Alex (Cold Fury Hockey, #1)(86)

I can’t remember the last time I saw his eyes clear.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” John Crossman says to me.

Blinking hard, I open the door wider and motion for him to come in. “What are you doing here? Cameron called last night…said you’d checked out of rehab?”

My dad walks in and I shut the door behind him. He drops the suitcase and I get the not-so-subtle message. He’s staying.

Turning to me, he starts to shrug out of his winter coat. “I’m doing great, Alex m’boy. Really got control of things. I wanted out. They wanted me to stay for a few more weeks. But it’s my choice and I decided enough was enough.”

My mind starts frantically taking in all of the places I have alcohol around the house. I’m not a big drinker, but I have a stash. A few beers in the fridge, a bottle of wine on the counter that one of my teammates gave me for my birthday, and a bottle of Jack Daniel’s in the kitchen cabinet. I start thinking of how I can surreptitiously get those hidden.

I don’t even know what to say. I want to chastise him for leaving rehab, but damn he looks good and I feel like I should praise him. I’m ill-equipped to deal with this situation, and my first reaction is to call Sutton because she would know.

Fuck…Sutton’s on her way here, and I’m not prepared for them to meet.

And as if this day couldn’t get any more stressful, the doorbell rings and there’s no doubt as to who that is.

Stepping past my dad, I open the door and let Sutton’s beauty infuse me with just a few moments of unfettered happiness. She’s got her flamed hair loose, and it sparks hot against the coal black of her wool coat. She’s wearing a dark green knit scarf and matching beret, and she’s holding a large, red foil bag that I assume holds my Christmas present.

I just stare at her, wanting to pull her into my arms at the same time I have the crazy thought to shut the door in her face so she and my father won’t meet.

He won’t like her.

He won’t like her for the mere fact that she provides a distraction from my game.

Cocking her head to the side, Sutton must see the indecision in my eyes. “Is everything all right?”

I give her a tentative smile and step back from the door so she can come in. “Of course, it’s just…I have some unexpected company.”

Sutton steps over the threshold and I close the door behind her. When I turn, she and my dad are facing each other. Sutton has an open, easy smile on her face and my dad’s is stoically blank.

Running my hand through my hair and feeling as if I’m marching to the gallows, I say, “Dad…I’d like you to meet Sutton Price. Sutton…this is my dad, John Crossman.”

I have to give her credit. Sutton doesn’t even flinch. She knows he’s not supposed to be out of rehab, but she never reveals the depth of her knowledge. Instead, her smile gets even brighter and she steps forward, holding her hand out. “It’s so wonderful to meet you, Mr. Crossman. Did you just arrive?”

My dad shifts his gaze to me briefly and I can see a world of questions in that one look, but he is at least polite when he turns back to Sutton and shakes her hand. “It’s nice to meet you too, and yes…I just got in for a surprise visit with Alex.”

While my dad is courteous, the air is a bit frigid from the tone of his voice and Sutton can read the signals loud and clear. I suppose it’s a bit of a benefit that she knows a little about my history with him, and she never hesitates.

Turning to me, she says, “Look…let’s you and I get together another day to go over the outreach program and you just enjoy Christmas Eve with your dad.”

She lies beautifully because we had no intentions of discussing business tonight. My intention was to spend a few romantic moments opening gifts and then taking her to bed to f*ck her silly.

She pivots back to my dad. “Mr. Crossman, it was nice meeting you and Merry Christmas.”

He nods at her with a smile and heads over to the couch to sit down. I walk Sutton to the door and when I open it, I lean in to murmur, “I’m sorry. He literally showed up like a minute before you did. I have no clue why he’s here. He should be in rehab.”

She gives me a sympathetic look and pats my chest. Sutton is a savvy girl and she knows just from what little I told her about my dad that he most likely doesn’t know about our relationship. Given what she knows about how he’s deterred me in the past from having any type of relationship, she’s playing it close to the vest and not giving us away.

“No worries. Call me later when you can.”

I nod at her and then watch her walk down the stairs. I don’t close the door until she’s out of sight, but then I do with a sigh and turn to face my father.

“Friend of yours?” my dad asks genially.

“Yeah,” I answer but don’t provide anything more.

“Seems like more than just a friend.”

“You heard her…we were going over some business together.”

“On Christmas Eve?”

Shrugging my shoulders, I say, “Sure, why not?”

“Why are you lying to me, boy?” my dad asks in censure.

“Because if I don’t, you’ll make a big deal about me having a girlfriend,” I say in exasperation.

“Girlfriend?” He actually wrinkles his nose in distaste.