34. Dane

34

DANE

Loaded silence falls over the room, interrupted only by my heavy breaths and the beeping heart rate monitor behind me. Even the nurse pauses her typing when she senses the tension that follows the arrival of my latest visitor.

Speaking of visitors, isn’t it too late for any to be here? I should bring it up to the nurse. Maybe she’ll throw Dad out before this devolves into another classic Larson family fight.

I decided against it, fearing that if I did, she might also throw out Morgan, Mom, and Eli.

“Dad,” I manage to grind out. The beeping on the machine increases in tempo.

The nurse clears her throat. “Your vitals look good, Mr. Larson.” She removes the blood pressure cuff and hangs it off the hook on the wall behind the bed. “The doctor will be in shortly.”

“Thank you.”

She leaves the room and closes the door behind her, forcing Dad to step farther into the space that now seems too small.

“I’m glad you’re all right, son.”

“Me too.”

His lips pinch. “Make sure to thank your owner for flying Mom and me out here. He didn’t have to do that.”

I grind my teeth. I don’t need the reminder to be a decent human being. I’m not a teenager who resents writing thank-you cards for Christmas gifts. I mean, I’m still not fond of the activity, but I understand the importance of showing appreciation to people.

“I’m sure he was already planning to do that, Odin,” Mom speaks up, stepping away from the corner where she and Morgan had been talking. She approaches my bedside.

“Hm.” Dad’s gaze lands on Morgan. “You must be Morgan.”

“I am.” She approaches him without hesitation. and holds out her hand. “You must be Dane’s father.”

“Odin.” He shakes her head. “Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.”

“Morgan’s been here with Dane since they transported him from the arena,” Mom says.

“Thank you for looking after our son,” Dad says. I’m not sure if I imagine the emotion in his voice.

“Of course. It was no trouble at all.” Morgan looks at me. My chest swells when I see the affection in her gaze. I don’t know what I did to deserve a woman like Morgan Caldwell, but I’ll be thanking my lucky stars for her for the rest of my life.

“You should go home and get some rest,” Eli says, drawing me out of my admiring thoughts.

I’m not sure who he’s talking to until Morgan looks his way and then returns her attention back to me. “I don’t know…”

I want to tell her to stay, but Eli is right. She’s been with me all night. And from the way my parents are looking at one another, I get the feeling there’s something they want to say.

“It’s okay.” I force myself to smile. “Eli’s right. You should rest. I’ll text you what the doctor tells me.”

She chews her bottom lip. “Are you sure?”

“I am.” I hold out a hand. She walks over to take it.

“Thank you,” I murmur, squeezing her fingers. “For staying with me.”

Her gaze softens. “You don’t have to thank me for that.”

“Yes, I do.” I tug her hand, and she heeds my silent request and bends down for a kiss. It’s quick, thanks to my family’s presence.

When Morgan draws back, I keep hold of her hand, and say, “By the way, you look good in my jersey.” I wink.

She laughs. “Thanks. I’ll be back later.”

She bends down and kisses me once more. When she stands, I release her hand.

Morgan says goodbye to my parents and Eli. My brother walks her to the door and gives her a hug. Morgan spares me one last glance before waving and leaving the room.

The awkwardness is palpable the moment the door closes behind her.

My parents exchange looks. So does Eli. The three of them look like they’re in on some secret, and I can’t fathom what it might be.

My forehead creases. It’s on the tip of my tongue to demand they spit out what’s going on when Dad speaks, “Henry told me that you fired him.”

I don’t let his neutral tone fool me. My guard is up. “That’s right.”

He cocks his head to the side, watching me. “Who’s your new agent?”

“Gary Ramirez.” Carter does nothing but sing the man’s praises. It was easy to choose him for my agent after I let Henry go. I’m thankful Gary agreed to take me on as a client, especially with all the trade rumors swirling.

“I assume he’s aware the Ranchers are looking to trade you?” Dad’s thoughts align with mine.

“He does. He also knows I’ll retire if they try to go through with it.”

Mom gasps. “Really? Are you sure?”

I nod. “I am.”

Dad’s features tighten. He wants to argue. No doubt, he wants to tell me I’d be an idiot to retire at this point in my career. “It’s good that he’s aware.”

I blink.

That’s it?

I expected a full-blown lecture, but Dad is acting like he respects my decisions.

He must’ve really been worried when I hit my head.

“Morgan is lovely,” Mom interjects.

“Yeah.” I smile. “She is.”

“Have you spoken to your coach about the potential trade?” Dad asks, negating Mom’s attempt to change the subject.

I look back at him. “Yes. A little. He knows I don’t want a trade.”

“Does he want to keep you on the team?”

“Yes.”

For some inexplicable reason, I find myself sharing, “Gianni doesn’t want to trade me either, but he’s using it as a threat to get what he wants, and I’m not interested in being manipulated.”

