Page 118 of So This Is War
“Then get her a cot.”
“Won’t that be tight?” His eyes rage, and I shrink just a centimeter. “On better thought, yes, what a great idea. A cot. Why didn’t I think of that?”
“Much better.” He rubs his hands together, looking like a maniacal mastermind rather than a loving father. “Now, get her out here, and I’ll come up with a list of things for you to tell her to do.”
“Sounds like a plan,” I say. I hate every bit of this.
She’s going to see right through all of it.
She already knows her dad is behind this, so what the hell is going to happen now? How is she going to act? Do I still fight fire with fire?
“Call her.”
“Huh?” I ask, looking up at Coach Wood.
“Call her right now, tell her you need her here on the next flight. And to bring some of those bagels.”
My nostrils flare. I never should have told him about the goddamn bagels. After all of this is said and done, I’ll never be able to look at another bagel the same.
I pull my phone out of my pocket and press on her name to call. I hold the phone up to my ear and hope and pray he doesn’t ask me to put the conversation on speaker.
It rings twice, and then she answers, “Hey, there,” she says casually.
“Uh, hey, Wylie.” Coach Wood studies me carefully. “So, change of plans. It looks like I will need you to come out to New York.”
“Oh, really?” she asks, confused.
“Yup, seems as though I need you here to help me. Guess I’ve become dependent on your help.”
“Okay, uh, do you want me there today? Don’t you come home in a few days?”
“We do, but since this is a longer away trip, I’m just finding that I need you here.” Coach Wood mouthsbagels, so I add, “And, uh, I could really use some more of those bagels.”
“Levi,” she says in a teasing tone, and I really hope he can’t hear her. “You can’t be serious.”
“Yeah, so if you can book your flight and bring the bagels, that would be great.” And just to add something for Coach Wood’s approval, I say, “And when you’re at the airport, if you can find a book on Maine, I’d appreciate it, but remember the font.”
“Wait, really?”
“Yup, thanks. See you soon.” And then I hang up. I pocket my phone and smile at Coach Wood. “All done.”
He nods in approval. “Maine?” he asks.
“Oh, the first book I made her rewrite was about Vermont, so, you know, stuck with the New England theme.”
“Are you going to make her rewrite this one?”
“Do you want me to?” I ask.
He nods. “Yes, yes, I do.”
“Great,” I say, knowing damn well I won’t get the full book. “If that’s all, I’m very interested in eating the cold eggs on my plate now.”
“Get the fuck out of here,” he says before turning away and moving past the conference room and down the hall.
I let out a large breath and know there’s only one group of people I want to talk to about this . . .
Penny:Let me get this straight, he doesn’t want you fucking his daughter, but he’s now requiring her to sleep in your hotel room with you?
