What Are The Chances (Phil-U #2)

57 You’re not like our father

CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN

You’re not like our father

RILEY

The best thing about Allentown parties was that I could easily be invisible. I didn’t know a whole lot of people, which had made it much easier hiding out in the kitchen tonight.

Because Tanner was the guest of honour, he’d been too busy hosting to chase me down. Parker, on the other hand, hadn’t stopped trying. She looked flawless, as always, and was dressed in a full-length black denim skirt, camel blazer and green knee-high boots. I was wearing the outfit she’d selected for me. A matching skirt, but in blue denim, and a chunky knit.

I wasn’t mad at her exactly, but I was confused. How the hell had that happened? Was it a spur of the moment thing? Did she like my brother? Did he like her? What about Ryan? She’d literally been kissing him last night.

I’d drilled Lucas on whether he had any intel, but he was just as clueless as me.

Just before midnight Tanner walked into the kitchen alone. He halted on the spot. “I’ve been trying to get to you all night.”

We hadn’t spoken at all this evening. By the time I’d returned from my shower, people had been arriving. I hadn’t even had a chance to wish him happy birthday yet.

When he opened his mouth, I tensed, expecting to be grilled about Will. Or last night. Or to delve into the complicated matter of him sleeping with one of my best friends.

What he said instead surprised me.

“If I made the league, do you think I’d turn into dad? ”

I didn’t hesitate. “No.”

I held my brother’s familiar gaze for a moment. Unlike last night, there was no trace of anger in his eyes. Seeing that, I relaxed.

“I’m sorry if you felt like I ambushed you last night,” I apologised. “But I stand by what I said. This could be the beginning of your career, Tanner. Not the end.” I interpreted his silence as a green light to continue. “And I know you want to keep playing, no matter what you say. The only person you’d be screwing over if you gave this up is yourself. Not dad. Just you.”

Tanner nodded as though I was telling him something he already knew. “I wasn’t giving up hockey just to piss dad off,” he admitted. “I was terrified I’d become just like him.” He shrugged sadly. “A robot who ends up royally fucking up everything until all he has left is the game.”

“Tanner.”

Stepping forward, I gently squeezed my brother’s arm. I wish I’d known that’s how he felt. If I had, I would have put him at ease much sooner. There wasn’t a chance Tanner would become like our father. Even now, they were so dissimilar in their personalities. Hockey was the only common ground they shared.

Tanner perked up, his lips quirking in excitement. “I had lunch with the General Manager for an NHL franchise today.”

My eyes widened in surprise. I stumbled back. “And?”

Tanner grinned broadly. “And it went well.”

That revelation caused my stomach to excitedly dance. I jumped on the spot like an idiot.

Tanner chuckled. “The GM had called earlier in the week asking what my plans were after college. I was already in my head about it. Then last night between dad, Marcus and you... I kind of imploded.” He smiled sheepishly. “I’m sorry, Ri.”

As he extended his arms, I accepted Tanner’s apology hug, marvelling in the familiarity. I was glad we’d made up. I hated arguing with him.

Pulling back, he peered down at me. “Parker was actually the one who encouraged me to go.”

We were getting through the list of things we needed to discuss quickly. Seems like Parker was up next.

Tanner cleared his throat, suddenly seeming a little less confident. “Parker and I... we’ve always got along.”

“Okay?”

I hadn’t particularly known that, but I was willing to roll with the punches here .

“Then after I saw Ryan Murphy at your house, something clicked.” Tanner rolled his broad shoulders. “If Parker was going to date a hockey player, I wanted it to be me.”

“Hold on.” I bounced my head in disbelief. “Are you fooling around with Parker because of a stupid hockey ego thing?”

“No,” he answered with conviction. “Hearing she was seeing Ryan kicked me into gear. I’ve always had a thing for her. I thought you knew that.”

News to me. He’d either been incredibly discreet, or I hadn’t been paying attention. Perhaps a bit of both. I actively tried to avoid getting involved in my brother’s sex life.

