Chapter 18

Eliza

I run my hands through my hair and balance my chin on my hands at my desk. Something is not making sense in this spreadsheet. Why is the electric bill at the training facility so high this month compared to other months?

Someone clears their throat, and I look up to see Tanya and Darius standing at my door. “We gave up waiting for you by the elevator,” Tanya announces.

“Oh crap! Sorry. The morning got away from me, and my mom called.”

“Oh?” Tanya says.

I pull my handbag over my shoulder. “She wanted to tell me about Antonio and bug me about dragging Steve over for dinner.”

She shakes her head. “I’m so jealous of your relationship with your mother. My mother would get married and not tell anyone. ”

“Well, maybe that’s because she’s still married and living with your dad.”

“You know what I mean. You two talk to one another.”

We get in the elevator, and Darius is studying his phone. He hasn’t said a word.

“What’s going on, Darius?” I ask.

“The agent to a quarterback I have my eye on has approached us about a move.”

“Mid-season? I mean, Marty is doing well, and I assume since you have an eye on him, he’s not junior material.”

“Well, that’s the thing. Marty’s agent has asked how firm we’re going to be about not letting him out of his contract at the end of the season.”

“Are you telling me that with all this crap going on, we’re going to lose a few players?”

“The doping scandal has everyone worried.”

“It’s not even a scandal,” I protest. “Marty was in the group that had the false positive, but it was just a bad batch of tests. Everyone knows that.” I don’t know who I’m trying to convince. Probably myself.

Darius gives me a hesitating nod.

My head is beginning to hurt. I shut my eyes. “Why didn’t Steve tell me Marty wants out? We’re together every night. I—”

“He doesn’t know,” Darius says. “Only Coach and I know.”

I scoff at that. “I bet half the team knows. This would be hot gossip among the players.” I think for a minute. “Would Coach tell my dad if a player was trying to get out of his contract?”

“Normally, I would say yes, and your dad would head it off. But for some reason, Coach isn’t telling you. Do you know why?”

I shake my head. “I don’t know if he doesn’t respect me… I’m pretty sure he doesn’t like me, but maybe there’s something else going on. ”

We walk the block over to the restaurant, and the hostess seats us quickly.

“What are you going to do?” Tanya asks once we’re settled in.

“I need to find my dad.” I shake my head. “Ugh. Let’s talk about something else.”

Darius nods and nudges my shoulder. “It sounds like you and Dr. McCormick are getting very close.”

I manage a smile. I feel bad for not telling one of my closest friends what’s really going on. Steve’s told his closest friends, and I’ve only told Tanya… I may be rationalizing, but Darius is trustworthy. So I spend the next couple minutes telling him all about my dad’s requirements and how Steve is helping me out.

“I’m not surprised Dr. McCormick is doing this for you,” he says. “He’s really a great guy. And I bet sex with him is ah -maz-ing.”

I debate how to respond, and Tanya steps in. “She’s told him no sex.”

Darius gasps and holds his hand to his heart. “That is sacrilege. Such a fine specimen, and you’re not taking advantage of him?”

“We have an understanding, and I don’t want to talk about it,” I inform him, looking around to make sure no one is listening.

This calls for another shift in conversation, so we talk about the team and their rough start so far until we order. But after the server leaves, Tanya turns back to me. “Are you going to tell your mom about what’s really going on with Steve?”

I shake my head. “No way. She’ll be furious and go right to my dad. I hate lying to her, but I can’t take the chance that she’s going to screw it all up. She and Laura are close, which doesn’t help.”

Darius’ hand goes to his heart. “Is there a Tom Rourke wives club?”

I think about my dad’s two other ex-wives. “There just may be. But I don’t think he and Laura are going to break up. They’re happy together.”

“You never know what goes on behind closed doors,” Darius warns.

“I agree, but she’s in cahoots with my dad about me having a life outside of work. They’re both so delirious they think everyone needs what they have.”

“I think I’m going to vomit,” Tanya announces, which gets her a funny look from the table next to us.

The server has just returned, and she also stands back.

“Oh,” I say. “It’s just hyperbole. You know, realizing your parents are still having sex.”

The server looks at me strangely as she puts our plates down in front of us and dashes away.

“I guess she isn’t surprised that her parents are still having sex,” Darius stage-whispers.

I suppress a snort.

“Tell us everything that’s going on with Steve,” Tanya says.

I tell them about meeting his family and friends and how much I enjoy the girlfriends and wives. “Now that we’re over the hurdle of me moving in, we really are developing a wonderful friendship. We get along well, and he’s funny.”

“And don’t forget he’s hot,” Tanya reminds me.

Darius nods. “Very hot.”

“That’s true,” I tell them. “But it’s just not particularly relevant in this situation.”

As we walk back to the stadium, Darius and Tanya get into a discussion about something going on in the office, but I lose the thread of conversation. My brain is fully absorbed with trying to figure out where my dad could be. There’s one person I’m sure would know, but would he tell me? I think I have to find out. I need to talk to Charles, my father’s fixer. I believe they talk at least once a day, regardless of where my dad is.

