Page 27 of Worth the Risk
“So what’s on your mind?” he asks.
“When you met Mom, did you know she was the one?” I blurt out.
“I did. I think I knew immediately. I felt a pull to her that I’d never felt before. Like I was attached to an invisible rope, slowly getting pulled into her orbit.” I can hear the smile in his voice. My father is a quiet man, always introspective and watchful. Except around my mom. His love and adoration for her is evident to everyone. “Did you meet someone, son?”
I hesitate briefly. “I did. It’s exactly like you said, Dad. Everything is different with her.”
“Are you in love with her?”
“It’s … complicated. She works for the team.”
“Ah. What would happen if you pursued her?” he asks.
“I don’t know. I’ve never heard of any specific rule for employees dating players. I think it might just be frowned upon. But it gets a little more complicated because her uncle is one of my coaches.”
My dad swears under his breath before chuckling. “Of course.”
“What’s that mean?”
“It means that I’m not surprised you’ve found your one in such a complicated manner. But, son, is she worth it?”
I think of Hannah, asleep and smiling as I tell her I could fall for her, and answer, “Yeah, Dad. I think she’s worth it.”
He sighs. “I really messed up when I tried to get involved with Gianna’s relationship with Travis, and your mother made me swear I wouldn’t do the same with any of you. I trust you, son. If you think she’s worth it, figure out a way to make it work.”
I head back inside and go to my room, slipping into bed after brushing my teeth. My eyes squeeze shut as I remember the look on Hannah’s face when I brushed her teeth for her. I’ve never done that before. Never taken care of a woman like that who wasn’t related to me. Never wanted to. But I want to take care of her. The look of adoration and reverence on her face, albeit her drunk face, was something I’ll never forget.
Has anyone ever taken care of her before?
I fall asleep with Hannah’s face on my mind, and I dream about a life with her.
Loud music penetrates my sleep. I groan, rolling over to grab my phone. Shit. It’s nine o’clock in the morning. I’m about to miss morning skate. Fuck. Coach is gonna be pissed. I see I’ve missed fourteen calls from various people in the Wolves organization. Nothing from the one person I want to talk to, though.
After relieving myself, I head into the kitchen. Arianna is dancing and singing well off-key as she scrambles eggs.
“Sis,” I say as I walk around her. She screams as she whips around to face me.
“OH MY GOD!” she screeches. “I thought you were gone!”
“Yeah, obviously I’m not,” I drawl, amused.
“Aren’t you supposed to be at the Sports Facility Zone?” she asks.
“Yep. They’re pissed. Haven’t even checked my messages. There’s like ten voicemails and a bunch of texts. I overslept,” I tell her as I pull out a protein shake from the fridge.
“Well, at least now we get to chat about Hannah,” she says with a wicked glint in her eye. I sigh.
“Nothing to talk about.”
“The fuck there isn’t!”
“Jesus, Ari, calm down.”
“Nope. Not gonna happen. Gotta help you figure this out,” she says as she attempts to flip the eggs with her non-casted arm.
“Jesus, you suck at that,” I comment.
“I know,” she mutters. “The domestication gene obviously missed me.”