CHAPTER ONE

Do You Like Horses?

Charlotte

Daddy and I arrive at the airport in Nashville to Finn holding a sign with our names on it. Since Daddy hasn’t flown in a long time, I took a bus home to Buffalo and we flew out here together. He was a little nervous when the plane was taking off, but he seems to be doing better now. He also looks good. Daddy is a tall guy at six foot four. As a former athlete, he has a big build but he’s slimmed down over the years since he doesn’t really exercise.

I wave to Finn and he lowers the sign.

“Hi,” I say, walking up to him. I give him a hug. Really, I want to be kissing the heck out of him for making this trip happen. Daddy has been looking forward to it and it’s put him in good spirits. I realize how much of my life I spend worrying about my dad and his happiness. It’s the reason I still haven’t told him about my plan to try out for Team USA in the spring.

“Hello, sir,” Finn says, shaking Daddy’s hand.

“A handshake is just fine, son, but we are huggers,” Daddy says, pulling him into a hug. Finn is thrown off for a second but then they hug briefly and pat each other on the back.

“I rented a car, it’s in the parking lot,” Finn explains. He takes my suitcase and carry-on from me.

“Lead the way,” Daddy says.

Once we are in the car and on the freeway, I watch how Daddy looks out the window in wonder.

“It’s been a long while since I left Buffalo. I used to travel a lot with the team but since my injury I haven’t really done much travelling. That was a good twenty-two years ago.” He chuckles.

“Well, here we are travelling,” I say cheerfully from the back seat of the car since Daddy is sitting up front with Finn.

“It’s a good hour drive out to the farm,” Finn informs us. “My family is already there. My sister has you both set up in the guesthouse. It has two bedrooms and two bathrooms so it should be okay,” he explains.

For the next forty-five minutes the car falls silent. Finn has the radio on and country music plays. Daddy is bobbing his head to the music and enjoying the beautiful scenery, and I feel like I am walking on eggshells. It was the story of my childhood, worrying when Daddy would react to something badly and meltdown. I would always try to make sure he was very comfortable, and I find myself falling back into that same pattern, even though I left home over three years ago to attend Riverside U.

“This is Sugar Meadow,” Finn states when we pass a sign that says: Welcome to Sugar Meadow.

“It looks so quaint and pretty,” I exclaim.

“And boring,” Finn adds. “The town always stays the same. The only thing that’s changed is the farm and that’s because Brett and Willow made it into a resort.” He snorts.

“Quiet is nice,” Daddy says. “I’ve never lived in a small town myself, but I see the appeal.”

“I’m a city gal.”

“I prefer the city too,” Finn agrees.

We pull up to a road with a sign that says Heaton Farm. “Brett’s last name is Noble but he’s been cool about keeping up the sign,” Finn explains.

We drive down a newly paved winding road until we reach the main house, which looks huge and beautiful. It’s a mix of old-style charm with updated accents of stone and stucco.

“That’s the guesthouse over there.” Finn points to a beautiful, bungalow-style cabin. “The back wall of the bungalow is all glass windows and has quite the view.”

“This is really something,” Daddy expresses.

“It’s stunning,” I agree.

“I better take you to the main house to meet everyone,” Finn says. “Charlie, you already know my grumpy brother, Jacob, but you haven’t met the rest of the Heaton clan. There’s Lev, who is just as grumpy or maybe even grumpier than Jacob. Then there is Jack, he’s playing in the NHL right now. Then there’s Willow, she is our only sister, and she is pretty amazing. Brett, her husband, is cool too and their kids, Maylee and Austin, are very adorable, although Maylee can sometimes be a troublemaker. And last there is my mother, Abilene, her friends call her Abi,” he explains.

We pull up to the front of the main house. It’s built in an L-shape with a three car garage.

“Brett had the garages built on as an addition. He also built onto the back of the house, which made it significantly larger from when I grew up. Really, the house looks nothing like the house I grew up in, but it’s the land my great granddaddy bought many eons ago,” Finn continues. “I haven’t been back since the reno so it’s all new to me too. I hope you guys are ready because my family is big and loud.”

“I’m excited to meet everyone,” I assure. When I think about the messed-up circumstances when he met Daddy, I am surprised he didn’t go running for the hills. Instead, Finn has been so kind and understanding. And he’s done so much for Daddy and me, I don’t even know how I could repay him.

We leave our luggage in the car and follow Finn into the house. Everyone is in a main room, hanging out together.

“They’re here,” one of the brother’s calls out. I’m guessing he’s Jack by the Utah Lakers hoodie. Finn was telling me he got traded to Utah, which is a new expansion team.

An older lady comes downstairs. She’s got long brown hair and the same green eyes as Finn.

“Hi, I’m so excited to meet you,” she says. “I’m Abilene, but please call me Abi.” She extends her hand for me to shake it.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Charlie and this is my dad, Scott Morgan,” I introduce, shaking her hand.

