“You and me, we need to talk about my daughter.”
Fuck, no.
“I don’t think that’s a great idea. Maybe we do that with Bristol in the room.” I refuse to cower to him, but I’m also not about to go behind her back. I’ve seen her temper and I don’t want to be on the receiving side of her wrath.
“You had no problem reaching out to me when she was sick or in trouble.” Kyler tilts his head to the side. “And I appreciate that.”
It seems he’s decided we’re having this conversation whether I’m onboard or not.
“However, it’s come to my attention that you play hockey for Evergreen University. Am I correct?”
Slowly, I nod. “Yes, that’s correct.” I’m confused why he’s asking.
“Then you’ll understand why I don’t want you anywhere around my daughter, certainly not dating her. I used to be a hockey player, son, I know all about the trouble they get up to and the girls they sleep with.”
My mouth drops.
“I can assure you that Bristol and I … this isn’t some puck bunny scenario.”
“Of course, it’s not! My daughter isn’t a puck bunny!”
I grimace. This is not going how I was expecting today to go. “I was never implying that she was.” I’m quick to try to clarify my words. “I like her, sir, a lot.”
He rubs his jaw and grabs a bottle of liquor from the cabinet along with a glass for himself. He doesn’t offer me a drink. I’m also not of legal age yet. Given his grumpiness in regard to Bristol’s uncle offering her alcohol when she was eighteen, I doubt he’ll offer me a sip.
“I’m sure you do. I’m also confident you get tons of girls fawning all over you. Am I right?”
My lips part, but I don’t answer.
He offers a cocky grin. “I know you do, and if you’re good enough to make it pro, then you’ll sure as hell have girls lining up, willing to do anything for thirty seconds with you.”
“Mr. Greyson, if I wanted countless girls every night, I could walk up to any of the puck bunnies and have my choice. I’m not interested in those girls. I like your daughter.”
He pours himself a glass of bourbon and then swirls it around, breathing in the aroma. “You say that now, while you’re still interested in my daughter. What happens when you grow bored?”
“Is that what happened between you and Emerson?” I glower at Kyler. “Is that why you live two-thousand miles apart from each other?”
“I love my wife!” Kyler snarls, and his shout echoes through my bones.
“I care very much for your daughter,” I grit between clenched teeth.
I won’t use the l word, we’re not there yet, and it wouldn’t be fair to Bristol to throw it out there before feeling it.
“Remember, I used to play hockey. I know all about the trash talk in the locker rooms. Everything from the girls who were bedded the night before to the bets we’d make whether we could pick a girl up after a game and sleep with her. I’m not an idiot, Liam, I work with those same young men just about your age. Times have changed, but some things always remain the same.”
“Do you want to know how many girls I’ve slept with while on the Narwhals team?” I climb off the stool, coming to face him.
He doesn’t scare me.
“Two.”
His eyes flicker.
“One of them, yes, is your daughter.”
“Liam!” Bristol shouts as she hears the tail end of the conversation. “Why the hell are you telling my father that we’re sleeping together?”
Nine
