Chapter 39: Bryn

I’ve missed my dad so much. Somehow being in college just a state away feels farther than when I was in another country. Maybe because I could hop in my car or a plane and come see them so easily, but I’m too busy. It hasn’t been long but I’ve missed them like crazy. My dad has his arm around me and is keeping me tight to his side, like he’s afraid I’ll run.

“Missed you cupcake.” He says before giving me a good squeeze.

“I missed you too, dad.” I tell him.

“I missed you too, dad!” Sawyer says in a fake girly voice.

Dad and I laugh and he lets me go so he can pull Sawyer into a manly hug. “It’s good to see you again, son. It’s been too long.”

He gives Sawyer a look that only a father can make, and Sawyer is smart enough to look sheepish.

“Sorry about that. I had my head in my ass.”

“You sure did, but all is forgiven. I just hope you’re taking care of my girl.” He winks at me and I shake my head at them both.

“Sure am, and she’s my girl now.” Sawyer says with a cocky grin.

Dad laughs. “You can claim her when you marry her.”

“Dad!” I gape at him but he just laughs and keeps on walking.

Sawyer laughs too, which is a shock. I expected him to turn white and almost pass out at even the joke of us getting married. We just told each other we love each other, so marriage is still far off. If he even wants to get married.

The two of them walk off, leaving me in complete confusion and shock. It takes me a second to remember to follow them. Marriage…no way.

Dad’s car is waiting in front where people are meant to come out and be picked up. Not surprising there’s a cop next to his car waiting for us.

“Jimmy! Thanks for the help, brother.” Dad calls out, and the man turns to face us.

“JayJay?” I laugh and run toward the guy.

He opens his harms to catch me and we both laugh.

“I can’t believe it’s you. When did you get back?” I ask when he sets me down.

“Two weeks ago. Gemma is pregnant and wanted to be close to the family.” He says before his eyes lift over my head and his smile falls. “Sawyer.”

Oh boy…

“Jimmy.” Sawyer says with a nod.
“Thanks for watching my car. I hope you don’t get in too much trouble.” Dad tells Jimmy.

“No problem. Gemma would have had my ass if she knew I ticketed you with Milly in the hospital and all.”

“She has you trained good.” Dad slaps Jimmy on the shoulder and laughs.

“She sure does. It was great seeing you B. Come stop by the house before you leave, okay? Gemma will want to see you.” Jimmy wraps me in another hug.

“I will. Take care.”

He looks at Sawyer again. “Sawyer.”

“Jimmy.”

That’s all they say to each other and then Jimmy walks off.

“You too gotta work out your differences. It’s been too long to be holding grudges.” Dad says as we load into the car.

I sit up front with dad and Sawyer struggles into the back seat.

“He’s the one holding grudges.” Sawyer says.

“Can you blame him? You broke his leg.” I remind him. “And then celebrated your win without apologizing.”

“Yeah, well, I apologized at the hospital. He told me to leave.”

“Yeah cause you broke his leg. I’d be pissed too.”

“How about the time he ran into you on the ice and laughed?” Sawyer asks me.

I groan and drop my head back. “We were eight, and I didn’t get hurt.”

“You had a concussion.” Sawyer helpfully adds.

“Yes, but I was fine. No broken bones. Wait…” I whirl around to face him. “Did you break his leg because he made me fall on the ice?”

He shrugs. Shrugs!

“Are you serious? Sawyer! That is way beyond and eye for an eye! You ruined hockey for him!”

Sawyer looks me dead in the eye. “And I’d do it again. He hurt you. You hit your head and passed out. You could have cracked your skull or gotten brain damage! So I’m not sorry.”

I gape at him. Is he serious?

“Sorry, cupcake, but I have to agree. Little Jimmy was an asshole, and I wanted to kick him myself when I found out what happened,” Dad says and then I’m looking at him in shock.

Really, though, why am I shocked? As calm and chill as my dad can be, he is ruthless when it comes to family. No one messes with us.

Once Patty Baker told my mom that her lemon bars tasted bland and powdery at the school bake sale. He waited until she walked off before sprinkling laxatives in her glass of iced tea. She lasted ten minutes before her face turned red and she was dashing for the door. We didn’t see her for a week after that and another week because she was too embarrassed to show her face. Let’s just say she wasn’t alone in the bathroom when she unloaded.

Classic dad.

No wonder he and Sawyer get along so well, although Sawyer’s revenge is always a lot more violent. He’s got anger issues, so…

“You both are monsters.” I say and lay my head back again.

“We’re your monsters, so accept it and move on.” Sawyer says, always needing to have the last word.

“Your sister is sure going to be glad to see you. I wonder how you two ever survive when you’re apart.” Dad says with a small laugh.

All those times you guys would steal my shirts and both get inside so you could pretend you were fuzed together. Still makes me laugh.

I smile at the memory. My sister and I have been best friends since I came into this world. We always wanted to be together, and anyone who made a comment about it faced my sister’s wrath. She gets that from dad, and I guess I have a bit of dad too. I cringe internally when I remember how I decked a football player in the middle of a party. I’m surprised I haven’t been shunned or something.

Not that it matters. The new people I’ve met don’t care much about sports, so they couldn’t care less. We share a few classes, but I’m the only one focusing on sports medicine.

My phone dings and I see a notification from Instagram, so I open it and see a picture of me and Sawyer kissing. I gasp and cover my mouth with my hand.

“What’s wrong?” Dad asks before leaning over to peek.

“Dad!”

He chuckles. “Well, now, talk about staking your claim. Nice work Sawyer.”

“Thanks! I thought it was a good shot.” He says proudly, the butthead.

“Sawyer! Why would you post that one? I figured we would retake it.” I whine.

“I wanted the message to be clear. Hands off, she’s mine.”

Dad keeps chuckling over this and I can’t believe it. Aren’t dads supposed to hate when another man touches their daughter or shows any affection in front of him. What happened to that? Oh no, not my dad. He likes the Beckett boys too much for that.

As if some celebrity has broken some huge news, dozens of comments start streaming in. The heart count is going up fast too, and soon everyone is going to be talking about this. Did Sawyer have to be such a big deal already? It’s not even in a good way. He’s an amazing player, but people still talk about how he was injured and lost his fist shot at the NHL drafts or the fights he used to get into. Famous is famous, I guess, because his post is blowing up.

“Great. I’m going to have to go private.” I go right to the settings and change my account to private before that turns into a mess. “You can handle all the DMs on your own.”

“Gladly.” Sawyer says smugly.

He won’t be smiling when he reads all the crap people will be saying. Haters will come out of the woodwork to get their say on it and then crawl right back in the dark holes they came from. Cyber bullying or trolling is out of control these days. Seriously, what happened to if you have nothing nice to say then don’t say anything at all? Those were the days.

Of course, small town gossip did well even before social media, so our whole town will know everything by morning. Home sweet home, I guess.

It doesn’t take long for us to get to the hospital and I’m jumping out of the car as soon as it’s stopped. I rush inside and see mom standing in the visiting room on the phone with someone. She waves at em and then points down the hall. I see Zach coming out of a room and head his way.

“Zach!” I call out.

To my relief, he smiles. Milly must be doing okay then. I’m ready to walk in and see her for myself when I start to feel a little dizzy. Everything gets kind of blurry for a second and then I feel myself tip over. What the heck? What’s going on?