“No! I have no daughter if you’re serious about going through with this, Zoe!”
I flinched, the words catching me off guard. There were a lot of times when I got irritated at my dad and felt I would be happier if we lived apart, but I couldn’t deny that the words hurt. A lot.
“That’s fine,” Howard said firmly, his arm wrapping around my shoulders. “Even if you don’t want her, Coach, I’ve got her. If you want us out of your lives, then fine.”
Howard nudged me to get up, and I did so in a bit of a daze. Dad looked like he was about to yell, but Katie beat him to it.
“Ben! I am not willing to give up on my son and my grandchild, so if you were really serious with what you just said, you better think twice about it. And you should apologize to Zoe! What a thing to say to your own daughter! I want us to be a family, not for you to tear it apart!”
Howard and I had both frozen in surprise at her outburst. Dad seemed the most surprised, and he even looked a bit chastened. I thought he’d calmed down a little, and took a step closer hopefully.
“Dad, do you want the same thing, too? I know you don’t like Howard because of his past, but I can swear that he isn’t like that anymore!”
He scoffed. “Then where the hell was he the past week instead of showing up to practice?”
“Howard has been sick at home, really. Actually... I got back yesterday,” I admitted. “I found him puking, with a fever. He really was sick, Dad.”
That caught him off guard, and he had nothing to say. Katie, however, looked at Howard fretfully, and I figured he hadn’t told her he was sick, either.
Dad let out a sigh. “You’re my daughter, Zoe. You’re the most important thing to me, of course I want that, too. Even if it’s... to that guy.”
“Hey, now,” Katie said, but she was smiling. “That guy is my son, Ben, and he has a name.”
Dad rolled his eyes, and I could feel the vice in my chest relax. “Fine, Howard. You and I are going to have a bit of a chat.”
Chapter Nineteen
Howard
Maybe Zoe was right, I shouldn’t have pushed it.
I wanted to ignore the ring of my alarm. Even though I wasn’t sleeping, I was exhausted. I was probably like this due to stress, though.
The same day I healed up, I just had to speak with Ben about our relationship. I didn’t want to put it off, for a number of reasons, but I really should have. Ben wasn’t exactly accepting, yet. After he’d calmed down from the big reveal, he’d sat me down in the living room while insisting that Zoe and Mom stay in the kitchen. He’d started a line of questioning that left me high strung, to the point I’d gotten a slight fever when I got back.
Zoe had stayed behind at home. She’d just gotten back, and it wasn’t like we’d be apart for long, anyway, now that her dad knew and was reluctantly on board with the idea of the two of us getting together. She didn’t know I got sick again, but I still had the meds from the previous night, and I’d eaten already, so I took some meds and went to sleep.
My muscles nearly groaned as I pushed myself until I was sitting on the edge of the bed. I felt fine now, well enough to so something productive today, but my body was exhausted. I was happy, remembering yesterday, but it also made me feel even more tired, remembering that I’d be seeing Ben when I went to practice.
Crap. I hope Zoe will be there, at least.
There was still the issue of Zoe and her job, and if I still had a chance to sign the contract. Maybe I shouldn’t have told Jackson to fuck off with it when he brought it to me, but it was way too late for regrets now. Ben still didn’t like me, but he was trying even last night, for Zoe and the baby’s sake, but I didn’t know how that would transfer to him being the coach and me being a member of the team.
I was trying to talk myself into going to the bathroom for a shower. My body was all sticky with sweat, and it was gross. Besides, I needed to get going soon, or I’d be late. Then, my phone, lying on the nightstand, vibrated with an incoming text. I picked it up and saw it was Grady.
“Hey, do you think you’re well enough to come in today?”
Honestly, I wouldn’t have minded the chance to stay at home, but I knew I owed the team this. I had to get my head in the game, I’d made them wait long enough and there wasn’t that long left before our practice match, then the official games of the season. We needed to practice, and I needed to give it my all during practice, or I’d just let everyone, including Zoe, down.
“Sure.”
Just because I planned to do it, though, didn’t mean I was going to be happy about it. Anyway, I shouldn’t still get sick, and I planned to get plenty of fluids and as much sleep as I could after practice ended.
Grady’s reply came back quickly. “Great. Morning practice starts at eleven today and we’ll be a little later with afternoon practice. Take your time.”
“Oh, good,” I muttered, dropping back into bed. I set my alarm for an hour. If I had time, I was going to use it to get much needed sleep.
The hour wasn’t even up when my phone rang.
I sat up with a groan, but I was immediately alert when I saw it was Ben calling. My stomach rolled, and I wondered if I was going to get sick again today.
Crap.
He’d just barely accepted my relationship with Zoe after terrorizing me yesterday, so what could he possibly want by calling me now? He wasn’t going to say he was taking back his word, was he? Because no way was I going to take it lying down.
