Page 70 of The Hook Up
Henry’s response wasn’t nearly as stoic. “But you said you’d play soccer with me,” he said. “And that we’d watch me on TV.”
The words hit Ty like a hundred scalding pebbles hurled at his throat. The disappointment in the kid’s eyes left his whole body aching. All the more reason he needed to end this. Now, before he caused more damage.
“It’s getting dark, sweetie,” Ellie pointed out as she handed Henry his glass of milk and signaled him to polish it off. “You wouldn’t be able to see the ball.”
She shot a look at Ty, probably waiting for him to back her up or to offer a makeup date for the soccer game or the video viewing.
But there’d be no makeup date. There’d be no more anything.
“Sorry, kiddo.” Ty’s throat tightened, and he ordered himself to look Henry in the eye. He owed the kid that much. “I wish it could be different.”
God, that was the understatement of the year. Ty’s chest ached, like a Clydesdale was standing on his ribs. He shifted his keys from one hand to the other as he studied Ellie, committing every detail to memory.
You won’t ever see her again. Not if you do what needs to be done.
Ellie shoved her feet back into her flip-flops and looked at him. Her expression was curious, which made Ty’s heart clench like a fist. She had to know something was up. Ty had never been good at hiding his feelings.
“Come on, baby.” Ellie helped Henry get his sandals on, then stood and smoothed the front of her T-shirt. When she met Ty’s eyes again, he lost his breath.
You okay?she mouthed.
He nodded once, then pushed open the front door. The air outside felt fifty degrees colder. A neighbor’s black cat darted across the road, turning to shoot Ty a look of feline contempt.
You’re not the only one disgusted, cat.
The drive home was tense, though as far as Ty could tell, Henry didn’t seem to notice. The boy chattered the whole way, offering a running commentary about the Batman episode where Gentleman Ghost first matched wits against Batman.
“And see, Gorilla Grodd wants to turn all the humans into monkeys, but Batman and Plastic Man think that’s stupid, so they get together and?—”
Ellie put her hand on Ty’s knee, and Ty flicked his gaze to her.
“You sure you’re all right?” she whispered.
Ty hesitated then shook his head. He wished he could talk to her about it. Part of him wanted to tell her exactly what he was feeling. To explain why everything had come crashing down the second he’d seen his father in his living room. He wished there were some way for her to reassure him he’d rise above it. That maybe he’d learn to be a good guy, the sort of guy who wouldn’t drag them both down to his level.
But that wasn’t true at all.
The compassion in her eyes made him blurt out anyway, “Seeing my father again?—”
He stopped, glancing at Henry in the backseat. The boy kept chattering, oblivious to the tension in the front seat.
“—So then Gentleman Ghost shows up with guns, and he’s all, ‘pew-pew-pew.’” Henry kept going, fingers pointed like pistols, delighted just to be telling his story.
“I get it,” Ellie whispered beside him.“I’ve been thinking about that a lot, actually.”
Confused, Ty hit his blinker and merged onto the highway toward Ellie’s place. “About Gentleman Ghost?”
“No.” Ellie shook her head then glanced over her shoulder at Henry. The boy kept talking, showing no interest in the adult conversation happening two feet away.
“And then Plastic Man, he makes his hands into big fists, like this—see? So Batman is all, ‘You stop that right now, Gorilla Grodd!’ And then Gorilla Grodd says?—”
“I’ve been thinking about fathers,” Ellie whispered, so softly it took Ty a few seconds to be sure he’d heard her right. “About how a lousy one is so much worse for a kid than no father at all.”
Ty felt Plastic Man’s fist slam hard into his gut. Ellie’s words took the breath out of him, made him absolutely sure of what he had to do. As he took the exit toward her house, she put a hand on his knee. “Would you mind dropping Henry at Jason and Miriam’s place?”
“Sure,” he said.
“Thanks. They texted while you were outside with your dad. They wanted to have him over for a Popsicle and hear all about the trip before bedtime.”