When we get back to work, Darius waves goodbye and heads out to practice .

“Don’t forget to call or text me if there’s something I need to know,” I tell him.

He nods. “Promise.”

Tanya waves and heads to her office as I detour by Charles’ office here at the stadium. He has offices at all Dad’s businesses, but this is closest to where he lives, so he’s here the most often.

When I arrive, I’m relieved to see he’s in. He’s looking at his computer when I knock on the door jamb. He looks up but doesn’t smile or really acknowledge me.

“Hey, Charles. I need to speak with my dad. Do you know where he might be?”

He gives a subtle shrug.

“I want to tell him Nicolette has returned and warn him.”

Charles clears his throat. “When I talked to him this morning, he was at home.”

The hair on the back of my neck stands up. “I thought he’d left the country.”

“Not to my knowledge.”

He would know Dad’s calendar, so that bothers me. And then I start to get a little angry. What does Dad think he’s doing? If he’s so worried about me managing the team, why did he disappear and leave me to do just that? He gave me no notice or instructions—other than about my personal life, of course—and he’s not returning my calls. What is that about?

But I don’t say any of that to Charles. I force a polite nod and turn to go. “Okay, thank you.”

“How are things going with Dr. McCormick?” he calls after me.

“We’re doing fine, and as I’m sure you’re aware, we’re spending a lot of time together.”

He smiles. Now, he knows I know he’s monitoring me. I know my father well. I hate him for all this, but at least there aren’t any secrets.

As I walk back to my office, I debate going out to Dad’s now or waiting until after work when the traffic is bad.

I decide to head right downstairs to my car and go now.

The drive through town is still crazy. As I cross through Stanley Park and over the Lions Gate Bridge, the day is gorgeous—must be why so many people have flocked to our vibrant green landscape and beautiful waters. I look out and see a giant cruise ship. I feel so lucky to live here. I’ve traveled the world, and Vancouver, in my opinion, is the most beautiful place of them all.

My brain cycles through Mom’s return, her boy toy Antonio, Steve, the team, Coach Roy, Marty Holloway wanting out of his contract, the owners meetings, Donnie Cochran and his stupid lowball offer, and then somehow, I end up on my high school boyfriend. I wonder where he is today.

When I pull into Dad’s circular driveway, I’m kicking myself for not coming out here sooner. With Minni in school, it makes sense that they wouldn’t just leave the country. But I’d still like him to return my calls. Hopefully, I can keep my cool to explain that.

I knock on the door, and after a moment, Laura opens it. “What brings you here in the middle of the day?”

I paint a smile on my face. “I’ve left a few messages for Dad, but he’s not responded. I thought I’d come talk to him face to face.”

Laura pales, and she looks away as if she’s suddenly nervous.

“What’s going on, Laura? Why is he avoiding me?”

“It’s not what you think,” she says, finally meeting my eyes.

“What do I think? I don’t know what to think. Until today, I’d been telling myself you went to the south of France and didn’t tell me.”

Laura’s eyes fill with tears. “He didn’t want you to know.”

“What? That he was hiding here the entire time? Letting me run the team he’s not sure I get to take over? ”

She shakes her head. “No… He should be the one to tell you. But he’s sleeping right now.”

“Dad’s taking a nap? He runs dozens of companies. Since when does he nap?”

Laura still looks nervous, but she heaves a deep breath and lets me in. “Let’s check, just in case.”

I follow her down the stairs to the main bedroom. The room is dark, with the blackout curtains closed. What is going on? It’s the middle of the day. The light from the doorway shines on the bed, and I see Dad lying propped up by pillows. He’s definitely sleeping. There’s a slightly sour smell in the air, but even more disturbing are the many, many pill bottles next to his bed. My heart races.

Laura nods and directs me back upstairs.

“What’s going on?” I ask again when we reach the kitchen.

“He didn’t want you to know.”

“Know what?”

She sighs. “He’s a strong man who has always taken care of you. He didn’t want you to see him so weak.”

“What’s going on?”

“He was diagnosed with stage-four colon cancer this spring.”

All of the air rushes out of me, and I see stars. How can this be? Questions flash through my mind, and I’m floundering. I feel so lost. Tears spring to my eyes, and I reach out to Laura, probably the only person who loves him as much as I do. “What can I do?”

“He’s been in radiation and chemo, but this round has been tough.”

My mind races. I know nothing about colon cancer. I don’t know what the prognosis is. I need to talk to Steve.

Tears fall freely. I’m not ready to lose my father. Laura and I hold each other. “Why didn’t you tell me?” I finally ask.

“Because he expressly told me not to. I figured you’d eventually reach out to Charles, and he and I agreed he’d send you here so you would find out.”

“Do they think Dad can kick this?” I ask.

“Your dad is the strongest-willed man I know. If he wants something, nothing out there is going to stop him. And he wants to be here for you, and for Minni and Logan. He expects to walk you down the aisle when you get married.”

“Is this why he’s given me all these requirements about my life if I want the team?”

