Breakaway (Beyond the Play #2)

by Grace Reilly

“You know, you’ve been a shitty dad to him.” He blinks. “Excuse me?” Blake, still crumpled up on the floor, laughs. “Oh, this is funny.” “Shut up,” I snap at him. “You’re an impotent fucking worm and I hope I never see you again after tonight.” “Holy shit,” James says. He looks a little scared of me, which would please me under other circumstances, but right now, I ignore him, taking a step closer to Richard. I’m getting the drift of how he operates, but what’s the use of love if you’re not open about it with the people you care about? “All he’s ever wanted is to feel like you cared.” “I do care.” He winces as he rolls his shoulder. “I would do anything for him.” “So tell him! Tell him that!” “He knows that—” “No. He doesn’t, that’s the problem. Do you know how excited he was to tell you he made captain? And how upset he was when you didn’t tell him how proud you were? Maybe if you weren’t so shitty about telling your son that you loved him, he wouldn’t feel like he needed to buy his uncle’s affection.” I spit out the words. Maybe I shouldn’t be speaking like this to my future father-in-law—at least, who I hope will be my future father-in-law—but whatever. He needs to hear it. If he just fucking listened to Cooper, if he’d given him what he needs, none of this would have happened.