“No! I have no daughter if you’re serious about going through with this, Zoe!”
I flinched, the words catching me off guard. There were a lot of times when I got irritated at my dad and felt I would be happier if we lived apart, but I couldn’t deny that the words hurt. A lot.
“That’s fine,” Howard said firmly, his arm wrapping around my shoulders. “Even if you don’t want her, Coach, I’ve got her. If you want us out of your lives, then fine.”
Howard nudged me to get up, and I did so in a bit of a daze. Dad looked like he was about to yell, but Katie beat him to it.
“Ben! I am not willing to give up on my son and my grandchild, so if you were really serious with what you just said, you better think twice about it. And you should apologize to Zoe! What a thing to say to your own daughter! I want us to be a family, not for you to tear it apart!”
Howard and I had both frozen in surprise at her outburst. Dad seemed the most surprised, and he even looked a bit chastened. I thought he’d calmed down a little, and took a step closer hopefully.
“Dad, do you want the same thing, too? I know you don’t like Howard because of his past, but I can swear that he isn’t like that anymore!”
He scoffed. “Then where the hell was he the past week instead of showing up to practice?”
“Howard has been sick at home, really. Actually... I got back yesterday,” I admitted. “I found him puking, with a fever. He really was sick, Dad.”
That caught him off guard, and he had nothing to say. Katie, however, looked at Howard fretfully, and I figured he hadn’t told her he was sick, either.
Dad let out a sigh. “You’re my daughter, Zoe. You’re the most important thing to me, of course I want that, too. Even if it’s... to that guy.”
“Hey, now,” Katie said, but she was smiling. “That guy is my son, Ben, and he has a name.”
Dad rolled his eyes, and I could feel the vice in my chest relax. “Fine, Howard. You and I are going to have a bit of a chat.”
Chapter Nineteen
Howard
Maybe Zoe was right, I shouldn’t have pushed it.
I wanted to ignore the ring of my alarm. Even though I wasn’t sleeping, I was exhausted. I was probably like this due to stress, though.
The same day I healed up, I just had to speak with Ben about our relationship. I didn’t want to put it off, for a number of reasons, but I really should have. Ben wasn’t exactly accepting, yet. After he’d calmed down from the big reveal, he’d sat me down in the living room while insisting that Zoe and Mom stay in the kitchen. He’d started a line of questioning that left me high strung, to the point I’d gotten a slight fever when I got back.
Zoe had stayed behind at home. She’d just gotten back, and it wasn’t like we’d be apart for long, anyway, now that her dad knew and was reluctantly on board with the idea of the two of us getting together. She didn’t know I got sick again, but I still had the meds from the previous night, and I’d eaten already, so I took some meds and went to sleep.
My muscles nearly groaned as I pushed myself until I was sitting on the edge of the bed. I felt fine now, well enough to so something productive today, but my body was exhausted. I was happy, remembering yesterday, but it also made me feel even more tired, remembering that I’d be seeing Ben when I went to practice.
Crap. I hope Zoe will be there, at least.
There was still the issue of Zoe and her job, and if I still had a chance to sign the contract. Maybe I shouldn’t have told Jackson to fuck off with it when he brought it to me, but it was way too late for regrets now. Ben still didn’t like me, but he was trying even last night, for Zoe and the baby’s sake, but I didn’t know how that would transfer to him being the coach and me being a member of the team.
I was trying to talk myself into going to the bathroom for a shower. My body was all sticky with sweat, and it was gross. Besides, I needed to get going soon, or I’d be late. Then, my phone, lying on the nightstand, vibrated with an incoming text. I picked it up and saw it was Grady.
“Hey, do you think you’re well enough to come in today?”
Honestly, I wouldn’t have minded the chance to stay at home, but I knew I owed the team this. I had to get my head in the game, I’d made them wait long enough and there wasn’t that long left before our practice match, then the official games of the season. We needed to practice, and I needed to give it my all during practice, or I’d just let everyone, including Zoe, down.
“Sure.”
Just because I planned to do it, though, didn’t mean I was going to be happy about it. Anyway, I shouldn’t still get sick, and I planned to get plenty of fluids and as much sleep as I could after practice ended.
Grady’s reply came back quickly. “Great. Morning practice starts at eleven today and we’ll be a little later with afternoon practice. Take your time.”
“Oh, good,” I muttered, dropping back into bed. I set my alarm for an hour. If I had time, I was going to use it to get much needed sleep.
The hour wasn’t even up when my phone rang.
I sat up with a groan, but I was immediately alert when I saw it was Ben calling. My stomach rolled, and I wondered if I was going to get sick again today.
Crap.
He’d just barely accepted my relationship with Zoe after terrorizing me yesterday, so what could he possibly want by calling me now? He wasn’t going to say he was taking back his word, was he? Because no way was I going to take it lying down.
With a wince, I answered the call and put the phone to my ear.
“Hello?” I said tentatively.
“Howard,” Ben grunted. “Hope you’re having a good morning.”
It was better before you called.
“Yeah, Ben. Can I help you with something?”
Hopefully, not another man to man talk.
“I don’t know if you know yet, but practice is starting a little later today. I told Grady to let everyone know, but he might not have told you since you’re supposed to be sick.”
“He texted me about half an hour ago, actually. And I’m feeling better.”
There was a pause. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, sir.”
He let out a sigh. “Well. I already asked for the time to be pushed forward, so just rest a little before you go in. Try not to strain yourself too much. Zoe will get worried, it won’t be good for her pregnancy.”