With a wince, I answered the call and put the phone to my ear.
“Hello?” I said tentatively.
“Howard,” Ben grunted. “Hope you’re having a good morning.”
It was better before you called.
“Yeah, Ben. Can I help you with something?”
Hopefully, not another man to man talk.
“I don’t know if you know yet, but practice is starting a little later today. I told Grady to let everyone know, but he might not have told you since you’re supposed to be sick.”
“He texted me about half an hour ago, actually. And I’m feeling better.”
There was a pause. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, sir.”
He let out a sigh. “Well. I already asked for the time to be pushed forward, so just rest a little before you go in. Try not to strain yourself too much. Zoe will get worried, it won’t be good for her pregnancy.”
That was one thing I’d gotten from Ben last night. Zoe wasn’t allowed to be strained. It would be fine after the pregnancy, but her mom had a hard time with Zoe and she was weak for months after giving birth, so I had to take really good care of her.
Like I needed him to tell me that.
“She tells me you guys plan on moving in together,” he said after another pause.
I hesitated, because this was news to me. Of course, I wanted it, so I wasn’t going to deny it. “Yeah. We’re still talking about it, though.”
“I want to ask a favor,” Ben continued, sounding disgruntled. “Can you let her stay at home for a while? You’re going to get busy really soon, and it would make me feel better if Zoe could stay at home where she could be looked after. You can come and visit her whenever you like. Your apartment is about big enough for just you, right?”
“Yeah,” I said slowly, glancing around.
It was a single bedroom with a large living room space. It was fit enough for three people, or two and a baby, but thinking about it now, I’d have to move soon. If Zoe was finally moving in with me, then it wasn’t going to be here. At least a bigger apartment with a second room...
“Your mother and I were talking, and we thought it would be best if we left the old house to you instead of selling it. It’s not too far away, and it’s got plenty of space. What do you think of that idea?”
I pursed my lips. I hadn’t lied when I told Zoe I wouldn’t miss my old home much. I hadn’t been back there, and while I occasionally visited, it didn’t really matter where Mom lived. The house wasn’t
easy to keep in the first place. Mom had gotten it with my dad long before I was born, and he’d left her with a mortgage to pay back on her own. If she sold it, it would fetch a good price, and she would deserve it for all the hard work she put in for it.
The house was big, though, good enough for a family. We’d cleared everything out already, and with some renovation, the place would look amazing...
“It sounds like a good idea. Thanks, Ben.”
He grunted. “I’ll pass that thanks along to your mother, she was the one who brought it up because she’s been hesitating about selling. Anyway, that wasn’t all I wanted to talk to you about.”
My anxiety spiked a little when I realized I’d let my guard down. What else was there?
“Yes?”
“You’re still getting drafted.”
My jaw dropped, and in the next second, I was pleasantly surprised. “Really?”
So, he didn’t try to kick me out again, taking advantage because I hadn’t signed the contract?
“Don’t get so excited. I still don’t like you, and if you hurt my daughter, I’ll make sure to bury you.”
“Yes, sir. I’d never do something to hurt her,” I said honestly.
“Anyway, I just wanted to let you know. Since you’ll officially be a member of the team, I’m going to be quitting. No offense, but I would probably give you a hard time if I stuck around. Since my daughter is involved with you, I can’t remain unbiased. They’re looking for a new coach, but one of my assistant coaches will take over the job for a while.”
This was even better. I’d been worrying about Ben being there at practice, and now I wouldn’t have to see him at all. It was mean of me, to my soon to be father-in-law, but I would feel a lot easier if I didn’t have to see him at practice.
“Besides,” he continued. “I’m getting on in years, and I’d like to have time to spend with my grandchild and my new wife. I know that... I was a bit of a bully. To you, and even to Zoe. I’ll tell her this, too, but I’m sorry.”
He cut the call immediately after, and I wondered if he was embarrassed. In the next moment, though, it didn’t matter as I called Zoe. I had time left.
Epilogue
Zoe
“Are you ready, Zoe?”
I looked up to see Katie and Dad standing in the doorway. Katie hurried forward when she saw me trying to stand up so she could help. When I was on my feet, I slowly turned around, then smiled at the both of them.
“How do I look?”
Katie pulled me into a hug with a squeal, and Dad cracked a smile. His eyes were wet with tears.
“You look so beautiful, Zoe! Oh, now I wish we hadn’t been so quick to get married. Even a small ceremony would be fine, we were just in such a hurry.”
I laughed at her grumbling, and Dad let out a chuckle. I was in a simple white wedding dress with cap sleeves and the veil already tucked into my hair. I was heavily pregnant, nearly nine months along, and the baby was bound to come out any day now, so I was in flats.
“Kayla, you did such a good job with the makeup,” Katie said.
