"Same thing. How old is she? Is her dad okay with all this?"

"She's twenty-three, and he's not in the picture. Her mother divorced the man she married after me a long time ago. Elena doesn't even really remember him."

"Elena. Okay. Well, yeah. It's all cool, Dad." He pushed back. "Can I go to Jeremy's now?"

Tyree studied his son, looking for signs that this was the kid's way of escaping, but all he saw was a boy eager to go play his favorite video game.

"You're okay? You don't need to talk?"

"About what?" He looked at Tyree's face, then exhaled. "Come on, Dad. You remember Raptor, right?"

Tyree fought back a shudder as he thought of the gangbanger and the two years after Teiko's death when Eli had come so close to going off the rails. "Yeah, I remember him."

"He was a screw-up, Dad. I know that. I'm cool. Don't look so freaked. I'm just making a point."

"Which is?"

"His dad basically told him to fuck--I mean shove off. And it messed with him. I'm not saying that's the reason Raptor turned out like that, but I figure it got under his skin." He lifted a shoulder. "But his dad was a real a-hole, and you're not. So, of course you're going to want to get to know her. Same goes for me if she's my sister. It's kind of a no-brainer."

"Huh." Tyree leaned back in his chair.

"What?"

"You're pretty mature for a sixteen-year-old."

"Yeah?" His face lit up. "Remember that when I ask for a car."

Chapter Eight

"So you're really not mad that I gave him your room number?" Elena asked as they dug into waffles in the 1886 Cafe at The Driskill.

"You really shouldn't have. A room number? Elena, you should know better."

Her daughter rolled her eyes. "It's not like I gave it to just any guy on the street. I mean, he's my father. So it's not like the sight of you in a room with a bed will weird him out. I mean, exhibit A." She pointed to herself. "There was sex at some point."

Eva rubbed her temple. "Sometimes the inner workings of your mind baffle me."

"I am a mystery," Elena said.

"And you still shouldn't have told him the room number."

Elena rolled her eyes. "Better than your phone number. I mean, you're only going to be in the room for a few days. Give him your phone number and he can hound you forever. Even if you decide you don't want to talk to him anymore."

Eva frowned, then lifted her hand to signal for more coffee. "He's your father. Of course I'd talk to him if he wanted."

"You didn't last night."

Eva leaned back in her chair as the server refilled her mug. "And there it is."

"What?"

"That sharp mind that earned you summa cum laude."

Her daughter rolled her eyes. "I come from good genetic stock."

"Uh-huh. Way to butter me up."

"What makes you think I was talking about you?"

Tags: J. Kenner Man of the Month Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net