Chapter Thirty-Three
Damon
I called Mel on my drive over to Jos’s place last night.
She’s rescheduling all our morning appointments.
Jos needs a break, and I know she won’t take one unless I arrange it for her.
I’ve noticed that she has a hard time taking time for herself.
She fell asleep again after our early morning activities, and I want her to stay that way for as long as she needs it.
My only concern is the coach interview we have going on today.
Bob Ingram is currently the head coach of the Detroit Demons.
He agreed to our interview, despite being under contract with them for another two years.
He’s got a reputation for being a grumpy asshole, but you can’t argue with his results.
I’m concerned he’ll be an ass about rescheduling.
I’m on the fence about how he’d fit in here, but I’m willing to at least go through the interview process before I make a decision.
I’m sure Joslyn also has strong opinions about filling the head coach spot.
Her opinions are always strong, and they’re usually spot on. It’s damn sexy.
My phone rings as I get out of the shower.
I grab a towel and think about ignoring it until I see it’s Julia, Lexi’s mom.
I let it go to voicemail while I dry off, then drop a light kiss on Joslyn’s cheek before heading out to the other room to call her back.
I don’t want to wake her because I love that she’s finally getting some rest.
“Hey, Julia. How’s Lexi? Everything okay?” I ask, trying not to let my panic ramp up again.
“Damon! Finally. Yes, yes, she’s fine. Are you coming back here this morning? I need you to speak to your daughter. She’s not listening to me at all.” Her strident voice is demanding, and it’s not hard to tell she’s annoyed.
I sigh in relief. It sounds like Lexi has improved immensely if she’s arguing with her mom. I take a deep breath before answering her.
“Good morning. Yes, I’m planning on heading over there soon.”
I use my calmest voice to answer. I know from experience that Julia leads with her emotions, so the more relaxed I am, the less likely we are to spiral into an emotional confrontation like we used to.
The last thing Lexi needs is for her parents to be in conflict. She’s got enough to deal with as it is.
“When are you getting here? We need to discuss our daughter’s behavior. She won’t listen to reason!” Her tone is short and clipped, stress and anxiety evident. I hear my daughter in the background.
“Jesus Christ, Mom, could you be more dramatic?” I can visualize the eye roll that accompanies that statement.
In the past, this was the time I would run for the hills. I’ve been avoiding emotional confrontations with Julia for years, but my daughter comes first now, no matter how uncomfortable it gets for me.
“Okay, I’m headed your way in half an hour. We can all sit down and discuss this. Do you guys need anything? Breakfast? Coffee?” Coffee is the only way I’ll be able to function this morning.
“Oh. Yes, uh… a vanilla latte and a blueberry muffin would be great. Thanks, Damon. Lexi says she just ate, but would you get her an almond latte with an extra shot?”
I can hear the puzzlement in her voice, probably because I wasn’t like this during our marriage, but she’s significantly less hostile, so that’s a plus.
I wasn’t exactly the best husband when we were together.
I like to think I’m much better now that I’m sober and have worked through some of my emotional baggage.
I feel an arm come around my waist as I disconnect the call.
There’s my beautiful lady. Goddamn, she’s adorable.
She’s wearing an old Wolves t-shirt, her hair’s tousled, and her gray eyes are sleepy and soft as she cuddles into me.
I pull her closer and rub my hands up and down her back.
She feels so good, but I don’t have the time to enjoy it right now.
“Good morning, gorgeous. Sleep well?” I want nothing more than to take her back to bed and spend the rest of the morning making love to her.
“Mmm, yes, so well,” she mumbles. “Headed to the hospital?” she asks with a drowsy smile.
I brush my lips across hers in a brief kiss before nodding.
“Yeah. Lexi and her mother appear to be disagreeing at the moment. That’s good, though, because it means she’s feeling better.”
She nods in understanding. “Moms and daughters are a thing, especially at that age. Lily and I have finally begun a real friendship, but only in the last few years. It takes time to get there, but damn, those teenage years are hard on parents. And the kids, too.”
