Part 35 (2/2)
”You think you're good, hot s.h.i.+t,” Jude says, squeezing my head as Jayden's hard-a.s.s elbow digs into my back.
”Scoring like an a.s.shole. Give the rest of the team a chance, puck hog,” Jayden teases before dropping both his elbows into my back.
”Mom! Make them stop!” I complain, but all I hear is laughter as they continue to beat me up. When I finally get away, my mom pulls me into her arms and glares at them.
”Leave my baby alone,” she scolds before kissing my head. ”You did great, sweetie.”
”Yeah, sweetie, you did great,” Jayden chortles.
”I wish I was you, baby,” Jude teases and Claire smacks him.
”Leave him alone. You did great, Jace.”
”Thanks,” I say, meeting Avery's gaze. Her eyes are dancing with laughter, her cheeks red from grinning. I'm convinced I'll never see anyone as gorgeous as her. She pulled her hair to the side, braiding it down her shoulder, and I love how the wisps of hair are framing her face. Most of all, I love her smile. She looks happy, and that's all I want.
Breaking from my mom's grip, I take Avery in my arms, kissing her cheek. ”I'm amazing, right?”
She lets out a long breath and nods. ”As much as it pains me to tell you you were right, you were. Amazing doesn't even cover how awesome you did.”
”That's right,” I say, gesturing toward Jude and Jayden. ”You guys better watch out-I'm coming.”
They blow raspberries at me, waving me off as Avery kisses my jaw.
”Full of himself,” Jude accuses, and yeah, I am, because I'm f.u.c.king awesome.
”He'll get a reality check,” Jayden says, his lips curved. ”Just wait.”
Rolling my eyes, I turn to my mom to introduce her properly to Avery, but I find she is looking to the left, her face twisted in disgust. Following the direction of her gaze, I see my dad is coming toward us. With Ellen in tow.
”f.u.c.k,” I hear Jude mutter.
”Just ignore him,” Claire says quickly as Jayden lets out a long breath.
”I'm gonna take Angie to the car,” Lucy says quickly, but before she can get a hold of Angie, she is running to my dad.
”Papa!”
He scoops her up, kissing her loudly on the cheek and hugging her. ”Hey, honey. Look how big you are!”
”f.u.c.king h.e.l.l,” Lucy seethes before crossing her arms, her eyes in slits.
”I miss you, Papa. Why don't you come see me?”
”I miss you too, honey. I'll work something out with your momma, okay?”
”Okay,” she says, hugging my dad's neck tightly as he comes up to the group, slamming his hand on my shoulder.
”d.a.m.n fine game, Jace. Real proud of you.”
”Er, thanks, Dad,” I say, swallowing loudly as Avery's arms tighten around me.
”Is this Avery?”
Everyone cuts their gaze to Avery, and she looks confused before glancing up at me.
”It is,” I say, looking at Avery. She looks just as distressed as I do. ”Avery, this is my dad, Mr. Sinclair.”
”Oh, call me Mark,” he says, shaking Avery's hand, and I don't miss the way Claire glares. He was so mean to Claire the first time he met her and demanded she call him Mr. Sinclair whenever they were together. I don't know what game he's playing, but he has everyone, minus Angie, on edge.
And I'm the one who caused all this.
”Oh, er, Mark, nice to meet you,” Avery says slowly and I bite down on my lip.
A few seconds pa.s.s and then Dad looks around, still holding Angie, a grin on his face that I really don't understand. ”Good to see everyone.”
No one says anything to that. Not even my mom, who is nice to everyone. They're all only glaring, my sisters-in-law looking away because this situation is a thousand shades of f.u.c.ked up. I feel terrible I put all of us in the same room. But what's done is done, and I did this, so I have to own up to it.
”Yeah, so,” I say, reaching for Angie. Thankfully, she comes to me before I place her on the ground, where Lucy scoops her up. ”We are gonna head out.”
Dad nods. ”Cool, going to dinner?”
I swallow loudly and all eyes are on me. Looking away, I nod slowly, but I pause when I see Coach coming toward us, his face blazing with some emotion, maybe anger.
Ah. s.h.i.+t.
I shoot a glance to Baylor with desperation in my eyes. She sees where I'm looking and then she's moving, but Coach walks right past her, coming up behind my mom.
s.h.i.+t, s.h.i.+t, s.h.i.+t.
”Everything okay?” he asks and I close my eyes.
Really?
My dad's brow rises as he takes in the giant of a man. Coach used to play for the Bruins; he isn't a little dude, and I know I'm scared of him. So no telling what my father, who is a foot smaller than me, is thinking.
But to my surprise, he smirks. ”New boyfriend there, Autumn?”
”None of your G.o.dd.a.m.n business,” Mom seethes and my eyes widen.
Aw, s.h.i.+t.
My mom never cusses.
”Yeah, I am. What's it to you?” Coach says and I look to Jude for help, but he's got a dumb grin on his face. When I look at Jayden, he's just looking at me, waiting.
a.s.shole.
<script>