AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It’s been almost two weeks since Violet walked out on Theo and me, and it doesn’t hurt any less. Theo asks about her all the time, and Hannah told me that he asked her to call Violet a couple of days ago when he stayed at her place. Apparently he asked her to come to our first game of the season, which is tomorrow, and she politely declined.
Not that I expected anything different. Violet had no problem walking out on us, so why would she circle back around?
My dad texted me that he wanted to see me, so I’m heading over to his place just after lunch before Hannah is due to drop Theo off at my place. He’ll be coming with me to the game tomorrow and will sit in the owner’s box with my parents.
I walk into my parents’ home and call out a hello, but no one answers. Evan and Bianca have returned to their respective cities on the East Coast, so it’s quieter than it has been the past couple of months. It reminds me of my own house after Violet left.
Knowing my dad is likely in his office, I head over to the stairs and make my way up there. The door is open when I reach it, so I knock lightly on the doorframe and walk inside.
“Hey, Dad. What’s up?”
He looks away from his computer screen and smiles. “Thanks for swinging by.” Then he stands from his desk and motions to the couch. “Have a seat.”
I take a seat in the middle. “Is this about the opening game tomorrow?”
He sits in the chair to my right. “Not directly, no.” He leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I wanted to talk to you about Violet.”
I bolt up from the couch.
“Sit down, Brady.” He uses his dad voice, and even though I’m a thirty-two-year-old man, it still works on me, so I sit back down.
“I don’t want to talk about it.” That’s what I’ve told anyone who’s asked about it these past couple weeks.
The guys know the basics, as do my parents, but I haven’t gotten into the specifics or how I’m feeling about it. I suspect my moping around gives them a pretty big clue though.
“I know you don’t, but you need to. And I’m the right person to have this conversation with you. It’s been weeks, and you haven’t snapped out of this funk you’re in, which tells me you really care for this woman.”
I mimic his position and stare down through the center of my legs, admitting to my dad what I’ve only recently admitted to myself. “I think I love her, Dad. I didn’t want to, I didn’t plan on it, but there you go.”
I hear his sigh. “You think or you do? Those are two very different things, Brady.”
I sigh and nod. “I do.”
“Brady, when I met your mom, do you think it was all sunshine and roses at first?”
I look up from the floor at him and shrug. “I don’t know. Wasn’t it? All I’ve ever known is you guys being all about each other.”
He chuckles. “True enough. But remember, I was an investment broker, and she was my best friend’s little sister who wanted me to invest in a sex toy company. Does that sound like a match made in heaven?”
I laugh because, as opposite as they are, they’re also so perfect for one another.
“Do you know that I didn’t even tell her about you when we first met and started dating? Do you remember when we picked you up from that summer camp when you broke your arm?”
I remember seeing pictures of me with a broken arm, but not too many of the details from that day. “Sort of…”
“Hours before that was the first time she even knew you existed, and that was only because we were on a romantic weekend together and the camp called to tell me what happened.”
I frown. “Why did you keep me a secret?”
He straightens up and leans back in the chair. “For the same reason you’ve always been so wary about women where Theo is concerned… my son’s best interests were my first priority. I was wary about bringing someone into your life for years, and when Lennon came along… I felt different with her than with anyone else. But you were my priority, so I remained wary. I wanted to make sure she would be committed to me, to you, to us, but then life happened.”
I nod. “That was a big part of why we agreed to keep it a secret. I didn’t want Theo to be confused about what was going on.” I push a hand through my hair.
“And that’s what makes you an amazing father. Honestly, I couldn’t be prouder of the way you’re raising Theo and the way you co-parent with Hannah. A lot of people could take lessons from you two. But have you considered the fact that maybe you’re doing your son a disservice by not taking a chance with Violet?”
My forehead wrinkles. “What do you mean?”
“My grandson loves that woman. I saw how they were with each other.”
