Page 100 of The Offside Rule
Hunter: Catherine.
Me: What?
Hunter: This keeps getting more dangerous.
I closed my eyes because he was right. I still wanted him anyway.
Me: I know.
Hunter: I still want you here.
Me: I want to be there.
At home, Dad stood in the kitchen wearing sweats and a Blaze shirt, pizza box open on the island. Jaden sat beside him with a slice in one hand and a countdown app open on his phone.
“Four days,” Jaden announced.
“Until what?” I asked, dropping my bag.
“Mila comes home.”
Dad gave me a tired smile. “He’s been updating me every ten minutes.”
“Mila understands me,” Jaden said.
Dad lifted the pizza box. “You eating?”
“I’m going to Taylor’s for a bit. She wants me to rent her extra room,” I said to Dad.
“What do you want to do?” he asked.
“I don’t know. I’m twenty-four years old and living with my parents,” I sighed. “I love you guys, but I feel…”
Dad watched me struggle because I loved my family, but I was also a grown woman who needed privacy that I couldn’t get here.
“You don’t need to feel bad about wanting to move out, CC. And Taylor is just a few floors away. I think it could be good for you to move in with her. I think it’s important you live your life and feel independent. Also, maybe Taylor will push you to go out more so you can meet someone.”
“You aren’t wrong,” I said. “What do you think Mom would say?”
“I think you need to speak to her yourself, but at the end of the day, we want you to be happy and live your life. You’re young and single and spend way too much time with school, but I get it. Your mom was driven too, and so was I. My career sucked up my younger years, and I don’t regret it.”
“I love what I’m doing. I do. Sometimes it’s exhausting, but I feel like the payoff will be rewarding,” I said.
“It is,” he confirmed.
“I won’t give Taylor an answer just yet. I want to run it by Mom,” I said.
“That sounds like a solid plan,” he replied.
“I’ll go hang out over there. So I’ll see you later,” I said to him.
“Okay.” He smiled.
I leaned in to hug him. He gave the best hugs, and he was always so supportive.
“I love you, CC,” he said.
“Love you too, Dad.”
