Un-Shattering Lucy (Lucy & Harris 4)

“You don’t sleep, Lucy. I find you walking the floors or passed out on the couch with the sun coming up. I’m worried that something will happen…” He broke off and I sank my teeth into my bottom lip. His worry wasn’t unfounded. I’d been having the same thoughts race through my mind as much as he apparently did, only my worries were quickly followed by the urge to do the damn things I was so worried about. “You need to sleep, and I don’t think you’ll do much of that here without the boy to keep you grounded. It’s killing me to let you move out, Lucy, but I want you to be happy and I know that you won’t be unless you’re with him.”

“Daddy…” I leaned back against the wall, needing it for support after what he’d just said. Tears filled my eyes, but I blinked them back. “I-I don’t know what to say.”

“Just tell me you love me, Lu. And promise you’ll call me every day.” I knew for sure he was crying now, and the thought of my big, strong daddy crying was like a deathblow to the chest.

“I do love you, Daddy. I swear I’ll call you every single day.” I quickly dashed away a tear that had slipped free. “And I’ll come see you every weekend.”

He cleared his throat. “Good. I’m glad we got that sorted. I…I’ll let you get back to your friends, Lu. Call me tomorrow, and Mom and I will bring your stuff over. Love you, baby.”

“I love you too, Daddy.”

I stood there, just staring down at my phone long after he’d hung up. I couldn’t believe what he’d just said. What he’d just done. Jesse Thornton was my hero in every way possible. Everyone who knew him knew that his letting his only daughter move in with her boyfriend was a step that he wouldn’t ever take without first beating the boyfriend to a bloody pulp. Yet he had, because he realized I needed Harris more.

“Hey.” Kin stepped up beside me with a concerned look on her face when she saw the proof of my tears. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah,” I murmured and gave her a small smile to show her I was fine. “Yeah. Just my dad.”

“Good. Come on, let’s get a drink.” She took my hand and tugged me toward the bar. “Jace went downstairs to get Harris so let’s find a place to sit before they get back.”

The bar was crowded and we couldn’t even squeeze in to order. Grimacing, I moved to the end and stood on tiptoes to see over the heads of the VIPs in front of me. I saw Nate putting a few beers on the bar top. “Nate!” I called out to him and waved my hand.

“You two, move it,” Nate ordered and like magic there was s

uddenly a clear spot at the bar. His unusual eyes brightened when he saw me and I stepped forward to hug him across the bar. “Hey there, beautiful. How’ve you been?”

I hugged him tight, then stepped back. “I’ve been good. Really, really good.” I grinned up at him. “Heard you got a promotion. Congrats. You deserve it.”

“Thanks, Lucy.” His eyes went behind me to the other girls I’d brought, lingered on Kassa, and then moved back to me. “The usual?”

“Five ginger ales, please.”

Setting the glasses on the bar top, he shot me a wink. “Don’t be a stranger.”

“I think I can make that promise.” He grinned and I waited until he went to the other end of the bar before handing out the drinks.

“So that’s why Gray gets testy when you come here without him,” Kin murmured with a grin in Kassa’s direction.

“Nate is just a friend,” Kassa assured her, but I could see the slight blush that filled her cheeks. “Just don’t say anything to him about Nate, okay?”

“My lips are sealed, babe.”

“Where is Gray anyway?” Angie glanced around the room. “I thought he was right behind us?”

“There he is.” Jenna pointed him out and we all looked across the room to find him talking to a blonde with legs that went on for miles. He was leaning against the wall, but his eyes were predatory as he kept them on the chick in front of him.

“On second thought, mention Nate as much as you fucking want.” Kassa took a long swallow of her ginger ale and set the glass back on the bar top. “I think I’ll hang out over here for a little while. Y’all go have fun.”

“We’ll stay with you. There’s nowhere to sit anyway.” All the couches were taken and there wasn’t a free chair in the place. It was the typical Friday night crowd and I was so proud of Harris for all his success with First Bass.

“She looks familiar.” Kin took a longer look but shook her head. “I can’t make out her face from here, but I swear I’ve seen her before.”

“Of course you have,” Kassa muttered. “She’s one of those standard, run-of-the-mill, skanky-ass groupies. They’re a dime a dozen around our place.”

“Gray’s a douche. Ignore him.”

I couldn’t disagree with Angie’s observation. I thought Gray was a douchebag from the first time I’d met him. But I’d seen the way he was with Kassa earlier and even when he’d been pissed, he’d still looked at her like she was precious. I wasn’t about to say that to her right then, though. Kassa looked green with a jealousy I knew all too well. I’d experienced it a million different times over the years before Harris had become mine.

“Wait, I don’t think he’s trying to get in her pants,” Jenna observed as she continued to watch Gray.