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Oh no, Mark’s not going near my dad after what he just said. I paste on a sweet smile. “Why don’t I come with you?”
John blinks at me. “Allie, I need you to cover my line and emails. Thank you for the offer, though. I’ll be back in an hour and we can go over the details.”
“But—”
“Thank you, but we don’t need you.”
Mark smirks at me from the other side of John. “It was a pleasure meeting you in person, Allie. You remind me of your mother when she was your age. Back when we knew each other.”
The two of them leave the office while I stand frozen, stunned.
What just happened? He knew my mom?
Chapter50
Lucas
Tom has been in a grouchy mood since we started today. I tried getting him to talk, but he just stormed around yelling at whatever, and then mumbled to himself nonstop.
I haven’t had the best luck recently, but I got Allie and Jadon in my house, which is a win for us. She doesn’t have to be responsible for him all the time now because now we can share that.
Tom, though, is red-faced and if anyone acts out, he’s foaming at the mouth. We had to set aside the first day of school plans because he’s been talking to a lawyer all day. He’s not talking about whatever it is, though.
After the first practice, he finally opened up. He’s being forced out of his job with ten years left.Early retirement, they’re calling it.
Just this morning, the school board asked me to weigh in on a panel to hire a new basketball coach. It made more sense after Tom told me John made him an offer that wasn’t quite optional. Tom’s fighting it, of course, but he’s also looking at new coaching jobs now.
All of this is happening right before the season starts.
The assistant coaches have the team warming up this period with circuits, while I help Tom get the balls out for the students when they start practice.
It’s just a midday practice, like a class. We just keep their blood pumping, mainly.
Tom blows out a breath. “So you chickened out and didn’t ask Allie, huh?”
I grind my jaw and remind myself not to make death threats to people that aren’t present to hear them. “Ted stole the ring from my pocket at the dinner.”
Tom frowns. “I never saw him there.”
“Yeah,” I force a sarcastic laugh while grabbing the balls for Tom. “He found me at the bar. Stuck his hand in my pocket when I wasn’t paying attention. I took her to the spot I told you about and went so far as to almost ask and noticed it was gone.” I look over my shoulder when Tom says nothing.
He furrows his brow at me. “He really took her ring? Sure you didn’t just lose it in the car or something?”
I checked every inch of my car, called the club, and searched every inch of that spot we went to at the lake while Allie was packing Jadon’s things. I know who has it.
“Yeah. I was hoping to ask you for Ted’s address. Allie doesn’t want to have anything to do with him, but I have no problem showing up at his house and asking him nicely to hand it back.”
And I won’t be telling Joel about it in case punches are thrown.
“You say Ted is close to Mark?”
“Yeah. I don’t fully understand it, but I guess there’s something there.” I turn back to grab more balls while the whistle blows across the field.
Tom scoffs and mutters under his breath. “Figures. Mark always has to be in control. Should have known he’d rope that kid into his mess.”
I turn back to Tom, confused. “What do you mean—?”
“Gentlemen!” John beams at us while he approaches with the other man on my damn list, and his fellow band of merry assholes. Well,ass kissersis more like it since that’s all they do and get paid for it.
