AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My stomach knotted up as he walked toward me. There was no doubt he could whoop my ass with a single punch based on the size of his biceps alone. The stern look on his face, paired with his grimace, almost made me want to break out into a sprint. I didn’t run, though. If anything, I deserved what he was about to lay on me.
“Yes, sir,” I replied. “If it’s any consolation, I broke my own in the process.”
I doubted that took away from the fact that I still broke Starlet’s heart.
“I’m Eric,” he stated, walking toward me. He unbuttoned his long sleeves and rolled them up his arms. I didn’t even know forearms could be solid muscle. What did this guy eat for a living? Whole chickens? “And you’re Milo, huh?”
“That’s me,” I replied, trying not to sound intimidated.
“Where are you heading?”
“I was just going to go sit by this pond my parents and I used to fish at.”
Eric narrowed his eyes. “Is your dad still in rehab?”
I nodded, feeling a knot in my gut. “Yeah. For a few more weeks.”
“How is it going for him?”
I shrugged. “It’s hard to tell. I’m just happy he’s getting the help he needs.”
“Good. I’m glad. Life is tough. It takes courage to ask for help.” He glanced around and then met my stare again. “You want a ride to the lake?”
“Oh no, it’s not that far and—”
“Milo.” He cut in and stepped closer. “Do you want a ride to the lake?”
I guessed it wasn’t a question as much as it was an order. My palms were sweating, and I was almost certain I was seconds away from pissing my pants. “All right, thanks.” I climbed into the passenger seat of his car and closed the door gently. The last thing I was going to do was slam the door of a man who could snap me in half with one stern look.
Eric climbed into the driver’s seat and asked for directions to said pond. I told him, and within a few minutes, we were parked and walking out to sit on one of the benches. A good amount of time passed without us exchanging words. I didn’t know if I should’ve felt comfort or unease, yet somehow, I felt a wave of both things as I sat beside Eric.
When I finally found enough courage, I said, “I’m sorry about what happened with Starlet.”
Eric kept staring out at the iced-over lake. “Which part are you sorry for?”
“What?”
“What I mean is, which part are you apologizing for? Are you sorry for falling for my daughter?”
“No. Of course not.” That was the best thing that ever happened to me. I honestly didn’t think I would’ve been able to keep going on with life over the past few months if it wasn’t for Starlet entering my life. I’d never apologize for how I felt for her.
“Are you apologizing for ending things with her?”
I hesitated at that question. I was sorry that things ended, of course, but I didn’t regret my decision. That was what hurt the most, I thought. I ended things because I wasn’t going to be able to give her the kind of love she deserved. I felt my depression settling in more lately, especially with my recent health issues and Dad being in rehab. I wouldn’t be able to be the person for her in the way I’d want to be. She’d already lost her position at the high school and was spending more time with me than she should’ve. I couldn’t be the one to ruin her life.
“No,” I whispered. “I’m not apologizing for that.”
“Then what is the apology for?”
“Her teaching at the high school. It’s my fault she was let go from that. I feel awful about it.”
“Oh.” He nodded. “That.” He picked up a small rock and tossed it at the pond, hitting the ice. It cracked slightly. “Did you know that Starlet’s mother was a teacher?”
I nodded. “She’d mentioned it during our talks.”
He clasped his hands together and rested them in his lap. “Yeah. She was an English teacher. One of the best ones out there, though I might be biased. Do you know what Starlet wanted to be before her mother passed away?”
“What’s that?”
“Anything but a teacher.” He glanced my way before picking up another rock and tossing it toward the water. Another crack was created. “Her whole life, Star has done the right thing. She never spoke back to me. She always did her chores and excelled at school. She doesn’t even cuss.”
“Yeah, I kind of make fun of her because of that.”
“You and me both.” He chuckled before growing somber. “When her mother passed away, she followed in her footsteps and decided she wanted to be a teacher. For a long time, I wondered if that was what she truly wanted or if she felt it was a way to hold onto her mother.”
