Chapter 20

Erik

“I can’t believe how nervous I am,” Blue says from beside me. We’re taking an Uber to a restaurant my dad chose to have lunch at.

Reaching over, I lay my hand atop hers and give a slight squeeze. “Don’t be. My dad is super laid-back and fun.”

“Yeah…but he’s your dad. What if he doesn’t like me?”

There’s no chance of that. In fact, I’m afraid he might like her a little too much since she’s in the age range my father prefers to date and is gorgeous beyond measure.

“He’ll like you,” I assure her. “And even if he doesn’t, wouldn’t change how I feel about you.”

Blue’s expression remains worried, and I know why. She’s reversing the situation in her mind, understanding the outcome would be different. If Billy didn’t like me, Blue would dump me in a heartbeat, and I’d totally understand. It’s apples and oranges. Billy is totally dependent upon Blue just to survive.

But my relationship with my dad isn’t like that. We’re more like buddies. When I went to live with him, he had very little rules by which I had to abide. He tended to treat me like an adult, even though I wasn’t. For example, if I were to go out with friends and get drunk, my stepdad would have grounded me for a month. By contrast, my father was the one that got me drunk for the first time in my life. Granted, it was in the controlled environment of our home and we were watching football one Sunday, but the rules and mores were completely different between the two homes. Whereas I didn’t like my stepdad at all because he curtailed my desires, my father indulged my teenage desires to break rules and push boundaries.

What really makes my father more like a buddy than a father who is a role model is that I’m not sure his advice to me is all that sound. Over the years, I’d become smart enough to figure out he doesn’t follow society’s norms. Even to this day, he’s never wanted to settle down again. So I essentially have a fifty-two-year-old father who won’t date a woman over twenty-five and I use the term “date” very loosely.

As such, I could introduce my father to Blue and he could hate her guts, and it wouldn’t sway me one centimeter away from her. It’s because the biggest way in which I’ve changed is in recognizing that Blue gives me something that I very much want and need right now. Sure…I’ve matured and realized the way I lived my romantic life was not very fulfilling, but more than anything, I have enough self-confidence in myself to be different from my dad if that’s the path I so choose.

Which means, I choose Blue no matter what.

Our driver pulls up in front of the restaurant—a crepe bistro which doesn’t sound all that hearty to me and I need to carbo-load before the game. I help Blue from the car and shut the door.

We’re a bit early, so we grab a table and peruse the menu while we wait for my father. Blue looks extremely lovely today. Minnesota in mid-November is radically different from Arizona. Whereas in Phoenix she could be wearing shorts or a dress—or a bikini on a warmer than average day—today she’s dressed for the chilly forty-one degrees in a pair of jeans, a soft-looking ivory sweater with a V-neck that shows a hint of cleavage, and black knee-high boots. Her navy blue peacoat looks old and worn, but it’s still stylish because Blue could make a burlap sack look good. She still has her hair pulled back in a low ponytail on her neck, which is usually how she wears it on the plane to keep it out of the way. Because she had to work the morning flight here, she’s wearing makeup which definitely enhances her beauty but feels odd to me since she doesn’t normally wear it on other occasions.

From our table, I see the restaurant door open and my dad walks in. Pierce Dalhbeck doesn’t look a day over forty, which is why I guess younger women are attracted to him. He’s in peak physical shape and there’s not a gray hair on his head. As an attorney, he makes big bucks and his clothing reflects that. His jeans are designer, his shoes are Italian made and his Octo Finissimo watch by Bulgari screams outrageous wealth, although I’m the one that bought it for him for Christmas two years ago.

My dad’s gaze scans the interior of the restaurant and I wave to him. I can feel Blue tense as she looks over her shoulder. My dad sees me, smiles, and waves back. The lines around his eyes are barely perceptible and I wonder if he’s had some plastic surgery.

