Unbreakable (Haven Falls 6)

Aria spots me instantly and screams out my name, making everyone around her stop what they’re doing and look my way. Dad looks up immediately and searches me out. It’s been a few days since I’ve seen him and the regret pours through his eyes the second they lock on mine. He’s hurting.

“Shit,” Tully murmurs. “Do you want to get out of here?”

I consider it a moment but when it comes down to it, this is my dad. He’s the one constant in my life that I’ve had since I was a baby. He’s the one who stood by me all those years and the one who never once tried to give me up or leave. I owe it to him to talk.

Dad walks out of the ice creamery with Aria in tow and she bolts for me, wrapping her arms around me as dad comes to a stop before us. He gives Spencer and Tully a small smile before looking to me. “How are you, Squish?” he questions. “Haven’t seen you in a few days.”

I nod my head. “Fine,” I say. “Has Ari been ok?”

“Yeah, she’s been doing alright,” he tells me, glancing down. “Listen, Henley. Can we talk?”

I look across at Tully who gives me a small nod before glancing down at Ari. “Hey, Squirt. How would you feel about going down to the beach with Tully and Spencer for a little bit?”

“Really?” she beams, releasing me and rushing to Tully’s side. “We were just at the beach and daddy said that I had to get out because I splashed him too much.”

“Well, I guess now you can splash Spencer instead.”

Aria pumps her little fist as Spencer groans to himself. “Yes!”

Without even looking back, she takes Tully’s hand and starts dragging her back towards the beach and before I know it, I’m left standing awkwardly in the middle of the walkway, staring at my father and not knowing where the hell to start.

We walk towards the beach, staying a short distance behind Tully, Spencer, and Aria when dad hands me the ice cream cone he’d only just bought for himself. “Here,” he says. “I have a feeling you’d enjoy this more than I would.”

I automatically take it from him. Despite how hurt I’ve been by him, the man knows me well. “Thanks,” I grumble, wondering how two seconds ago, I was happy to walk right by this place, but now that I’ve got one in my hand, I can’t possibly resist it.

“I’m sorry, Squish,” dad says. “I don’t know what I was thinking to say shit like that to you. Surely you must know that you and your sister are the best things that have ever happened to me and whether we share the same blood or not, it makes no difference to me. You’re my daughter and I love you with everything that I have.”

Dad shakes his head, but I keep quiet, sensing that he’s not quite done yet. “I would give anything to take back what I said to you. I was drunk and letting my own hurt cloud my head when I should have been thinking about everything that you’ve been going through. This past year hasn’t been easy for you and I failed you when I should have been there supporting you.”

“It’s ok, dad. I get it. Finding out that I’m not your daughter would have been rough. Especially finding out right in the middle of losing Aria.”

“No, Squish. It’s not ok. A father should never speak to his child in that way and I should never have made you feel small like that. For a very long time, it was just you and me. You were all I had in this world until Ari came along and turned it all upside down. We’ve had a lot of changes but you should know that no matter what, nothing will ever change between you and me. You’re my little girl and it will always be that way. So, what do you say? Will you come back home? You’ve been giving your old man a hard time.”

I can’t help but smile. “It’s not like you didn’t know where I was staying.”

“I know, but that doesn’t change the fact that there’s a boy who also lives there who has an eye for my little girl.”

“You know, one day, you’re going to have to get used to the idea of me and Noah being together. I have a feeling he’s going to be sticking around for a while.”

“I’ll do no such thing,” he says, proving to me that he means everything he’s just said. He has absolutely no intention of things changing between us.

I shake my head as the grin rips across my face. “I love you, daddy.”

“Does that mean you’ll forgive me and come home?”

“I guess it depends if you’ll be on dinner duty for the next week or not.”