Just Once (Book 1 in the Just Once Series)

Chapter Eighteen

Jack’s POV:

I can’t stop smiling. Even my dad commented on it and asked if something good had happened, I just shrugged and said I was in a good mood, which wasn’t a lie.

I’d gotten some stick today on the pitch, when we’d been training. I was on the football team, but coach wanted me to try out for the ice hockey team that had just been built. So the guys and I had all been testing the ice and, surprisingly, half of us had enjoyed it, I’d been the first to sign up and Cole had been right behind me.

We started training the beginning of next week. I’d been on the ice most of my life though, I’d been in a junior ice hockey group from the age of eight until sixteen, so I was more than happy to get back on and play.

“So, anything interesting happen today?” Maria asked now as she sat down at the table and I looked up from my food.

“I split up with Rick,” Brook offered and Maria gasped, her eyes wide.

“Oh, baby, why? I thought you liked him?” Maria gushed now and I suppressed a grin.

“I’ve been wanting to break up with him for a while, mum, he’s... not right for me,” she said now and I slipped my hand under the table and touched her thigh, her muscles tensed for a split second, before they relaxed under my hand.

“He is a bit of a jackass,” I supplied and Brook rolled her eyes.

“Jack, language,” my dad snapped and I looked at him.

“It’s English,” I said now and his lips twitched.

I wasn’t the sort of guy who rebelled or disrespected my parents, but I was nineteen and the way I looked at it was like this; I was an adult, I was my own person, if I wanted to swear, I’d swear, though out of respect for my dad and Maria, I tried not to do so in front of them.

“I thought he seemed nice,” Maria said now, as she defended Rick.

“Yeah, well, so did I and I’m sure he is, but he’s not for me, so I broke it off,” Brook said now, she looked uncomfortable and I couldn’t blame her.

Telling your parents you have a boyfriend is bad enough, but telling them, after they have only just began to accept the fact their only daughter was dating, that you broke it off, was bound to open a whole new kettle of fish.

“You broke it off?” Maria gasped and Brook blushed red.

“Leave the poor girl alone, Maria, if he wasn’t for her, he wasn’t for her and we should be proud she’s made that decision,” my dad said now, he’d hated Rick from the word go.

“I know, I’m sorry,” Maria said now as she smiled at Brook.

“It’s fine, mum,” Brook mumbled now and the table fell silent.

Well shit, what the hell!

“I broke up with a girl today too,” I grinned and my dad groaned.

“You were dating someone?” Maria asked now and I grinned, giving her a wink.

“Well, I won’t say I was dating her, more like...”

“OK, you know what, who’s up for cake? I could use a piece of cake round about now!” my dad said loudly, cutting off my words as Brook laughed.

Maria looked slightly confused, but shook her head as if mentally clearing her thoughts.

“Cake sounds great,” she agreed and my dad jumped up from his seat and headed out into the kitchen.