Smiling back, I take her hand in mine, kissing the back of her hand as we head up the stairs to the front of the restaurant. I don’t see my dad when we walk in, but th
e hostess is ready to seat us. He got a table in the back, like he always does. My dad likes his privacy, and for as long as I can remember, we always ate in the back of restaurants. Weird, I know.
Pulling a chair out for Avery, I sit down beside her so I can see when he comes. I reach for the water the waiter just poured, downing it, and Avery’s gaze widens. “Jace?”
“Thirsty,” I reassure her with a grin, but she doesn’t believe me.
Squeezing my hand, she shakes her head. “No, what’s going on?”
“Nothing, it’s fine—”
“There is my son and beautiful daughter-in-law!” My dad’s booming voice fills the room, and I look up to see him entering. With Ellen behind him.
Fuck me.
Standing up, I hold out my hand, but he laughs, wrapping me up in a big hug before squeezing me tightly. “Shake hands? Please.”
Damn it. This isn’t right.
When he wraps Avery up, I feel Ellen looking at me as if she wants to hug me. But, nope, no can do, superwhore who broke up my family. “So pretty. Were you this pretty at the game? I don’t remember.”
Avery smiles, but she’s cautious as my dad squeezes her. “You’re too sweet.”
I smile as he lets her go and turns her so she faces Ellen. “This is my fiancée, Ellen.”
Avery doesn’t want to touch her, I can see it, but Ellen takes her hand, shaking it eagerly. “So nice to meet you.”
“You too,” she laughs nervously, looking at me, and I shoot her a reassuring smile as I pull her chair back out. Sitting down, Dad orders some cocktails for him and Ellen while Avery and I take waters.
“That’s my boy. Gotta keep it clean to tear up the ice. Ralph told me you met with the Rangers yesterday?”
I nod. “Yeah, I don’t know why. They are doing great in the standings; I won’t last till their pick.”
“True, so who are we looking at?”
“Panthers, Sabres, and Blue Jackets. I’m liking the Panthers for, you know, sunny Florida,” I say and Avery nods.
“Me too,” she giggles and my dad laughs hard. A little too hard. It’s forced.
“I bet. Good place to raise a baby. But Blue Jackets are right up the road. You’ll be close to home.”
I couldn’t agree more. “Yeah, and I like the GM and the coach there. Coach Moore knows him real well, says he coaches like him.”
That has Dad bringing his brows in. “Coach Moore, hm, he’s dating your mom, right?”
I pause, eyeing him. “Yeah.”
“So you probably trust his opinion?”
“I do, but I did before he was with Mom.”
He nods. “Hm. I think Sabres are the best choice. They are rebuilding and doing big things.”
He isn’t wrong, but I don’t want to go to New York and neither does Avery. “Yeah. I mean, we’ll see what happens. I really have no control over any of it. I go where they choose me.”
“True,” he says with a nod. “But let’s hope for Sabres.”
I only nod as the waiter comes, taking our orders and then refilling our waters. “So, Avery, your daddy is Benedict Haverbrooke, isn’t he?”