Even with his mom at the game.
Kacey had watched her the whole time. She only came to her seat every once in a while, but when she was there, she was looking at her phone the whole time. Kacey wanted to march down and kick her in the face, but her dad wouldn’t let her. Said she wasn’t worth it. She knew this, but she was pretty sure she’d feel better if she had. Turning to her father, she smiled as he leaned against Jordie’s truck, playing on his phone.
“Daddy, you don’t have to wait with me. It’s way past your bedtime.”
He laughed sarcastically before waving her off. “I’m not leaving you alone in a parking lot. I’ll catch a ride home with Karson, since your ma took Lacey and Mena home.”
“Okay,” she sang, leaning against the truck. “Thanks for waiting.”
He smiled over at her, tucking his phone in his pocket as he reached out, wrapping his arm around her neck and bringing her in tight. “How ya doing?”
“Good,” she answered, looking up at him, smiling. She loved her daddy.
“How’s my grandbaby?”
“Growing, I pray,” she said hopefully and he nodded.
“She’ll be good,” he promised and Kacey smiled, but then her smile dropped when she realized that he didn’t know about the miscarriage. No one did.
Clearing her throat, she asked, “Daddy, if I told you something, would you promise not to get mad and not to tell Ma?”
He eyed her and then nodded. “Yeah.”
Taking in a deep breath, she held on to his arms as she admitted, “This is my second pregnancy. The first one, I lost. That’s why I’m so nervous.”
His face didn’t move, and she wasn’t sure he was breathing as seconds passed. “When?”
“Right before the Olympics,” she said quietly, and he nodded.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t tell anyone. I just let it be. I had a medal to win, and I didn’t want you guys worrying about me or telling me to wait.”
He nodded once more. “That’s understandable, I guess, but I would have been there for you.”
“I know,” she answered softly. “But I had it.”
“My prideful, headstrong, bratty-ass little girl,” he said fondly, shaking his head. “Okay, fine, but you let that go, you hear me?”
She nodded. “I am trying.”
“Try harder,” he demanded. “The stress will eat ya alive, and you don’t need that.”
“I know.”
He then let out a long breath. “Was it Jordie’s?”
“Yeah,” she whispered and she felt him tense up.
“Man, that boy is lucky I love him,” Karl muttered and Kacey smiled.
“He’s not that person anymore.”
“Oh, I know,” he agreed. “’Cause if he was, he’d be dead.”
Kacey laughed at that as her daddy smiled, holding her closer. He kissed her temple and whispered, “You know you’re my favorite, right?”
She scoffed. “Liar.”
He grinned. “You are. So is Karson.”
She rolled her eyes, giggling until she heard a voice that she did not want to hear say, “Karl? Is that you?”
Her dad turned, taking Kacey with him as Stacey walked toward them with Phil beside her.
“Kacey?” she asked again, and then it must have dawned on her because she laughed. “That’s right, she’s your daughter.”
“That’s right,” Karl said, squeezing her. “What are you up to?”
“Well, since Phil got glass seats, we got private parking,” she said in a snooty way. “What are you doing?”
“Waiting for Jordie.”
She scoffed. “That son of mine hates me apparently,” she said offhandedly. “But whatever.”
Even with the fa?ade she put on, Kacey could tell she was hurting, which surprised her.
“Well, if you treated him a little better, maybe he would like you,” Karl supplied and she gave him a dry look.