“How about you, baby? You okay this morning?” I nuzzle her hair, breathing in her unique honeysuckle and vanilla scent.
That’s all it takes for my dick to wake up and take notice.
I sigh because this is going to get awkward at work if I get hard every time I smell her.
She gives me a dazzling smile, and my heart lurches in my chest.
“So much better,” she says, giving me a wide, happy grin. “Give me a call if you need anything. I can hold down the fort at the arena today. Nothing on our agenda that can’t be put off for another day. I’ve got you,” she says, bringing us back to practical matters.
I tell my dick to behave before kissing the top of her head.
“Thanks, boss. I already called Mel and got everything except that coach interview rescheduled, so you can be lazy this morning,” I tease. I hug her close one last time before heading into the bedroom to get dressed.
“Thank you for that. I was about to go check in,” she sighs with relief. I love that I can make her life just a bit easier.
Half an hour later, I get to the hospital, coffee, breakfast, and flowers in hand.
I knock cautiously at the door to Lexi’s room because I’m not sure what I’m walking into.
Julia opens the door, her eyes going straight to the coffees and the paper bag containing her muffin.
I give her a reassuring smile to keep the mood light and head toward Lexi with the flowers and her latte.
I’ve been bracing myself for seeing the bruising today.
As an athlete, I know they’ll get worse for the next few days before they start to fade, but damn, the sight of her battered face has the rage rushing back with a vengeance.
I stomp it down because it has no place in this room, but my inner caveman wants to beat the crap out of Carter all over again. Maybe even a little slower.
“Hey there, sweetie. Brought you something to cheer you up,” I say, as I hand her the flowers first and then her latte.
She gives me a forced smile, and I can tell she’s annoyed.
I prepare myself for the barrage from both of them.
The silence only lasts a minute before they both start talking at once.
“Mom’s being unreasonable…”
“Lexi’s being stubborn…”
Before they can both get started on their tirade, I interject.
“How about each of you take turns talking about how you feel? That way, everyone feels heard.”
I mentally thank my therapist for her lessons about conflict resolution. They’ve paid off more than once in player negotiations and office issues, and hopefully, they will pay off here as well.
“Julia, why don’t we let Lexi go first? I think that’s fair given the situation.”
My ex looks at me strangely before murmuring her agreement.
Even as she stands with her arms crossed, her mouth a thin line of discontent.
We both turn to look at Lexi. She looks shocked but recovers quickly, and when she starts talking again, her tone is even-toned and less angry. I cross my fingers behind my back.
Please let this go well.
“Mom wants me to come back home and take a semester off. I don’t want to do that.”
I look over at Julia. As she opens her mouth to speak, I raise an eyebrow at her, calling her out for interrupting. She gives me another puzzled look before clamping her mouth shut and looking back at our daughter.
“I don’t want to do that because then he wins.
If I go and hide away like a scared little mouse, then he thinks he broke me.
And he didn’t. I’m not broken. I’m pissed as hell, but I’m not broken.
I won’t let him do that to me. School starts in a few weeks, and I will be there, attending my first class despite him.
Because fuck him! Us Hawks don’t go down without a fight.
Right, Dad?” She’s determined and passionate about it, I can hear it in her voice.
Well, holy shit! My daughter is one hell of a badass.
I came in here thinking she’d be scared and intimidated.
I see the opposite, and I can barely contain my pride.
I’m not naive enough to believe that she isn’t going to have issues with this situation, and she should see a therapist, but seeing her fighting spirit eases my heart a little.
Agreeing to see a therapist was one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself, and I hope it will be helpful for her as well.
Lexi is correct in her opinion on taking a semester off and going home.
It isn’t the best plan, but I also don’t want her living in that condo without some protection. Okay, a lot of protection.
I glance at Julia and notice she’s looking thoughtful, not angry. I know their emotions got the best of them this morning, but I want us to be able to resolve this without a blow-up. I give her an encouraging smile.
She takes a deep breath, and I can see her trying to let go of the tension in her shoulders.