Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 55667 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 278(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55667 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 278(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
CHAPTER SIX
YOU KNOW BETTER
Sidney
“Well.” I cross my arms. “What do you boys have to say for yourselves?”
“Your date was hot, Mr. B.” Randy runs his hand through his hair.
I glare at him.
He drops his gaze to his feet. “Well, she was.”
“Shut the F up, dude,” Miller mutters.
“I understand that your hormones govern many of your decisions and that it can be a challenge to exercise control over your impulses, but at no point is bending a girl over my couch acceptable. It’s damn well disrespectful.”
My son’s eyes widen, and he glances at his friend.
Randy’s cheeks are turning red. “I’m sorry, Mr B. We got carried away.”
“Ya think?” I rub the back of my neck. Randy doesn’t have it the easiest. His parents are divorced, and his dad is a grade A jackass. Not that I would ever say that to Randy, but his dad isn’t much of a role model. “Are you being safe at least?”
“Sir, yes, sir. I always use condoms,” Randy says. “I don’t want to mess up my future or anyone else’s.”
I glance at my son. His face is stop sign red. He tucks his hands in his pockets. Then untucks them and clasps them together. “I have condoms too, but I haven’t had to use them yet.”
Miller is shy compared to Randy, who is proving to be quite the ladies’ man. Until last year, Miller had a significant overbite, which we were correcting with braces. And then he got his front teeth knocked out when a puck hit him in the face. For whatever reason, after his front teeth went missing, the girls have been calling a lot more often. It might also have something to do with his massive growth spurt and the thirty pounds of muscles he’s put on over the past year.
I point at my son. “Miller, you’re grounded for the next two weeks. The only time you’re allowed out of the house is for hockey and school.”
“But dad—”
“Don’t ‘but Dad’ me. You said you were going to a movie and instead you brought girls home while I was on a damn date. I look like I don’t have a handle on what my kid is up to when I’m not around. And maybe I don’t.” I pace the kitchen. “Randy, you should go home.”
“Are you gonna tell my mom?” His eyes are wide with worry.
“What do you think I should do?” I throw it back at him.
He looks from Miller to me and back again. Miller just shrugs, but I can see the same concern echoed in his eyes.
“I don’t want to upset her. And I don’t want her to think I’ll end up being exactly like my dad.” He bites his thumbnail.
Most of the time Randy has it together, but his relationship with his parents can be tough. I sigh. “There’s a fundraiser coming up and we need help putting together the prizes. You two will spend your time off the ice helping with that. Not as a punishment, but so I know where you are and what you’re doing, and so you can give back to the hockey community in a meaningful way that isn’t using your promising professional hockey career to get into girls’ pants.” Randy is a year ahead of Miller and he’s already been drafted. As soon as the school year ends, he’ll be playing for the farm team in Toronto.
They both nod and mutter their agreement. Randy apologizes, tells Miller he’ll see him tomorrow, and leaves.
Miller waits until the front door closes before he speaks. “I’m really sorry, Dad. I didn’t mean to mess up your date.” He chews on the inside of his lip.
“What were you thinking?” I blow out a breath. “Never mind. I already know the answer. Look son, I understand that you’re getting a lot more attention from girls now, and that’s only going to increase once you’re drafted, but lying about your plans and then bringing girls home is not a good way to show maturity.”
“I know, Dad. I’m sorry. It’s just…Millie’s been coming to a lot of games lately and my room is more private and comfortable than the back seat of Randy’s truck.”
I choke down a laugh. I honestly don’t want to know how often they’ve used the back of Randy’s truck to pull this kind of shit. “What are the most important rules for dating women?”
“Come on, Dad.” His cheeks flush and he drops his head.
“Oh, so you can bring girls up to your room and Randy can entertain his in my living room, but you don’t want to talk about the important stuff.”
He blows out a breath. “No means no.”
“That’s right. And...” I make a go on motion.
“She can change her mind at any point. Doesn’t matter how close I am to getting the puck in the net, if she’s not comfortable, then I can get sent back to the bench.”