“Pleasure, darlin’,” she replies.

Then she shakes Daddy’s hand. “Nice to meet you, Scott,” she says with a smile that’s bordering on flirtatious. Finn has mostly spoken to me about his brothers and sister, so I don’t know much about his mom.

“Mom,” Finn calls out, but it sounds like a warning and by the look of his pulsing jaw I am guessing I am right.

“What, Finn? Scott is a handsome man,” his mom compliments.

“Okay, let’s move on here,” Finn directs. “This is Jack.” He points and I was right that he is the brother in the NHL. “This is Jacob, who you already know.”

“Hi, Coach Heaton,” I greet him.

“Jacob is fine for this weekend,” he says.

“Sure, Jacob.”

Jacob shakes Daddy’s hand and we get around the room shaking hands with everyone.

“I’m just so happy you decided to join us,” Willow says.

“Yes, my wife has been very excited about meeting your new friend,” Brett teases Finn.

“Are you guys going to be annoying all weekend?” Finn mutters.

“Do you like horses, Scott?” Abi asks Daddy.

“I don’t have much experience with them, but I do love animals,” Daddy answers.

“Well, come on, I can show you the barn,” Abi urges.

“Lead the way,” Daddy says with a bright smile.

Finn looks like he is ready to lose his shit, and I am not sure if Daddy is flirting. Abi puts on a jacket since it is quite cold outside and they leave through a back door to the house.

“I’m going to be cooking up a storm tomorrow. I got all kinds of recipes from Brett’s sister Maddie. She’s a chef. They may be coming into town tomorrow for the day with their sons,” Willow says.

“You guys really do have a big family,” I mutter. I’m not used to being surrounded by so much family. It’s nice. Growing up it was always quiet, just Daddy and me celebrating holidays.”

“We sure do,” Willow agrees.

“I’d love to help you cook. I’m not a chef but the kitchen is my happy place,” I say to Willow.

“Ah!” she says. “Finn wants to help out too. We’re feeding a lot of people, so I am in no position to reject help.”

“I’m helping too, baby,” Brett adds to his wife.

We all go to sit on a large sectional in the family room. They all tell me stories of when they were younger. Finn is sitting next to me but we aren’t touching each other. Even Coach Heaton has some funny stories. He’s a lot more laid-back here than he is back in Riverside.

After about an hour, daddy returns. His cheeks are red from the cold. “They have some beautiful horses,” he says to me.

“How about I get you both settled in the guesthouse? You’re probably tired from the flight,” Finn offers. When his mom is near, I feel tension radiating off him. I wonder if it’s because she is openly flirting with Daddy.

“That would be great,” I say.

We head back out to the car and Finn drives down a path toward the guesthouse. When we arrive, he opens the front door with a key and shows us inside. After a little tour, he shows us the kitchen and the fridge stocked with all kinds of food.

“This is so amazing, Finn. Thanks so much. Your family is so welcoming and wonderful.” Daddy went off to use the bathroom so it is just me and Finn now.

“Thanks, although I probably should’ve warned you that my mom is a big flirt,” he relays, sounding annoyed.

“I honestly think my dad was flirting back. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him flirt, but that definitely seemed like flirting. Did you get that feeling too?” I whisper.

He nods. “It’s messed up, don’t you think?”

“I mean, it’s kinda weirding me out,” I agree.

Daddy walks back into the room so we drop the flirting topic.

“We’re probably going to have dinner in about an hour, and then Willow wanted to have a bonfire outside and roast marshmallows and make s’mores,” Finn says. “I can come by and pick you up.”

“We can walk over. It isn’t that far to walk,” I assure him.

“See you soon.” He waves a little awkward and his eyes roam over me. The heat in his eyes gives what he is feeling away. I wish we could have alone time, but we’ve committed to keep things platonic until the end of the semester. Having my job back has been amazing. Alice told me she has reached out to some of the NHL teams to recommend me as social media coordinator for a team. I told her I will be busy next year but I’ll be free after that, so it’s always good to have a plan for a job in place.

I also need to tell Daddy about my plans, but I don’t want to mess up the weekend so I stay quiet, hoping to find the right time.

“So Abi is nice,” I mention to Daddy when we are alone.

“She is,” he agrees. But that’s all I get.

“I’ll go get settled in a room and freshen up,” I tell him.

“Okay, sweetheart. I’ll do the same.”

I watch him carefully for any signs something is wrong.

“I’m fine, Charlie,” he assures, and I hadn’t realized I was that obvious. “I know you’re used to coddling me but I’ve been on my own for some time, and I know I’ve had some slipups but I’ve been doing good.”

“I know and I’m super happy to see that,” I say. I’m relieved too. It feels like a stress is lifted off me but I am not sure how long this good streak is going to last, so I still feel antsy.

“Good,” he confirms, and he walks off and so do I.