Only One Love (Only One 7)

"You can’t protect me from everything," I tell him and Max laughs from beside us.

"Don’t anger him just when he’s starting to think rationally." Max slaps my father on the shoulder. "You did good. I’m proud of you. When we get home, I’m going to put a sticker on the chart for you."

"Fuck you," my father says to him, not letting me go.

"Sorry." Erika puts up her hand as if we are in a classroom and she needs permission to talk. "Forgive me." She looks around the room at everyone. "But we seriously need to think about a press release."

"Oh my God," I say, stepping away from my father and walking over to the bar. "How about mind your business?" I suggest, pouring myself a shot of whiskey. "I’m sure by tomorrow it will be old news."

"How about …” Alex puts up her hand. "If you watch it, you’re a pervert."

"You watched it." Julia points to her, laughing. "Twice."

"For research purposes." Alex throws her hands up. "But those other people are probably watching it to get off to." She motions jerking off with her hand.

"This child of mine," Max says. "She’s going to put me in the grave."

"Oh, please." Alex gets up. "You still got lots of time left in you, Dad." She walks to me and grabs her own glass.

"So we are going with it’s private, or you’re a pervert?" Nico asks, and I take a shot of whiskey.

"How about it was a private moment between two people that was never intended to be shared?" I point out, looking at Erika.

"That works." She takes out her phone and looks at me. "Your brother would like a word with you when he’s off the ice."

"My brother can dream on." She looks at me, shocked. "Until he apologizes for punching Wilson in the face, I have nothing to say to him."

"He did what?" my mother says at the same time my father puffs out his chest. "That’s my boy."

"Not okay, Dad," I say to him. "Wilson did nothing to deserve that."

"Can we just focus on one thing?" Nico says. "I’m going to get with Erika and draft up something."

"I trust Erika with anything," I say. "Whatever she thinks we should say, we say it. But in no way do I want the finger pointed at anyone, especially not Wilson."

"We are on the same page," Nico says. "Now I have to get down there. The period is almost over, and I don’t want to leave them alone." He looks at me. "I’ll tell him you're okay."

"Thank you." I take another shot of whiskey. "What a fucking day," I mumble to myself before turning around and looking at the screen that shows Wilson. He looks angry, and the side of his lip is bleeding again.

"Do you want to get out of here?" my father asks, and I just look at him.

"The press is going to be all over the place, and I think for the rest of the night, you should lie low," he says. "I would be telling anyone else that."

"Your father is right," my uncle Max says. "God, that hurt to say. It’s like acid in my mouth." We all laugh at him. "But the press is going to be all over him."

"I’ll take you," Vivi says, getting up. "They expect her to leave with you." She points at my father. "But if we just duck out now, no one is going to notice."

"Fine," I say, taking one last shot. "Let’s get out of here."

"I’ll take you guys down," my father says, stepping forward.

"No, the minute they see you, they’re going to be on her," Max says. "Alex, go with them."

"Gladly." She gets up. "I have lots more questions to ask her."

I just shake my head and look at my father. "I’ll call you as soon as we are in the car," I say. He nods his head, and I know this is probably the hardest thing for him. I walk to him. "Thanks, Dad." I kiss his cheek. "For not freaking out more than you did."

"I must be getting soft," he replies, laughing. "I’m waiting for a call. You take her straight home." He points at my sister, who salutes him.

"Ready?" Vivi asks me as she puts her hand on the door.

"I’ll be fine," I say to her as I walk out of the lodge with Alex and Vivi on each side of me.

"Yeah, besides,” Alex says from beside me. "They’ve already seen her butt-ass naked." Vivi gasps, and I laugh. "Too soon?" We make it to the car without anyone noticing us. I take out my phone and send Wilson a text.

Me: Call me when you’re out.

Chapter 30

Wilson

The horn blows, letting us know the game is over. I’m the first to jump up and walk into the locker room instead of going on the ice to meet the goalie and greet the crowd. That was the longest game of my whole fucking life. I don’t even know how many shifts I played. I don’t even know what the score was. The only thing I kept doing was looking up to see her in the lodge. But I never saw her, not once, and it ate at my stomach.