Kayla came up behind me, her hands on my shoulders. “I practiced it so many times, I’m glad to see how it came out. You’re going to be so amazing in the pictures, Zoe.”
I could have waited for the wedding until the baby was born, but I’d been insistent. I wanted to be able to legally give the baby Howard’s surname after they were born, so I wanted to be married first. Even though that didn’t really matter to me, I was just worried we would be too busy after the baby came and would have to wait another year. We were cutting it close, but finally, the day had come for us to get married.
“It’s time,” Dad said, holding is arm out for me to take as Kayla and Katie went ahead. “Let’s go.”
The wedding was happening in our backyard, with a pastor from the church Mom used to go to attending. The guests included close friends of mine, and the team came on Howard’s side since he didn’t have any other friends. It was a small enough ceremony for the two of us, we didn’t need anything big or fancy.
Dad had booked the reception at a fancy hotel about thirty minutes’ drive away. We planned to go and do most of the picture taking there, but not long after Howard and I took our vows and exchanged rings, I felt it.
“Zoe?” Howard asked in concern at my gasp. “Is something wrong?”
I put a hand on my stomach, and looked up at him with wide, spooked eyes. “I think my water just broke.”
There was a still moment, before everyone else realized what this meant, and I had to be rushed to the hospital. The whole trip there was hazy. My contractions started part way there, so by the time I arrived, I was already panting and sweating and screaming.
It was a good thing we hadn’t gone with anything tighter for the wedding dress or they might have had to cut it off me. Howard was in the labor room with me, and after two hours of labor and me crushing Howard’s hand multiple times, I gave birth to our little baby girl.
It was a few hours later, after I’d been put in a hospital room and Howard had joined me, when my daughter was brought to me, after she’d been wiped down and wrapped in a soft blanket, and I got to see her properly. I held her carefully with my arms under her, tucking her into my chest. I began to feed her nervously but, according to the nurse’s instructions. A little while later Howard sat on the bed beside me as we watched in silent awe at our sleeping daughter.
I heard the door open again minutes after the nurse had left and knew without looking that Dad and Katie had arrived.
“Mom, Ben,” Howard called, his tone proud. “Come and meet your very first granddaughter.”
Katie practically flew to his side.
“She’s so beautiful,” Katie whispered, crowding against Howard, almost pushing him out of the way to see the baby, but he just laughed good-naturedly.
“What happened to the team?” I asked. “And my friends?”
“Because we already had the reception planned and you guys would be here for hours, everyone else went ahead there. They already know, it’s about midnight, but I’m sure they’re still celebrating. They said they’d come visit after you get out of the hospital.”
I couldn’t wait for Kayla to see my little baby. We’d talked a lot over the past several months, and I’d already promised her she could be the baby’s godmother. Grandma already said she would be over as soon as she could, and she regretted missing the wedding.
Dad came over to the other side of the bed and placed his hand on my shoulder.
When I looked up at him, I was surprised to see he was smiling.
“She’s so tiny,” he said, voice rough. “Kind of like you were. I was there when your mom gave birth to you, and you were so small I was afraid to even touch you.”
I gave him a shaky smile as my own eyes blurred with tears, and I heard him sigh.
“The labor was hard on your mom, Zoe. So, I thought it would be better for her if she stayed at home to look after you. Then there just wasn’t need for her to work. Thinking back on it now, she couldn’t have been all that happy with it, even though she loved you with everything she had. I’m sorry to her, and to you, too. I promise I’m going to support you from now on.”
“It’s okay, Dad,” I said shakily. “Thank you.”
He chuckled. “No need to say thank you. What are you going to call her?”
My smile widened. “Since it’s a girl, we decided to call her Benedicta.”
Dad’s eyes widened in surprise, before he let out a laugh that was just a little wet. Benedicta was Mom’s name, after all.
Howard squeezed his mother out of the way and wrapped a possessive arm around me, pecking my cheek before leaning his head against mine, and all of us sat in silent harmony, listening to the baby breathing.
###The End###
T About Stephanie Brother
Thanks for checking out my new release. This is book one and is a short teaser for the Dirty Players series:
Boo
k #1 - Dirty Players
Book #2 - The Running Back Baby
Book #3 - The Quarterback’s Child - Coming soon!
They are all standalone novels(apart from book 1), which can be read in any order.
Here's what reviewers are saying about The Dirty Players series:
Glimpses of characters!
It’s really just a quick look at the characters in some of this authors upcoming and past works. It does however, do a great job of enticing you. It stops at critical points in which you’re left frantic to find out what happens next. Perfect way to get the reader involved and invested in these books.
Looking forward to more!
This is the perfect tease of Howard and Zoe's story!! It's full of heat and I'm looking forward to seeing how their connection grows.
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