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“How many years back?” I fished.
He squinted his eyes like he was thinking. “Like… seven?”
I sat there counting back the years…
“Right after you left for juniors,” he clarified.
That shut me the hell up.
He patted me on the back before turning to walk out of the office. “Glad you’re back, son. Glad you’re both back. Feels like old times around here.” He smiled. “Feels right.”
4.Claire
I rummaged around in my skating bag looking for my keys while I walked out toward the rink’s front office.
“Hey, I’m gonna head out for the day,” I rattled off without looking. I had about twenty protein bar wrappers littering the bottom of my bag that must’ve been hiding my keys. “You want dinner? Addie told me to invite you over because we’re making some steak and ah-ha!” I pulled out my keys… And that’s when I finally looked up to realize that my dad wasn’t sitting in his usual spot where he’d sat for the last twenty years of my life.
In his place was the infuriating, but handsome-as-ever, Duke Callahan.
He flashed me his cocky smile, the same one he regarded me with as a little boy when he thought he was going to beat me in a foot race, and my traitorous heart wobbled a bit. He looked almost pleased with himself that I accidentally spoke to him in a nicer tone than earlier.
I immediately felt a shakiness course through my body, and I forced myself to take in even breaths. It was just too weird to see him back here. I wasn’t sure how to interact with him, because his presence confused the hell out of me. There was still that old thrill present in me– that thrill that used to come from spotting him in the rink. But now it was twisted with hurt.
I coached myself to keep a blank face. I already lost control of my emotions around him earlier, and I was kind of embarrassed by that now.
“Steak sounds great, babe.” He stretched the office chair back and crossed his hands behind his head. His casted foot was propped up on the open window. He always stretched out, taking up way too much space and making himself comfortable anywhere. I used to get a kick out of it, but now I just found it obnoxious.
“I wasn’t inviting you,” I snapped. “I was looking for–”
“I know.” He cracked a smile. “I’m just teasing you, Kessel,” he said slowly, looking directly in my eyes.
He knew I was thrown off by him and that I hated it. “Oh, well…” I swallowed and looked away from him. “Where’s my dad?”
He lifted off his hat and ran a hand through his longish, light brown hair. Some of the strands near the front still had natural highlights. I hated that I noticed, and I hated that I still found him so damn attractive. He didn’t deserve his stupidly strong jawline and long eyelashes.
“That wasn’t very nice of you earlier, ya know,” he drawled.
I should’ve known he wouldn’t let me off the hook for that. I felt my face burn over my earlier actions, but I couldn’t help myself. Maybe a better woman would have handled the situation with more class, but I personally could not stop seven years’ worth of a grudge from bursting forward.
I had to remind myself that I had nothing to be sorry for. He was the one who should’ve been groveling at my feet for forgiveness.
“Are you looking for an apology?” I asked skeptically. What I left unsaid was that he wouldn’t get one until I did.
He stuck out his lower lip, contemplating it, but he must’ve sensed it was futile to ask for one because he changed the subject. “When did you move back?”
I shrugged. “Couple weeks ago.”
“You didn’t move back in with your dad?”
“Nope.”
“You live with Addie?”
“Yupp.”
“You’re not gonna give me much, eh?” His jaw ticked uncomfortably despite the easy-going smile he was trying to maintain on his face.
“Nope,” I said with a smile. I apparently still loved getting on his nerves…
