Seeing the stark pain in her eyes brings the anger I felt earlier back to the surface, and I have the overwhelming urge to hunt down her father and demand answers for his behavior. Having spent years with my mother and my father, I understand better than most that things don’t always work out between parents. But no kid, no matter their age, should ever question their parents’ love for them.
“You shouldn’t have had to be faced with the two of them like that, baby. Your father should have been man enough to contact you and explain things when he decided he was going to leave your mom.”
Her expression changes, and I know she’s going to defend him. I know, because that’s what you do when you love someone: you defend them, even if you know they’re in the wrong, and even when you’re in pain because of them.
I place my thumb over her lips to keep her quiet and continue. “Even if it would be difficult for him to do, he should have talked to you and your brother and let you each decide how things would eventually play out. He didn’t do that. He took the easy way out. He’s let you be and continued on with his life.”
“It’s not like I was a child living at home,” she states behind my thumb, and I dip my face closer to hers.
“You’re right; you’re not a child. You’re old enough to understand life, and if he’d given you the opportunity, you could have decided whether or not you’d be comfortable having a relationship with him and the woman he married. You also would have been prepared to see the two of them together, and you wouldn’t have been caught off guard.”
“I guess you’re right,” she agrees, sounding annoyed while looking away.
My fingers flex against her cheek, and her eyes come back to mine. “I’m right, sweetheart, and unless he moved to another state, he had to know what happened today was inevitable. Eventually, you’d be in the same place as him and his wife and have to deal with them.”
“You’re right,” she agrees after a few seconds. “I never imagined what would happen when I saw the two of them together. In my head, they were a couple but didn’t really exist before I witnessed just how much they mean to each other.”
“I think, baby,” I start gently, “you need to reconnect with your dad. I know it’s not going to be easy, especially after today, but it needs to happen. You live in the same town. I have no doubt you’ll see him or her again—honestly, I’m surprised that this is the first time you’ve seen him. I don’t want you to be caught off guard like that again.”
“You’re right.” At her agreement, some of the anxiety leaves my chest, and I’m finally able to relax. She adds, “Maybe I’ll call him and see if he’s willing to talk to me without her. If he is, I’ll see how things go and move forward from there.”
“Good, baby, but you should know that no matter what happens, I’ll be here to help you sort things out.”
Her expression becomes gentle, and then she lifts up to touch her mouth to mine. When she leans back, there’s a smile on her face I can’t read. I just know in my gut it’s good. “Thank you for showing up when you did.”
“You’re welcome.” I roll to my back, bringing her with me, and she plants her hands on my chest and looks down at me curiously. “What?”
“I didn’t know you have a motorcycle.”
“I have three,” I admit while tucking her hair behind her ear.
“Three?” Her eyes widen, making me smile.
“Yeah, besides the one I have here, I’ve got one in Jersey, at my mom’s place, and one in Florida, at her condo.”
“Do you ride a lot?”
“All the time—not normally in the winter, but today I knew my bike would get me to you faster than my car,” I say.
Her lips part as her eyes fill with tenderness, and then she rests her head against my chest. “Will you take me for a ride sometime?”
“Absolutely, when the weather warms up.”
“Awesome.” I feel her smile, and I run my fingers through her soft hair as I stare at the ceiling. “Gus?”
“Yeah, babe?”
“I like you a lot.”
Fuck. “That’s good, sweetheart, because I like you a lot too,” I reply, thinking that’s a fucking lie, because I’m pretty sure I’m half in love with her already.
Suggestion 9
ADMIT IT TO YOURSELF WHEN YOU FALL FOR HIM
CHRISSIE
“I’ll call you as soon as I get home,” I tell Gus while trying to ignore the look my best friend is giving me at the moment. One that says she’s going to bombard me with questions as soon as I get off the phone.