“It may be a factor, but no. He really feels like he missed out with you by working all the time, and he figures you have enough money that you shouldn’t have to work that hard.”

I talk to her about Donnie’s offer and how I’m sure he’s taking advantage of Dad.

She shakes her head. “I’m not a fan of Donnie Cochran, but he’s always been a friend to your dad, since I’ve known him.”

Suddenly, I sit up straight. “Is this why my mother decided to come home? Does she know about Dad?”

“I don’t know if that’s why she’s come home, but he told her. He knew you’d need her support if anything happened.”

The tears pop up again, and I wipe my eyes with the heel of my hands. I’m sure I look like a panda bear with big black rings around my eyes.

Laura makes a pot of tea, and we sit down and watch the barges on the water as they line up to get their goods unloaded and reloaded.

I text Steve.

Me: I’m at my dad’s. Will you be at your house tonight?

Steve: Yes. Is everything all right?

Me: I’ll tell you what’s going on later. Promise.

There’s a noise over Minni’s old baby monitor.

“Your dad’s awake. I’ll go check on him and then call you down.”

I nod and dash to the bathroom to clean up my face as Laura disappears.

“Hey…” After a minute I hear her over the speaker. “How are you feeling? Can I get you some chicken broth or something to settle your stomach?”

“Not right now,” Dad grumbles. “What time is it?”

“It’s a little after four. Elizabeth has stopped by.”

“What did you tell her?”

“The broad strokes. She’s been worried about you.”

“She doesn’t need this stress.”

There is some noise. I can’t make out everything Laura says. “—she’s an adult and can handle this.”

“Tell her I’m not seeing anyone.”

My eyes well up again. I can’t believe he’d send me away.

“I won’t tell her that. You’re going to man up and see your daughter. She’s upset that you haven’t told her, and everyone around her knows.”

“Fine. You can send her down.”

“I will, and I’ll bring you back some warm broth.”

I hear more noise and begin the trek downstairs, passing Laura on the way. She gives me a sad smile. When I walk into the room, Dad is sitting up, and the noise I heard was the blackout curtains being opened.

“Hey, Dad.”

“Buttercup, I’m sorry you have to see me like this.”

“I was getting worried about you. I left a few messages, and things are going wonky at the stadium with you out of touch. Do you want to hear about it?”

“Actually, that sounds better than everyone else who wants to know how I’m feeling.”

“I would like to know that too, but we can talk about the team first.”

I start at the beginning, telling him about how Rhymes injured Hudson and I released him from his contract .

Dad’s eyes widen. “Are you sure that was smart?”

I nod. “The hit was beyond dirty. It’s bad enough when it’s an opposing team, but when it’s your own teammate—and he tore a ligament in Hudson’s knee—it was the appropriate move.”

“I trust you,” he says.

I feel a warmness in my chest.

“What is this crap I’m hearing about a doping scandal?” he asks after a moment.

I shake my head. “There’s no scandal, although I’d like to know who leaked it to the Vancouver Sun . We got a faulty batch of drug tests, so we sent three of our team members to an independent facility for retests. Everyone was clean, but the Sun failed to share that part right away.”

“Did you get that sorted out?”

I nod. “I did, but the story ran last Friday, and the small article correcting it didn’t come out until Monday.”

He shakes his head. Unfortunately, that’s not the end of it.

“With all the chaos, I’m getting a lot of calls from various agents looking at trades and getting out of contracts.”

Dad shakes his head. “We’re not even halfway through the season. This could turn around at any time.”

“We have a few players who are trying their best to undermine their teammates’ confidence with constant critiques—and by the way, their own play is far from perfect. I’d like to get rid of them. I think it would do a lot for morale.”

“Why isn’t Roy whipping them into shape?”

I shrug. “He’s trying to work with what he was given.”

“You know the termination triggers in his contract. If more than twenty-five percent of the team wants to be traded, and he doesn’t have a winning season, he won’t have a job.”

Dad has a coughing fit, and I can tell he’s already tired and we’ve only been talking a short time. I guess I’ll save the rest of my speech about getting rid of players until later.

“Charles tells me you’re seeing Steve McCormick,” he says when he’s recovered. “He’s a good guy, but make sure he’s not trying to get into your pants to keep his job.”

I smile at Dad. “He’s already telling people he doesn’t expect to keep his job. He’s disappointed, but he knows that isn’t our choice.”

“He’s a bit of a player, so just keep your wits about you.” Dad’s blinks are becoming longer. I need to let him rest.

I stand, lean over, and kiss him on the cheek. “Daddy, I love you. I wish you would have told me sooner.”

“I plan on beating this thing.”

“Good, because I plan on you walking me down the aisle and spoiling your grandkids.”

He shuts his eyes, and I head out.

Laura meets me at the top of the stairs. “You were so good for him today. That’s what he needs. He needs to be thinking about things besides his health.”

“I’ll be back in a few days. I’m going to find out more about his prognosis. Who is his oncologist?”

“He’s with Stein at Mercy Hospital.”

I nod and thank her as I go. For the first time today, I’m relieved. Because I know someone at Mercy Hospital.