Pushing my chair back from the table, I rise to greet my dad as he walks our way. Blue does the same thing, nervously wringing her hands together. I shoot her a reassuring smile before I turn to accept a huge hug from my dad.

“Good to see you, buddy,” he says as he wraps his arms around me—one over my shoulder, the other around my ribs—before clapping me on the back hard. My dad and I are about the same height and build. I stand at 6’ 4” and 220 pounds, so trust me when I say, the hug and back clap knock the breath out of me.

He lets me go and we both turn to Blue. I make the quick introduction. “Dad…this is my girlfriend, Blue Gardner. Blue…my dad, Pierce Dalhbeck.”

My dad shoots me a surprised look which is obvious to Blue that I didn’t fill him in on her yet. She bites down into her lower lip nervously.

Quickly recovering, my dad turns to Blue with a smile in place so charming, I know it’s dropped panties on some women. He reaches out, takes her hand, and lifts it to his mouth. After lightly grazing his lips across the back, he brings his other hand up to clasp it tight and leans back slightly to take her in. His gaze is slow as it moves down her body and back up again, not even bothering to speed up over her breasts. He takes a good look and then says in a low, seductive voice. “Blue…it’s really wonderful to meet you.”

I grit my teeth, only because I don’t want Blue to be uncomfortable. I accepted the way my dad treats women a long time ago, and frankly…I did the same thing in the not too-distant past.

“A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Dalhbeck,” she says and my lips twitch. That’s Blue’s way of putting him in his place because whether it’s my dad or not, she’s not the type of woman to suffer cheap come-ons.

“Please…you must call me Pierce,” he says solicitously and then escorts her back to her chair. Gallantly pulling it out, he has her sit back down and lets go of her hand only when she tugs it free.

My dad takes his seat in between us and turns to me. Voice all filled with pride and machismo, he leans in as if it’s a secret but it’s loud enough for Blue to hear. “Well done, Erik. She’s absolutely gorgeous.”

“Okay, knock it off, Dad,” I say with a playful punch to his shoulder. But my voice is firm enough that he gets my drift. “Blue’s not the type to fall for that shit.”

His smile to me is sly before he turns to Blue. Crossing his forearms on the table, he leans toward her slightly. “So how did you and my son meet, Blue?”

I can see an infinitesimal amount of panic flicker on her face, because if she tells him how she really met me, that would be totally awkward. But she recovers, gives him a sweet smile and says, “I’m a flight attendant on the team plane. And let’s just say your son was persistent in getting me to go on a date with him.”

“And one date was all it took,” I throw in, not for my dad’s benefit but merely as a way to reiterate to Blue that this shit is real.

She glances at me and I wink at her. Blue tucks a stray wisp of hair behind her ear and glances briefly down at the table in slight embarrassment, but the tiny smile on her face makes it worth it.

“I can sure understand that,” my dad says, his voice going low and husky. He leans in closer toward her, as if they’re having a private conversation and stares deeply into her eyes. I want to fucking smack him upside the back of his head.

Instead, I just lay it out real for him with words. “Dad,” I say to get his attention.

He doesn’t look at me for a moment, but then turns slowly my way with an open smile on his face and his eyebrows raised in question.

“If anyone, be it friend or stranger, so shamelessly flirted with Blue while I sat a mere two feet away, I’d totally pound their ass into the ground. Just because you’re my father, doesn’t make that sentiment any less true. So knock it off, okay?”

“Erik,” Blue gasps in admonishment.

I don’t look at her, though. I keep my eyes locked on my dad, who just stares back at me without a change in his expression. My fingers involuntarily curl into my palm and I wonder to myself how a lunch with my father could so quickly turn into a physical brawl.

Because I was going to punch his lights out soon.

But my dad just tips his head back and starts roaring with laughter. I glance at Blue who looks nervously back at me. I just shrug and let my dad get it out.

