“We hated missing the game on Friday.” Penny turns her attention to Luke and doesn’t glance away. “From what we heard, you played really well.”
Luke glances at me but doesn’t really acknowledge what Penny said.
“If she gets hurt,” Eli’s hand closes over my shoulder, “while on your watch, you’ll pay for it.”
Penny smiles. “She won’t. We’ll make sure.”
“She’s ours.” Luke’s words and his possessiveness make me feel like this could go all year and beyond. But there’s still a part of me that worries I’m not enough to hold their attention for the long term. Notallof them at least.
I lean my head against Luke’s shoulder as the server places our orders in front of us. He kisses my hair and I release my breath. Maybe not all of them. But fuck if I don’t want to try.
CHAPTER 6
The First Move
Nico
I run a hand through my hair and stare at the house we moved into. Do I want to be here? Not really. But Mom sounded anxious about something. Dad’s car isn’t in the garage, which means he’s either working today or didn’t come home last night.
Fuck. I walk into the kitchen and see the remains of last night’s dinner on the stove. The dining room table is set for two like she’s still expecting him to come home any minute. I don’t want to be here. I want to turn around and walk out and pretend he’s not making this my responsibility. Likesheisn’t my responsibility.
I put my gear bag in the mudroom and start a load of laundry. Back in the kitchen, I turn on the faucet to hot and clean up last night’s untouched dinner. I also make coffee. There were problems in New York, but it was easier to ignore them.
Dad did what he wanted and Mom had friends. I got left to my own devices. But the point of moving here was to reconnect. To build our family again. Tobea family again.
But leave it to my dad to fuck that all up too.
“Nico?”
I turn and my mom is leaning against the doorframe, watching me. She’s in a robe. Her hair hangs around her shoulders. Her face is bare of makeup. She looks like she hasn’t slept.
“Morning, Mom. Do you want some coffee?” I set the pan in the drying rack. Drying off my hands, I grab a mug from the cabinet and fill it. After adding a little cream and sugar, I walk over and hand her the cup.
Her smile is sad as she takes it.
“Thank you,” she says softly and touches my cheek with her cold hand. “What would I do without you?”
Smiling, I return to the fridge. “Do you want something for breakfast? I was going to make some eggs and bacon.”
She sinks into the chair at the kitchen table and sighs as she sets her coffee mug down. “He didn’t come home.”
My fucking father. I grab the eggs and bacon and a pan and get to work.
“Business?” My voice is almost hopeful, but we both know the other woman’s name isn’tbusiness.
Mom doesn’t answer and when I glance back, she’s sipping her coffee before staring into the cup. The other woman was the reason we moved in the first place. Mom probably hoped it had been long enough that whatever drew him to her was in the past.
“I’m glad you’re here.” Her smile is sad.
“It’s not a problem.” I hate to be left out of what’s happening with the guys and Harper, but this is important too. There’s a part of me that wishes my mom would just leave him, but she’s scared.
He’s always taken care of her. Who is she if she isn’t Mark Lee’s wife?
“How’s your relationship with Harper?”
I crack the eggs into the warmed skillet and listen to them sizzle for a second before answering. The short answer is good.But Mom doesn’t want a short answer. She wants something to distract her from my asshole father.
“We went out on a date this week.” My lips tip into a smile, remembering that night. “Dinner. Burgers and shakes. Then we went out stargazing.”
