going to be a working single mother and will be challenged in ways she never thought possible. Stop with this dating-the-quarterback nonsense.” He folds his napkin and drops it on the table in front of him. “Besides, Matt McKenzie…” My dad shakes his head and gives a dismissive laugh. “He’s not even remotely worthy of a Vice. He’s a football player. But he has no family prominence or power or notable status of any kind. I mean, he comes from some hick town in Texas that nobody’s ever even heard of. Ellie knows her worth.”
Suddenly, I feel sick.
Every fiber in my body is screaming at me to stand up and tell my dad to cram it, that money and power and notable status aren’t what make people good or bad, and how dare he judge Matt because he’s not the heir to some billionaire fortune, and…
“You don’t even know him, Dad,” is all that comes out of my mouth.
“So you do like him?” Clay asks excitedly.
“It’s a job, and I’m doing it well,” I say, embracing the edge in my voice. “Now could all of you assholes get your noses out of my personal life for a minute?”
I must sound serious, because it’s a rare occurrence that my brothers stop picking on me when I tell them to. Thankfully, they get the message, with Noah and my mom backing me up, and the rest of the night goes smoothly.
We have dessert and espresso and make small talk about the business and the team and the list of a million important career-related things going on in all of our lives.
I sip my coffee and stay pretty quiet, trying hard not to let my dad’s words affect me.
He’s shortsighted, and old-fashioned, and very, very pompous. But I want his approval more than anyone else’s on the planet, and I’ve always known I could never be with someone he doesn’t like and support and welcome.
But this feels different. I had no clue that Matt came from such modest beginnings. Sitting here, pretending to listen to Ethan blab about budgeting dilemmas, I feel a sudden admiration and respect for Matt. My dad’s comments, however condescending and awful, give me a burning desire to know more about Matt…to know everything about him.
He’s the father of my child, and I don’t even know his background. It doesn’t mean I like him or want to be with him. But I have a right to know. And my dad has definitely piqued my interest and made me a bit more intrigued.
I consider this further as I bite into a piece of almond biscotti.
Going against my father’s approval wouldn’t do anybody any good. Matt and I aren’t going to be together. I have my job, my travel. That’s my life. I’m going to be a working single mother raising an insanely well-traveled kid.
But that doesn’t mean I can’t get to know Matt, right?
Thirteen
Matt
I must have thrown a football a thousand times today at practice. Every day is one day closer to the Super Bowl and one day closer to my kid being born and the end of my figuring-it-out grace period.
Focus on getting to the Super Bowl and then worry about the baby.
I’ve repeated that sentence in my head over and over for a few days now, and apparently it’s working, because my throw was on point today.
Football has always gotten me through the shittiest and most difficult times. And while Ellie’s shocker of a pregnancy isn’t what I would classify as shitty, it sure as hell is difficult. So all my energy is going to the playoffs right now, or at least that’s what I’m telling myself.
I twist the faucet off in the shower and step out into the bathroom filled with clouds of steam. I can’t even see my reflection in the fogged-up mirror as I grab a towel and shake out my hair.
Completely exhausted, I throw on some sweatpants and collapse facedown onto my bed.
Suddenly, I hear my phone vibrating on top of my dresser. I groan a little as I push myself off the bed and grab the phone.
Incoming Call: Ellie Vice
Just like that, I’m not exhausted anymore.
“Hey, you,” I say, not even trying to fight the smile that pulls at my lips. “What’s up?”
“I didn’t know you were from Texas,” she says abruptly. She sounds…stressy.
I laugh in surprise at the bizarre and random statement and sit on the edge of the bed, resting my elbows on my knees and pressing the phone to my