Thankfully, I’d hired competent people to do their jobs without me having to nag them, which meant it wasn’t hard to get articles out on time.
We exchanged a quick goodbye and ended the video call. The first article would be pushed out before tonight’s game.
I’d warned them ahead of time it was coming, and my team had pulled through like they always did.
Unfortunately, the usual relief I felt when I submitted something important like this was absent.
My gaze shifted over to the clock on the wall and I tried not to throw up. I don’t know why I ever agreed to meet my father, but I was regretting it more and more every minute that passed.
This was a bad idea. A stupid choice that was inevitably going to end with me hurting.
I’d even spent hours this morning trying to decide what to wear. I’d never struggled with that before.
He was throwing my life so off-kilter that it only made me hate him a little bit more.
The main reason I agreed was because there were so many things I wanted to get off my chest. Things I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs. He should hear that it was bullshit that he got to walk away and my mom didn’t have the same choices. He was careless, made a child, and then acted like it was a business transaction.
The anger that flared in my chest was familiar enough to ground me.
I’d worked hard to block the bonds all day today. They had a game tonight. The last thing they needed was the emotions of their omega throwing them off.
Over breakfast they’d all asked me over and over again if I wanted someone to come with me, but I declined their offers.
I wasn’t particularly fond of people watching me fall apart. Even my pack.
Especially my pack.
It was far too early to leave for the diner, but I knew if I waited then my pack would try to join or take me over and wait outside. All options that made me even more antsy.
The sounds of practice going on had me rushing through the building and out the door. I’d shoot them a text when I got there, but, for now, I was happy to have a little peace.
Hayes promised that I didn’t have to fall apart alone or face anything alone anymore. Yet here I was, pushing them away again.
I made the drive out to the lake. There was a small boutique nearby for nesting supplies. I could always check it out to kill some time.
Two hours early was a bit too long to take up space in the diner, so I forced myself to walk into the boutique.
It was cute and small, but I couldn’t focus on anything they were selling. I just mindlessly wandered the aisles, occasionally picking up an item like I was considering it before putting it back down.
An hour and a half into my mindless circling, my phone started to blow up. The guys had figured out I’d left already.
Hayes
Where are you?
Kota
We would’ve gone with you.
Roxie
I know, but I wanted to do this alone. I promise everything’s fine.
I tucked my phone away as it started buzzing in my pocket. Whatever they had to say could wait.
Somehow I’d wasted enough time that there were only thirty minutes to go, which was a respectable amount of time to take up a table.
I walked over to the diner with my heart in my throat.