Dad frowns. “He’s threatening you?”

“Yes. Well,” I pause. “Not me. But Morgan.”

“What do you mean?” Mom asks.

I tell them about Vincent’s insistence that I either break up with Morgan or she quit her job. I tell them that we followed the team’s dating policy, emphasizing that we’ve broken no rules.

“That’s terrible.” Mom shakes her head. “What an incredibly unfair situation.”

“I know. That’s why I’m not giving in.”

“A man’s honor is invaluable,” Dad hums approvingly. “I’m proud of you for standing up for what’s right.”

My brows lift. Eli and I share equally shocked looks.

Dad notices. He huffs. “What?”

I frown. “I don’t know. It’s just been a while since you’ve said you’re proud of me.”

“That’s not true.”

“It is.”

Dad huffs again. “Well, I am proud of you. I’m proud of both of my sons.”

Eli scoffs. “Yeah, right,” he mutters under his breath.

Dad stiffens, and the full force of his attention lands on Eli. “I am proud of you, Eli.”

My younger brother’s face is hard as stone, but I see the vulnerability in his eyes. “Maybe you were proud of me in the past, but we both know that changed when I told you I’m gay.”

And there it is.

The elephant in the room.

Eli’s reveal wasn’t the only thing that occurred around the time our family became estranged, but it was certainly the most memorable. And the one that still seems to hang over our family’s head whenever we are together.

My protective instincts roar to life, but I bite my tongue, determined to let Eli speak for himself.

Mom stands silently by, her eyes bouncing between the three of us. When Dad meets her gaze, I see her dip her head encouragingly.

Dad’s shoulders rise as he takes a deep breath. On his exhale, he says, “I haven’t been a good dad to you, Eli. And I’m sorry. It’s not an excuse, but when you told us about your…” His forehead furrows. “Lifestyle? Preferences?”

“The term you’re looking for is sexual orientation.”

Dad nods and clears his throat. “Right. Well, after you told us, I don’t know… I just didn’t know how to act. You and I were so close when you were a kid, and I struggled with how to relate to you after you came out to your mother and me.”

“Nothing was different about me,” Eli replies, gritting his teeth. “I’m the same man I was before you knew I was gay.”

“I know that,” Dad says, sounding sincere. “I do. But at the time, I felt like a failure. Like I was a shit dad for you not to have told me sooner. Like I must have made you think I wouldn’t accept you. I felt like shit. I didn’t know how to act.”

“And your solution to that was to ice him out?” I snap, unable to hold back the bite of my anger.

Dad shakes his head slowly. He keeps his eyes on Eli but answers me, “I made a mistake. If I could go back in time and change things, I would. I’m sorry, Eli. I want to make things right. I want to fix things.”

It takes everything I have not to lash out at him again.

As much as I want to tell him to shove his apology up his ass, that’s not my decision. My protective instincts are triggered. I’m not thinking calmly. But based on Eli’s contemplative expression, he is. That’s what matters.

I glance at Mom to gauge her reaction. Tears shimmer in her eyes, and she clutches her hands tightly to her chest. She wants us to be a happy family again. For her sake, I want that, too. So does Eli. But her happiness can’t come at the expense of Eli’s, not after what he’s put himself through to get to this point in his life.

“You really don’t mind that I’m gay?” Eli sounds skeptical, but the hint of hope in the question makes my gut twist.

I swear, if Dad says anything homophobic, I’m going to get out of this bed and physically force him out of this room, injured head be damned.

Dad straightens. “I don’t. Hand to God, I don’t.” He swallows thickly. “I love you, Eli. I’m sorry I ever made you doubt that. I’m going to do better. I swear.”

The catch in his throat doesn’t go unnoticed by anyone in the room. Tears roll down Mom’s face, and Eli’s lips are pressed together like he’s holding back his own tears.

I look at my hands in my lap and school my expression, determined to follow Eli’s lead on this. My personal thoughts don’t matter; only Eli and Mom matter. And if Dad is being real, I look forward to our family unit healing.

We may never be what we once were, but anything is better than what we’ve been lately.

A phone rings, interrupting the moment. I frown when I realize it’s my cell phone.

Who would be calling at this hour?

We all look toward the sound. Eli sees the phone first and picks it up to hand it to me.

When I read the name, my brow lifts. I answer the call immediately. “Dane, speaking.”

“Hey, Dane.” Gary Ramirez greets with a relieved sigh. “Glad to hear your voice.”

“Thanks. I woke up not long ago.”

“I’m glad. I was going to leave a voicemail, but it’s probably best to say this to you directly.”

My heart pounds in my chest.

My parents and Eli look at me with questioning eyes. I must look panicked. I hold up a finger, silently asking them to wait, then take a deep breath before asking, “What is it?”

“It’s about the potential trade deal.” The sound of shuffling papers flows through the earpiece. “I have some news.”