“Kat’s the young woman you told me about,” Dad says, nodding. “The one you say you want to marry?”
I nod, swallowing. “And work, but I don’t care about work . . . just Kat.” I give him the fast and dirty of what I know, which admittedly isn’t much. I try to leave out some of the graphic details, as if it were just a little dirty talk. “And then last night Susannah apparently aired some recordings of my chats with Kat. What the hell am I supposed to do?”
Dad nods, speaking slowly in that way he does when he’s handing out his wisdom and wants to make sure you hear his best advice in your heart, not just your ears. “You love her?”
I nod. “Yes, of course. I love her so much.”
“I know I raised you better than to disrespect any woman like that, so I won’t even ask if you had anything to do with it.”
It’s a statement, but there’s a threat in his tone and I can tell he’s fishing for me to put his mind at ease. “Stay in bed, old man. I swear I had nothing to do with this, I’m just as horrified and pissed as she probably is. I never recorded any of it. How it got recorded, I have no idea.”
He nods, his eyes flinty with furious anger and righteous determination. “Then you need to go fix this. I’ll be fine right here in this bed, I ain’t going nowhere. Make your mom and me proud, son, just like you always have.”
“Thanks, Dad. Jacob said he’d stop by this afternoon though. He’s going to take a personal day and sit with you as long as you want.”
I lean in and give him another hug, knowing that I could’ve lost him yesterday and I’m so damn thankful for the man he is and the man he taught me how to be. Whatever the hell just happened, I’m going full throttle to fix this shit.
Chapter 24
Kat
The knock on the door comes at a time when the last thing I want is more people around, but Elise is having nothing of it. “I already called them. Jess heard the show anyway, so she’s not going to take no for an answer.”
She’s right, my mother and sister come into Elise’s apartment like a pair of Tasmanian devils, whirling around and searching for me. “Kat?” Jess says, before seeing me curled up on the couch underneath Elise’s comforter. “There you are. Good. I’ve got that ginger beer you like, those flannel pajamas from your third drawer down in your dresser, and my samurai sword.”
“You’ve got a samurai sword?” Elise asks.
“Not really, but I do have a big ass chef’s knife back at home if I need to go get it. Just as good,” Jess replies.
“That won’t be necessary,” I grumble, smiling some at her being so protective. “But thanks for the PJs.”
“Of course,” she says, handing me the threadbare but much-loved Elmo pajamas.
“Sis, if I give one of my clients a call, he knows some guys that could pay him a little visit and rough him up.”
“No,” I mumble around a mouthful of ice cream. “Please no.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right,” she says, sipping at the ginger beer, “but if you don’t rip him a new one, I’m doing it for you!
Mom butts in, getting down to business. “Katrina, I don’t want to put you down, but have you thought that maybe there’s an explanation for this?” she asks. “I mean, I’ve never talked to Derrick but from everything you said, he seems like a good man. While his show’s not Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood, why would he do it? Seems like he’d be just as embarrassed as you. I can’t imagine his employers liked that going on the air either.”
“Wait, you listen to The Love Whisperer?” Elise asks. “Oh my god, I’m so glad my parents don’t have satellite radio.”
“Mom,” Jess says, shaking her head. “Mom, I love you, but even I’ve got to say you’re being a little too naive here. Come on, the recordings were phone calls and video chats, not police wiretapping or some spy cam action.”
“But Derrick broke the law if he recorded them, right?” Mom asks. “I mean, you can’t just broadcast someone’s sex life without their consent, can you?”
Elise shrugs. “Gray area right now. Recording a call one-sided is legal in this state. Trust me, I know all about that one with my job. Beats me if the content matters.”
“Besides,” Elise says, “he gave his permission to broadcast. Kat, I know you missed that part, but I heard it.”
I sniffle, tears threatening again. “Can we just change the subject please?”
Mom nods, hugging me again. “I’m so sorry, baby.”
I lean against her, drawing scant comfort from her presence but at least there’s something. “Remember when you said that even with the pain of it ending with Dad, you wouldn’t trade the good days?”