“We’ve been texting for a while. Then last night when I was a bit scattered, I called her to talk through things.” He laughed fondly. “She told me I was an idiot if I didn’t go to the lunch today.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “And she’s allowed to point that out but I’m not?”

“Having it come from her was different to you or dad telling me,” he confessed. “She came into my room before to ask me how lunch went and, well, you saw what happened.”

A sick bile rose in my throat. I didn’t need the reminder. My brother’s bare ass was something I wanted erased from my memory.

“But now she won’t talk to me because she thinks you’re going to hate her.”

“What?” I balked. “Of course I don’t hate her. Or you. Or the idea of you two together. I was surprised, that’s all.” I tilted my head. “There is the matter though that she was literally in Allentown to watch Ryan twenty-four hours ago.”

Tanner brushed it off. “Minor detail. I’m not scared of a bunch of Phil-U guys.”

I knew he wasn’t, that didn’t mean messing with one of them was a good idea. If Tanner wasn’t going to concede, I’d talk to Parker about being honest with Ryan. Things were too interconnected right now. If I could stamp out at least one fire, I would.

“Speaking of.” Tanner’s familiar eyes looked into mine. “What’s going on with you and Caufield?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Well, I didn’t particularly want my sister walking in on me having sex, but here we are.”

I grimaced. It was way too soon for those jokes. Maybe in a few years we could – nope. The only way forward was to pretend it had never happened.

“Today’s lunch was with the Texas Bobcats,” Tanner added.

The gravity of that was huge for two reasons. That was the team dad had played his entire career with. It was also the team Will had been drafted to .

I tried sounding unfazed when I asked, “Was Will there?”

Tanner nodded. “It was a good lunch. Caufield’s an okay guy when he isn’t around Holloway, Murphy and O’Connor.” Tanner smiled coyly. “We actually had a pretty interesting chat.”

When it became clear that Tanner wasn’t going to elaborate, I had to give up the indifferent act.

“And?” I prompted.

Tanner raised his beer to his lips. “Do you want him to give up hockey for you?”

“No. God no. I just... you know why, Tanner.”

Understanding cast a shadow over Tanner’s usually easy-going expression. “Let me make this simple, Ri. Are you worried about me vanishing from your life if I make it in the league?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’re you. You’re not...”

I trailed off. I was starting to see where he was going with this.

“Because I’m not...” Tanner prompted.

I sighed. “You’re not like our father.”

Tanner’s response was quick. “And neither is Caufield.”

“It’s not that–”

“It is that simple,” Tanner interjected, breaking off my argument before I could voice it.

Was it? Had I imagined and projected something that didn’t even have a chance of happening?

I thought back to the months leading up to mine and Will’s breakup. Of the missed date nights because he’d stayed back at the rink. Of the missed events because he had away games. But were there even that many, or had it just felt that way because of the added years of dad’s cancellations?

“You need to give Caulfield the chance to prove to you that it could be different, Ri.”

Doubt danced through me. “Why are you pushing this? Are you Will’s number one fan now or something?”

“No, I’m your number one fan, and I know what he means to you.”

I swallowed thickly, suddenly feeling like I was on the cusp of crying. Whether it was from happiness or sadness, I couldn’t decide.

“I’ll make you a deal, Ri. I won’t let dad dictate my future if you don’t let him control yours.”

Before I could answer, Parker bounced into the kitchen. Her excited gaze zeroed in on my brother. It tapered down after seeing me though. Her nervous hand instantly moved to her earring, turning it in circles .

“Riley.”

She uttered my name uncertainly, as if addressing a former friend. I hated that. Parker was one of my favourite people in the world. I meant what I’d told Tanner. If they wanted to make something of this, I wasn’t standing in the way.

I met my best friend’s anxious gaze. “I’m cool with this, Parker.” I held up one finger. “So long as I don’t have to hear any naked details.”

With a relieved grin, Parker threw her arms around me and squeezed tightly. Over her shoulder, my brother watched us with a shit-eating grin. If Parker was even partly responsible for that look on his face, and getting him to go to that lunch today, I was the one who should be hugging her.