as far as the Kirbys are concerned.
“Leave Connor alone,” Emerson says. “He’s a good guy.”
Alex’s head tilts. He didn’t expect that. Hell, neither did I.
“Oh, what?” Douglas asks, his voice laced with disdain. “You two dating now? Have I offended you and your little boyfriend?”
“Knock it off, Dad. Just go home.”
“I tell you, that quack your mom got you going to has made you quite the sissy, you know that?”
“Your opinion has been noted,” Emerson says, still completely calm. “Go home.”
With a scoff, Douglas shifts his weight. “Stay with her this week,” he murmurs. “Don’t feel like lookin’ at ya.”
Emerson doesn’t reply, which only seems to aggravate his father, who lets out a frustrated growl before stomping off down the hall.
Alex taps my shoulder, gesturing for me to follow him back the way we came, but I stay for… some reason.
Emerson hasn’t moved.
I check around the corner. He’s still there, standing still, his face fixed with hard lines. “Hey, Emerson,” I say. “You okay?”
He glances over and moves, balancing stiffly on his feet. “Yeah,” he answers, straightening up. “I’m good.” He hesitates, then says, “Sorry about that. He can be a real dick sometimes.”
“It’s okay.”
Emerson continues down the hall the same way his father went, moving slowly to ensure a lengthy head start.
Once he’s gone, Alex hums with amusement. “Damn,” he says. “Like father, like son, huh?”
“Yeah,” I say. “Maybe.”
Then again, maybe not.
CHAPTER 27
CONNOR
This dinner is taking forever.
Usually, Morgan family dinners are enjoyable, but a lot has changed since my grandfather’s birthday only a week ago. Enough to make it awkward, at least.
Ty and Grant joined us at the last minute, thankfully. The more the merrier, I say, and Uncle Grant is the king of knowing how to keep a conversation going. Can’t say I’m in a chatty mood tonight.
At least, not with anyone at this table.
I don’t think I’ve ever been this excited to make a phone call in my entire life.
But, as I taught Dana…
Patience is a virtue.
“You look exhausted, buddy.”
