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“Dad, is everything okay?”
“Luc, I’m fine. I had a little too much to drink, and things got out of hand. You don’t need to worry about me. I’m here to see you, for the Dads’ Trip and to see my son play hockey. Let’s focus on that.”
“When did you start drinking again? I thought things were going better for you the last few months. Is there something going on that I should know about?”
His dad scrubbed his weathered hands over his face and sighed heavily before answering. “Things are fine. I just slipped up.”
That sentence told Luc that something wasn’t right, not like he needed any more clues to tell him that. “Dad, what happened?”
“It’s no big deal.” His dad shrugged off his concern. “You don’t need to worry about me, son.”
“I’m pretty sure that I do need to worry. Did you get behind on your bills?” There’s obviously more to the story.
“Luc, I’m fine.” But the worry lines on his face said otherwise.
Luc urged, “Dad. Please.”
His dad’s tired eyes closed, and he sighed again. “Son, you shouldn’t have to worry about me. I’m the parent.” But even as he said the words, they both knew the truth.
No, Luc shouldn’t have to worry about his father, but this was the reality. His reality. “Dad, we both know how this goes. If there’s something I can help you with, please just tell me.”
“That’s just it. You’re the son and you shouldn’t have to provide for me. I went to the casino, just to play a little. I started to win for once. You know how it is; they suck you in. I couldn’t give you a lot growing up. I just wanted to…” His dad wasn’t making a lot of sense, and he looked more tired than usual. Maybe the years were catching up with him.
“Dad, come on. The casino is never the answer. If you need money, it’s time you look to me for help. That’s what I’m here for.” Luc knew that was not what his dad wanted to hear.
With a sad look on his face, his dad nodded.
“I know you were at the table games, and those aren’t cheap to play.” This was one time a sibling or two would come in handy. But instead, Luc had no one to lean on, and no one to help with his dad.
“Well, I was winning, until I wasn’t.”
“That’s sort of what those places rely on, Dad. Let me help you.”
“Ah,” he protested with a scowl and waved his hand in the air. “I don’t want to owe you money, son.”
“I’m your son, you don’t owe me anything.”
“Luc, can we stop talking about this now? I’m the father and you’re the son. Let’s leave it at that for now. Please?”
“For now.” Luc had never seen his father so down before, and he’d been really low before, being a widower and trying to raise a little boy. They had been through a lot together. But this was different. His father was almost sad, or embarrassed.
Whether he liked it or not, he was going to stay with Luc for at least a week, maybe more. And his dad was going to have to let Luc take care of him for once. Luc wasn’t giving up, just moving on for the moment. Because in all honesty, there wasn’t much left to discuss. “Okay.”
His dad’s face brightened up as the subject changed. “You got yourself a girl yet?”
He did have a girl, and he wanted to scream it from the rooftops. The only thing stopping him was a pebble of fear. Fear that his working relationship with Kaden, and the fact that Kaden was her brother, might be the one thing that pulled her away. “That’s complicated. It’s something I’d like to talk to you about while you’re here. But not right now. If you can behave, then I have a friend I’d like you to meet. I’ll ask her if she wants to stop by tonight for pizza.” Luc had already decided he missed Kassie and needed to see her tonight.
“A girl, huh? Friend? I’ve got a feeling there’s more to this than you’re saying. But I’d love to meet her. And don’t worry; I’ll behave around your girlfriend.” His dad winked.
Luc opened his loft door to a smiling Kassie. She had a six pack of hard lemonade in her hand. Her long brown hair was up in a ponytail, and she was dressed very casually, as though his text invite to dinner had interrupted her day at the gym. She had on leggings and a long sleeved Renegades t-shirt, covered by a hooded sweatshirt.
“Hey, sweets. Did I interrupt your run?” Luc nodded to her outfit.
“Actually, you kind of did.” She giggled in her girly way. “I was getting ready to go running when I got your text. So instead of my run, I grabbed my keys and hit the beer distributor. I can always run twice as long tomorrow.” Kassie set the six pack in his hands and walked into the loft.
Luc’s eyes followed her hips as she entered his home and moved down the hallway. “I should interrupt your runs more often,” he said, as low as he could manage.
Kassie threw a sly look over her shoulder, her ponytail flipping as she did. Her lips formed a tight line, and the edges turned up in an almost evil grin. It was hot. Her swagger quickly halted when she noticed his dad.