Finally, he turns to me and his eyes are totally apologetic. He clamps a hand on my shoulder, and says, “I’m sorry, buddy. Guess that was just second nature to me and you caught me by surprise. You’ve never introduced me to a woman you were interested in before.”

“Not interested in,” I correct him with a smirk. “Crazy about. So just be a dad, okay?”

“Got it,” he says, still chuckling. Then he turns to Blue and apologizes. “I’m sorry, Blue. I’ve been a damn bachelor too long. But one thing’s clear…”

My dad pauses, turns to look at me with what I think might be nostalgia, before looking back to her. “You must be very special to Erik, and I not only respect that, but admire it.”

“Okay, now you’re just weirding me out,” I mutter and this time Blue laughs along with my father.

Lunch ends up going by way too fast once my dad settles in, and he promptly grills me and Blue in a very dadlike manner which is very new but also refreshing to me. We spend a lot of time talking about Billy, and my dad even gives us some unsolicited legal advice about the life insurance, although he’s very impressed that Dominik’s lawyers are stepping in. Dominik had actually sent Blue an email introducing her to his lawyers the day after I met with him.

That led to an email from them to her with a contract of representation she had to sign giving them permission to go all attack dog on the insurance company for her. The contract was for a 0 percent contingent fee which essentially meant they were either doing the work for free and pro bono, or Dominik was paying them. Either way, it was nice to know that would soon be resolved.

The waiter brings the bill and my dad snatches it. While he fishes out his credit card from his wallet, Blue says, “Pierce…did you play hockey? I’m just wondering where Erik got the drive and talent.”

My dad puts the credit card with the bill, pushing it to the side for the waiter to collect. He chuckles when he says, “I did play hockey. Still do in an over-forty league, and I’d hope that Erik got some of his determination and drive from me. But he definitely didn’t get the talent. I never played more than recreationally.”

“My dad’s understating his contribution to what I am today,” I tell Blue who turns to look at me across the table. “He gave me all the opportunities to be a great player. Paid for training camps and the best gear. Traveled with me to games and cheered me on.”

I sneak a glance at my dad, and his eyes seem a little wet. He gives a cough and looks around for the waiter, who magically appears to take payment. Blue and I exchange a knowing look that my dad just got emotional and doesn’t want us to acknowledge it.

He coughs again and then changes the subject. “I looked at your schedule for Thanksgiving next week. All home games so I know there’s no chance you’ll be able to sneak a trip home for the holiday. I know your mom would love to see you too.”

“Mom and James are going to Florida to have Thanksgiving with his folks,” I reply to my dad as I look across the table at Blue. “And I haven’t had a chance to really talk about it with you, Blue, but I was wondering if you’d maybe help me host a Thanksgiving meal at my house.”

She blinks at me in surprise. “Um…sure.”

“I thought we could invite all the single players since there’s no time for trips home to their families. I mean, a lot of the married couples do that anyway, so they all have a place to go, but I figure why not do the same.”

“That’s a really nice idea,” Blue says with a soft smile at me.

“We obviously will get Billy that morning and he can spend the entire day with us, and possibly the night if that’s okay,” I add on. I’d given this some thought, and turn to my dad. “Why don’t you fly in and celebrate with us?”

“Maybe you should ask your mother to come visit you rather than go to Florida,” my dad replies hesitantly. “You and I did Thanksgiving together last year.”

I internally snort over his idea of spending a Thanksgiving holiday together in a “family” way with me. He flew out to LA and we ate prime rib at a ridiculously expensive restaurant, then we went bar hopping and hooked up with some hotties we’d met out that night.

“She can’t. James’s dad isn’t doing well so they’re committed to going.”

“Sorry to hear that,” my dad says with a nod of his head. He and my mom remain cordial friends and I know he still cares about her as the mother of his son. He smiles and holds his arms out. “Then…count me in.”

“Awesome,” Blue says brightly.

“Yeah,” I say with fondness for my dad who is now entering a new and different type of relationship with me, it seems. “Awesome.”