Page 67 of Scoring Chances
I grab a wrench and pop open the hood to Cassidy’s corolla. “Yeah. He told me while we were working on my first car. My mom felt it was time I knew the truth.”
“What truth?” Cole asks, coming closer and leaning on the fender.
“That Oliver wasn’t my dad but he wanted to be. I was eight when he and my mom got married. I was fifteen when he told me he wanted to adopt me.” I bend down and loosen the bolt on the side. “I had no idea at the time that there was anyone else. He asked me if I wanted to know who he was. And I told him no. Right away. I didn't even have to think about it.”
Cole watches me, but still doesn’t say a word. I meet his gaze.
“I lied. I wanted to know so bad. To know why a man wouldn’t want to meet his own son. Why he would abandon me and what could possibly be so important in his life that he would choose that over me. I was so pissed.”
“Dad wasn’t… he wasn’t like that,” Cole says, looking angry that I’d talk that way about our father.
“How was I supposed to know? I was the kid he didn’t want, right?”
Cole shrugs staring down at his shoes.
“Anyways, a few years later those DNA tests started coming out. I figured, hey, this way I can find out about the other side of my family that I never got to know. Mom never talked about him except to tell me he wasn't worth feeling bad over. She never even gave me a name. She said it was better for me to never find out. And it only drove me to need to know even more. So I took one and two weeks later… James Anderson popped up on my profile as my biological father. That’s how I learned his name. My mom only ever called him that man.”
“Did you ever reach out to him?”
I shake my head. “I had a name. That’s all I needed. I made my profile private so he wouldn’t know that I went looking for him. I was tempted to look him up on social media. I typed his name once and saw so many profiles of guys around what could’ve been his age. But I had no proof of knowing which one was him. So I stopped looking.”
“Why are you telling me this?”’ Cole crosses his arms over his chest.
“To be honest… I don’t know. I guess I just want you to know that I respect that you and I have very different memories when it comes to our father. But that doesn’t mean we can’t try to heal together now that he’s gone.”
He looks at me again.
“I’m sorry, Cole. If I ever made you feel bad about losing your dad. I can’t imagine how much it would hurt if I find out that Oliver passed. It’s a big deal. So today… I just want you to do something you’d be enjoying doing with him.”
He sighs and sniffs. “Thanks.”
I smile at him. “Hand me that strut bar, will you?”
He rolls his sleeves up and picks up the long part and helps me slide it into position.
Chapter 19
Cassidy
“Ithought I’d never see you again!” Lillian squeals as she brings me in for a hug the second I step out of the ride share.
“And wow! Can I just say…” She kisses her fingers giving me a chef’s kiss.
I chuckle. “Thanks, girl.”
She looks at the retreating vehicle and asks, “Where’s the hockey stud?’
“Keelan? He said he’d meet us up here. He had to take care of something first. Now, can you tell me why the heck we’re meeting at a bookstore coffee shop?”
She waggles her eyebrows and puts her hands on my shoulders to spin me around and points to the sign with beautiful, colorful lettering outside the door. It reads: Booktrovert Speed Dating Tonight!
I turn back to look at her. “Speed dating?”
“With book nerds! This should be your most favorite thing.”
“Will there actually be men here?” I laugh.
“Yes, Cassidy. Nice ones too. Which is why,” she fluffs up my hair. “You’re going to have a great time. Plus the ladies that own this place are the best. Come on!”