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Long hours on the bus. Hundreds of miles and a physically demanding job.
But he was here—I glanced surreptitiously toward my watch—five minutes early. In a nice shirt and nice jeansandnice shoes, his hair a little damp and wavy, like he’d just run his fingers through it.
Temptingmeto run my fingers through it.
“And who’re you?” My dad narrowed his eyes. “Not one of those troublemaking hockey players.”
Theor elsewas unspoken.
“He plays on the Rush,” I told my dad and firmed up my tone. “He’s been instrumental in helping me get River’s Bend back on track.”
A silent survey.
Then my dad nodded, extended his hand. “Joel.” A beat. “John.” Shaking of hands commenced before my dad stepped back. “You make sure that BR here doesn’t slack off.”
Joel went very still behind me.
“Dad,” I said. “You know—”
My dad wasn’t listening, and he just kept…being my dad. “She’ll take the easy way out.Everytime. You”—a finger jabbed in Joel’s direction—“make sure she stays until every vote has been tallied and everyone has their business taken care of.”
That…hurt.
A lot.
But I couldn’t focus on that.
“Did I just hear you?”
My dad’s eyes narrowed at Joel’s voice. It was frosty as hell and he’d gone statue stiff behind me. I glanced up—and yup—the anger I felt pulsing against my spine was written all over Joel’s face.
Pissed.
Seriouslypissed.
Something expanded in my belly—hope, need, something else, something more, something…deeper.
Because Joel was pissed.
Forme.
“I—” my dad began.
I turned my back on my dad, on my parents, took Joel’s hand and squeezed tightly. “It’s okay,” I whispered, pleading with him when it looked as though he would say something else. “It’sokay. Let’s just go have our date and not worry about—”
His jaw tightened, and he studied me closely for several long moments.
“It’s not okay.”
No. It wasn’t.
I just…this was how it was with them.
Joel sighed, cupped my jaw, then glanced up at my parents. “Billie and I have plans.”
I followed his glance, saw my dad’s jaw flexing. “BR—”
Joel slid an arm around my shoulders, tugged me close. “Nice to meet you both,” he said firmly, cutting off the conversation. “We’ll talk soon.”
