Her Collateral Bride: A Lesbian Age Gap Romance

It was the middle of the day, and her dad normally went to

work so much later. She’d texted him earlier, saying that she’d

be at the house. He came rushing out of the living room as

soon as he heard her bag hit the floor.

Her mouth dried out as her dad rushed forward and wrapped

his arms around her. There was no noise in the house. Nothing.

No white noise from the TV or music playing. He’d been

sitting in the living room waiting, watching the street for her.

Haley’s heart ached. All she could think about was Claire.

About the ruined expression on her face the night before when

she’d told her everything. Not just about the restaurant, but

about her previous life.

She’d been forced to marry a man she didn’t love. What

kind of childhood did she have? Her father sounded like a

brute. She’d rebuilt herself from the ashes of everything. What

Haley’s dad had done to Claire was so much worse than just

the spoiled seafood, which she still couldn’t quite grasp,

because that man was mean and conniving and cruel, and she

didn’t know her father to be any of those things.

Haley let her dad hold her. She let him caress her hair, his

hands exploring the strands like he almost couldn’t believe she

was there and real. The past was a long time ago, she thought,

but the present refreshed it. She couldn’t be with Claire

because she was her father’s daughter. She couldn’t pretend

that she wasn’t a part of him, and he wasn’t a part of her, and

Claire could never make her peace with him. Haley couldn’t

pretend it was any other way. She wasn’t a kid anymore. She’d

grown up in the month she’d been gone. She no longer

innocent and naïve.

“Haley?