Hooked by Love (Bellevue Bullies 3)

“I hear you.”

And I do, but this way may work and it will cover my bases. I won’t feel like a dick because he just gave me money, and my mom won’t ever know.

So why do I feel so guilty?

Dad: Jace?

Me: Yeah, sorry, it’s the 3rd.

Dad: I’ll be there. Let me know if you need anything.

Me: Will do.

“He said he’s gonna come, but I doubt it.” Markus shakes his head. “What?”

“It’s shitty, dude. Your mom doesn’t need to be dealing with that.”

Shame washes over me because he’s right. But what was I supposed to do? I don’t want to work right now, not when the season is starting and I am trying to holler at Avery. My time is going to be completely taken up between hockey and her. I don’t have time for a job, but I like to have money. Last year, I didn’t have anything except for my scholarship money, and that didn’t last me all year. I had to work all summer because it wasn’t like my mom could give me anything or support me. She was struggling to get by herself. It’s hard watching your mom struggle, so of course, I threw money her way. She didn’t like it, but she’s my mom. I’d leave twenties on the counter or in her purse. I had to support her.

I had to do my part, but when my dad offered to send me money at the beginning of August, I didn’t turn him down. I needed a new stick and skates and had planned on buying them, but I needed books first. Then the money just kept coming, followed by the car. Yeah, it pissed my mom off, I could tell. But I miss not having to worry about money. It’s nice, and if he wants to support me until I get into the NHL, then I’m going to let him. I just have to figure out how to do it without it coming back and hurting my mom.

I won’t let anything hurt her.

My dad is still stalling on the divorce and paying her alimony. Makes me wonder if that’s why he’s so eager to throw money at me. Less for her to have when it’s all settled.

But Markus is right. I’m playing with fire, and it sort of makes me nervous. I know how my mom gets when she sees my dad. She isn’t over his betrayal, and I don’t blame her. But there has got to be a way to keep my mom happy and take my dad for all he’s worth. Hell, he owes it to me. To all of us. He ripped apart our family. So yeah, I’m going to take his money and his gifts—anything to make life a little easier since the last two years have kind of sucked. Or maybe I’m making excuses for being a spoiled brat who doesn’t want to work for what he needs.

Who knows, but before I can answer Markus or tell him I’ve got this, my phone dings with a Facebook notification.

Avery Rose accepted your friend request.

“Ha! She accepted me.”

“Well, she did sleep with you. It’s sorta protocol. And hey, means you were good in bed.”

Rolling my eyes at him, I click on her picture and then I’m full-out Facebook-stalking her. She doesn’t have much on her page. No pictures of anything but herself and her guitar. When I find that she has no tagged photos, I think that’s weird, but what she does have are thousands of videos.

“She has a YouTube channel.” I click on the link. Markus comes onto the floor with me, and then we are watching video after video of her. She’s amazing and so damn talented. I love music—I mean, who doesn’t? But I swear I could listen to her smoky voice all day long. It’s just mesmerizing, and I love watching someone who is passionate about something. It’s obvious that music is everything to her, and it’s a beautiful thing to watch.

Leaning my head back, I click on the newest video, which was uploaded thirty minutes ago.

“Hi! Avery Rose here, and thanks for watching!”

She looks hot and makes me feel like a lovestruck, idiot kid. Her hair is in a pile on her head, and she

has little to no makeup on while in a cute little black dress that hangs off her shoulder. She looks like she did this morning when she woke up beside me. Her cheeks are rosy, her eyes bright, and I swear, I’ve never seen someone as beautiful as her.

“She is cute.”

He says it like it’s a bad thing and I smile. “Gorgeous is more like it.”

Markus shrugs then as the video of her goes on. “So I wrote this song this morning, like total word vomit, and I have to share it. So here it goes. It’s untitled right now. Nothing really fits it, you know? But if you listen to this and think you’ve got something, please comment below. So, yeah, enjoy and thanks!”

And then she is singing.

And I’m a goner.

A fucking goner.