“Are you shitting me right now?” He studies my face. I see it the moment recognition dawns. “I didn’t know Coach had a daughter.”
I sigh. “Neither did he until three months ago.”
He scrubs a hand over his face and mutters an inaudible curse.
“You still haven’t answered my question. What are you doing here?
To his credit, Knox doesn’t beat around the bush. “I play hockey for the Atlanta Gliders. Adam is my coach.”
The ground tilts beneath my feet.
“Excuse me?” The words leave my mouth at a pitch that should only be audible to dogs, but that’s the least of my concerns. This cannot be happening. Of all the men in the world—in this city—what are the odds I’d sleep with one of my father’s players?Karma, indeed.“You said you were a contractor.”
He ducks his head sheepishly. “Actually, I didn’t. You assumed.”
“Yes,”—I plant my hands on my hips—”and you didn’t correct me.”
“I should have been upfront with you,” he admits, rubbing the back of his neck. “But it was nice having you see me as a regular guy and not a hockey player. Most of the time when I meet new people, they only see the sport.”
By sport, I’m pretty sure he means dollar signs.
I search his eyes for telltale signs of dishonesty, but he seems sincere. Knowing what I do about pro athletes, I can understand why he felt the need to withhold his chosen career. That doesn’t make it sting any less.
And it certainly doesn’t change our current predicament.
“Can we go back to the part where Coach is your father?” Knox shakes his head, as if trying to clear his thoughts. “How is that possible?”
I want to make a joke about the birds and the bees, but this really isn’t the time. Adam will be back any minute.
“It’s complicated.”Isn’t it always?“My mother and Adam had a one-night stand, and she got pregnant. It was during a low-point in his career. He was recovering from an ACL tear and he was drinking a lot, so she didn’t tell him about me.”
Knox nods. I suppose if he’s close to Adam, then he already knows about the dark times.
“She didn’t want to add to his troubles, and she didn’t think he was in any shape to raise a child.” Not to mention, she probably didn’t want to be viewed as a puck bunny. “She raised me on her own and never told me who my father was. I only found out three months ago.”
If I hadn’t applied for a position with the Gliders, I’m not sure she ever would have told me. It was only the fear that I’d meet him and figure it out on my own that forced her to reveal the truth.
The whole thing is surreal, like the plot of a made-for-TV movie.
Although I don’t share Adam’s name, I’m pretty sure he helped me land the job. The idea of being a nepo baby burns in my gut, but I don’t have the luxury of being proud. I’m buried in student loan debt and broke as a stick horse.
“Anyway.” I tuck my hair behind my ears. “Suffice it to say, Adam was shocked to learn of my existence.”
So is Knox, judging by the expression on his face. “This is a lot.”
I get it. I’m still struggling with it myself, but I’m doing my best to move forward, despite the abundance of awkward moments like this one.
“And you just happened to move in next door to me?” He blinks. “What are the odds?”
“Pretty good, actually.” I shove my hands into the pockets of my romper. “Adam helped me find the rental.”
Despite my many protests, he insisted, refusing to take no for an answer. He was convinced it was the only way to ensure I chose a safe, decent place to live. And since I couldn’t afford the rent on my own, he’s paying that too. His way of making up for lost time and a lack of financial support while I was growing up.
There had been only one stipulation: no dating hockey players.
Oops. Although, to be fair, he never said anything about sleeping with them.
Knox groans. “That actually tracks. It’s probably another babysitting assignment.”