I sat back. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. I wasn’t even sure what to think of Marissa anymore either.

CHAPTER SEVEN

SAMANTHA

I’d been right. Coach pulled me from running with the girls and had me start with the guys. After that one day of being smart-asses and getting a chilly reception from everyone in school, they had no choice but to accept me. I’d been running with them for the past two weeks. Since Heather was working and Logan was at his game (which I promised to go to and was running late), I decided to go on a longer run than normal. I hadn’t been indulging in my really long runs, the ones that lasted a few hours. When I got home, I stopped outside the back door. The world felt alive to me. Even now, being exhausted, I was more energized than ever.

After stretching, I headed inside and was turning for the basement when I heard my name.

“Sam.”

David was standing in the kitchen. He wore his coaching jacket, dress pants, and shoes. A foreboding feeling took root in my stomach. It was Friday night so that meant game night. Glancing at the clock, I saw he only had twenty minutes to get there. I moved from the door and came into the kitchen. “What are you doing here, Dad? You’re playing my school tonight. I’m going to be late myself, but you’re the coach.”

He closed his eyes a moment and nodded to himself.

I waited, but the interest turned to alarm. Something was wrong. “Dad?”

“Um.” He shoved his hands into his pockets, and his head went down. “I have something to tell you.”

“Something so important that you’re going to be late for your game?” I glanced around. “Is Malinda and Mark here?”

“No.” He shook his head. “It’s you and me. Mark’s warming up, and Malinda’s already there with her friends. They don’t know I’m here.”

A lump was in the back of my throat. No one knew. “Is it Mom?” Did I care? All the turmoil and pain she caused came back to me. I hadn’t thought about her in a long time. I didn’t want to either. I gritted my teeth. “Is she getting out?”

“No, Sam. It’s,” he faltered for a beat, “it’s your father.”

“What?”

“Garrett. Your biological father.”

“Did something happen? Is he okay?”

“He’s here, Sam.”

“Um.” I shook my head and laughed. “I heard you wrong. Right?”

“You heard me right.” His head came up and he caught my gaze. His small smile turned sad. “Your father moved to town. He and his wife are both here.”

“This is joke.” It wasn’t funny.

“He came for you, Sam. He wants to form a relationship with you. He said things are good with his wife again. He called me a few months ago and told me his plan. That was before you moved in and things got better between us. I wasn’t sure when the right time would be to tell you and the summer got away from me.” He closed his eyes and hung his head once more. “I’m so sorry, Samantha. I’ve been waiting to tell you during a weekend you were going to see Mason. I know you’re planning on leaving tomorrow.”

My thoughts were going in all directions. I shook my head. “Don’t say what I think you’re going to say.”

“You went on a run, but I know that you’ll go to a party tonight with Logan and Mark and,” he broke off, his voice full of emotion. He cleared his throat before continuing, “I know how the rumor mill works. They’re coming to the game tonight. People will notice. Someone will tell you. I needed to be the one to tell you first.”

“They’re here? Like, actually here?”

He nodded. “I’m so sorry, Sam. I should’ve told you as soon as I knew, but I didn’t know for sure if they were coming. I didn’t want to alarm you and them not come.”

“You’re sure they’re coming?”

“He called me this afternoon. They bought a house. They both have jobs here.”

“Where?” A buzzing sound was in my head. I couldn’t shake it off. I had to know the places to avoid. “Where?”

“She’s a chef at the country club, and he was added as a partner with a law firm in town.” When he saw my panic, his voice trailed off. “What can I do to help you?”

“Nothing.” Shit, shit, shit…I glanced at the clock again. It was 6:30. I had a three hour drive. I could be at Mason’s before ten. “I have to go.”

“Wait.”

I turned and headed for the stairs. “Go, Dad. Go to your game!” As I turned for my room, he came to the top of the stairs and hollered down, “Are you okay, honey? I can tell him to stay away. Do you want me to do that?”

“NO.” I reached for my door, but it wouldn’t open. Fucking shit shit shit. I stopped, closed my eyes, and sucked in some air. I needed to think clearly. Breathing out, I tried to calm myself. The door handle. I needed to turn the stupid door handle.

“Sam?” He started down the stairs.

“Just go, Dad. I’ll be fine.”

“But where are you going?”

“I need a minute. I’ll be fine.” My voice was hoarse. He could hear my panic so I brought it down. “I’m fine. Honestly. Go to your game. This isn’t worth missing your own game, Dad.”

“Are you sure?” He was at the bottom of the stairs.

I shut my door. As he got there, standing right outside of my door, I locked it. It turned in the next moment. He would’ve come in. My knees grew unsteady and I fell on my bed.

“Samantha,” his voice was muffled through the door, “you don’t sound okay.”

I wasn’t. “I’m going to see Mason.”

He grew silent. After a moment, he asked, “I thought you were going in the morning with Logan and Kris?”

“I’m going tonight.”

“Oh.” He sounded disappointed. “Sam, listen. Please. I will call him. I will tell him not to go to the game and that it’s too soon for you. Don’t travel at night. Wait till tomorrow. Go with Logan. Fallen Crest Public and Fallen Crest Academy are playing against each other tonight. He’d want you to watch. I know it’s important to him.”

“I know what game it is.” Closing my eyes tightly, I bent over and caught my head in my hands. My elbows rested on my knees, and my pulse was pounding. He was hurt. Why did my dad sound hurt? My biological dad was in town. I didn’t want to deal with that. “I’ll be fine, Dad. I promise. I just have to…figure stuff out.”