AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Through gritted teeth, I respond, "Yes. My parents are amazing."
She moves on, undeterred. "And you're good at hockey?"
I nod again. "Yes."
"Playing professionally good?"
I keep nodding. "Yes."
"How are your grades in school?"
Still nodding, I reply, "Really damn good."
"You come from a good family, you're on your way to the NHL, and you seem like a stable young man."
She lays out my life's accomplishments before me as if I weren't already well aware of my own status. My anger continues to simmer beneath the surface.
"I don't understand what—"
Sutton’s dad cuts me off. “Once you get to the NHL, women will hound you." He takes a slow sip of his whiskey. “It would be impossible to not want to sample the goods.”
I feel the rage bubbling inside me as I reply, “Not a chance in hell, and it’s really none—”
But he interrupts me again, “Do yourself a favor and end it before it gets messy.”
I've had enough. I slam my fist down on the table, nearly knocking over a glass. "Cut me off one more fucking time, asshole."
The restaurant's patrons are starting to take notice of our heated exchange, and I realize I need to regain my composure before I get thrown out. Sutton is still in the bathroom, and I don't want her to return to find me gone.
I shouldn't have entertained their questions in the first place; I unwittingly gave them an opening to attack. I need to get out of here. I can't stay a moment longer while they tear down their own daughter.
I can't help but offer them a piece of my mind before leaving. My voice raises, and it's out of my control. "You guys don’t know anything about me, and you certainly don’t know anything about Sutton. Maybe you should be less concerned about me and more concerned about the fact that you have a fucking incredible daughter that you neglect."
As I'm pulled from my rant by Sutton's approach, I see her face registering surprise. She asks, "What’s going on?" as she quickens her pace to reach me.
I don't allow her parents to speak before grabbing Sutton’s hand and blurting out, “We’re leaving.” I shake my head in disgust. “There’s nothing else to say here.”
Sutton doesn’t bother to say goodbye to either of her parents. She just follows me out the door to my car, trusting that I have her best interest at heart.
I help her into my truck, and she settles in before sighing. “I don’t want anything to do with them anymore.” She looks up at me through her thick lashes. “Does that make me a bad person?”
“No,” I assure her as I walk around the car to the driver's side and buckle in. “You're doing what's best for you.”
She lets out a dry laugh. “Elliott is going to be happy. He’s always wanted to be a family of two.”
I can see the weight of the situation on her shoulders, and it breaks my heart. What did she do to deserve being treated like this?
“What did you guys talk about when I was in the bathroom?” She asks, and I know she's worried about what her parents might have said in her absence.
Sutton's face is filled with a mix of emotions, but she leans on me for support. “Stupid or not, I want to know.”
I sigh, realizing there's no avoiding this conversation. “Her dad thinks that once I make it to the NHL, I'll cheat on you. He said it's 'impossible not to want to sample the goods.'”
Sutton's eyes narrow, and her grip on my hand tightens. “And what about my mom?”
I hesitate for a moment, not wanting to repeat her mother's words. “She said I could do so much better than you.”
Sutton's jaw tightens, and her free hand balls into a fist. “I can't believe she said that to you. I'm so sorry, Lincoln.”
