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“I know you can.” He smiles at me, then turns to my father. “Truth is, Mr. Hyde?—”
“Please, call me Michael.”
Ethan nods. “Truth is, Michael, she’s done it again. Your ex-wife is punishing Mikayla this time.”
Dad jerks in his chair, his face bunching with annoyance. “What do you mean?”
“Well…” Ethan looks to me and I nod, giving him permission to speak on my behalf. My stomach is still jumping with silent sobs, and I’m afraid if I speak that I’ll turn into a blubbering mess. “Her fiancé agreed to pay for Mikayla’s education, and because she won’t follow the letter of his law, he’s reneged on that. And Melanie is backing him.”
Dad’s eyebrows dip a little deeper. “What? She told me you were sorted. For college. She said you didn’t need any money for that.”
I blink. “When did you speak to her?”
“I…” His face buckles with confusion. “She’s my only avenue to you and Megan. We communicate through email.”
“But… I… What? I thought you walked away and never looked back.”
“Mickey Blue.” He tips his head like the very idea of that is absurd. “I may not have forced you to see me, but I was still a part of your life. I kept in touch with your teachers and read every report card. I haven’t missed one child support payment, and I’d already started a college fund for both you and Megan, but your mom told me she had already arranged all of that. I should have pushed harder for more information. What is this about her fiancé reneging on his promises?”
Dad looks pissed while I’m sitting here try to deal with this mindfuck.
She made me believe Dad didn’t give two shits about us, but he’s been watching from the sidelines this whole time?
“Mick?” he prompts me, and I blink, trying to pull my scrambled brain back together. “What happened?”
“I, uh… I failed to become a Sig Be sister.” I sigh. “I embarrassed her and pissed off Aimee—her fiancé’s daughter. He’s kind of precious about her, and now he’s hating on me and saying I breached the contract, so he won’t pay another dime toward my education.”
Dad’s nostrils flare, and it’s obvious he’s struggling to remain calm.
“Okay, go back a bit,” he grits out. “So, you’re at Nolan U.”
“Yes.” I nod. “Mom and Jarrod wanted me to go there, because…”
“It was her college.” Dad’s lips twitch. “She really loved it there.”
“Yeah, well…” I shrug. “She really wanted me to go, and it was the only school he’d agree to pay for, so I went along with it. But then they also wanted me to join her and Aimee’s sorority… and it just wasn’t my thing.” I glance at Ethan, who makes my heart trill with a little wink. “So I pulled out and everyone got pissed, and now they’re refusing to pay for anything.”
“That’s where you come in.” Ethan points at my father.
I bulge my eyes at Ethan, trying to shut him up.
He ignores me and throws a dazzling smile at my dad. “Not only was I hoping that you’d be able to reconnect with your daughter, but I was also hoping that you might be able to help her get this degree she so desperately wants. A degree she deserves.”
Dad pins Ethan with an appreciative look before turning his full attention to me. “What are you studying?”
“Oh, uh… business and sports management.”
His eyes light like I’ve just given him his Christmas wish. “Are you playing any college ball? I notice you gave it up for your senior year. Kind of broke my heart there, kid.”
“I…” I shake my head, letting out a watery laugh. “It was never the same after you left. I kept playing, but I never loved it as much without you.”
His expression crumples with regret, but Ethan makes him grin by quickly retelling the story of how I hustled Asher. Dad’s soon laughing, his smile filled with pride as he stares at me across the table.
It gives me the courage to tell him that “I want to be a sports agent. Representing female athletes.”
His smile grows even wider. “That’s perfect for you, Mickey.”
Oh man, he looks so freaking proud of me right now. It makes me want to cry in a whole different way.
