Page 99 of Ruled Out

My heart races. Who else could it have been?

Me

I need to see you. Who was it?

Jessie

I’m boarding the flight now. I just came straight from the arena. It was Leo. He’s known your dad for a while, and he plays on his program. Your dad asked him to keep an eye on you. He saw us outside your dorm building last night and sent Graham a message asking if he knew we were dating.

“Oh fuck,” I announce, causing Kate to spin around from the sink.

Me

You think he was using me to get ahead with Graham?

Jessie

I think he wanted you—because what guy wouldn’t? You turned him down and bent his ego, so he took revenge on us, and it was a convenient way to get ahead with your dad. Speaking of which, has he called you?

Bastard. I could punch him. And, no, not yet. Not holding out much hope for that.

That’s my job, Sweetheart. Sit tight. I’ll be there in a few hours. And I meant what I said earlier.

I frown down at the message.

Me

What do you mean?

Jessie

You’re coming home with me. I love you.

Setting my phone down in front of me, I watch Kate move about the kitchen, the twins asleep upstairs.

“It wasn’t Tara.”

She spins around to face me, drying her hands on a towel. “Excuse me?”

“Tara. It wasn’t her. It was Leo.”

“Who the fuck is Leo?”

I swipe at my tired eyes, resting my face in my hands. “He’s a part of the same friend group I made, and he’s a hockey player. Takes some of the same classes as me. Last time I spoke to him, I basically told him to go fuck himself since he made a pass at me. Turns out, he plays for Dad’s foundation—he just failed to tell me that part. Then he saw me and Jessie as we made out last night and told my dad about it.”

Kate rests a hand on the kitchen counter. “Sounds like one of my cases.”

I burst out laughing when my cell starts vibrating on the side with a call from my dad.

Kate points to it. “Whatever he has to say, it needs to start with a whole heap of sorry before you even think about hearing him out. It’s time he started treating you like the strong-minded woman you are. Also, tell him you don’t have long to talk since you need to try and rebuild your friendship with Tara. Which is also his fault.”

Smiling at Kate, I press Accept and put the phone to my ear. “Hi.”

“Mia, it’s Dad.”

I climb off the barstool, moving into the hallway and up the stairs, closing the spare bedroom door behind me. “I know.”

He blows a long breath down the phone. “Tell Jessie the first thing I said to you was sorry.”