“Since when do you give me relationship advice?” Okay, so maybe he’s not changed that much. He’s still bitchy when he feels like he’s being judged.
“Just because you never brought women home doesn’t mean I didn’t notice every time you had to change your phone number.” My comment goes too far. The redness in his face comes back in a flash, and he’s breathing heavy again. I decide to change tactics because this isn’t working out the way I wanted it to. I was trying to be nice. Over the years, he’s alternated between regular hookups like he had with Elle and random chicks at the clubhouse—and the Lost Girls, of course—and when one of his regulars would get too attached and wouldn’t get the hint that he was done with her, he’d change his number. The only woman he never had to change his number with was Elle, which is why I thought something might become more permanent between the two of them.
“I love her, Dad,” I say gently. I wouldn’t dare warn him not to break her heart, because no matter how much shit he lets me get away with, that’s one thing he doesn’t take lightly. Not even I can threaten him and get away with it, which is why it’s a damn good thing he can’t read my mind. Like a bipolar grizzly bear, he calms down again. It’s a solid minute before he nods his head once and then leaves the room for the garage.
“Is he really that mad?” Tracie asks when he’s out of earshot.
“Nah,” I say. “He’s not used to having to check in with a woman. Grandma says he doesn’t like the loss of independence even if he’s happy with Holly. He’s probably going to enjoy himself more with Holly there. He won’t be wondering if he’s going to get busted for looking at some naked woman if it gets back to her.”
“Makes sense,” Tracie says.
We head into the kitchen, where we heat up some hot cocoa, and then to the kitchen table. I place my gun on the table, and we sit down. It’s early yet—we have another hour or so before the clock rings us into the new year. I try to block out what happens at club parties, not just because my dad will be in attendance, but also because someone new is going to be there this time—Jeremy. Even worse, it’s not just a New Year’s party at the clubhouse—which always gets really crazy anyway—it’s also for Jeremy’s eighteenth birthday. They’re bound to do something special for him.
Everybody’s going to be there, even Nic. She and the old ladies with small kids will be in the chapel where they can hang out in safety and without being surrounded by smoke and drugs and the Lost Girls. It’s too dangerous for the old ladies and the kids to stay home. Dad’s only letting me and Tracie stay home because he doesn’t trust me to behave at the clubhouse. The deal was that I keep my gun on me at all times and Holly and Grandma stay here with us. But I guess we’re down to Grandma now that Holly’s invited herself. Can’t say Dad doesn’t have reason not to want me there. No way in hell would I stay in the chapel. This house is like Fort Knox anyway. He’s not only got alarms on all the ground-level doors and windows, but he has a tracking service that tells him every time a door is opened or closed as well. He never checks that, though, so I guess it’s more of a deterrent to keep me where he wants me—not that it works so well. I live by Aunt Ruby’s motto—it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission.
Just as we’re finishing off our cocoa, Dad and Holly walk into the room hand in hand. Holly’s wearing knee-high black boots with skinny jeans tucked into them and a sexy but modest flowing black blouse. She has large hoop earrings, and her hair is teased. She looks awesome for how quickly she got ready. Her makeup is mostly light, but her mascara is thick. She wears the look well.
“You look great,” Tracie says with a smile on her face.
“Thanks.” Holly flashes us each a big beautiful grin. “I don’t know what happened, but these clothes were already laid out when I went downstairs.”
“Right, then why did it take so damn long for you to get ready?” he asks. Dad hates to wait on anybody, especially women when they’re getting ready. “Longest damn five minutes I’ve ever seen.”
“Makeup, baby. I had to do my makeup.”
I suck air up through my nose so quickly that I snort and have to cover my mouth with my hand so as not to spit cocoa everywhere. She so didn’t happen to have her outfit lying around. Holly totally planned this, probably hoping Dad would ask her to go. Dad fell for it hook, line, and sinker. Either that, or he didn’t ask her on purpose to force her to invite herself so that she’d have to go. I wouldn’t put it past either of them to try to trick the other. While Tracie asks Holly about her boots, I get Dad’s attention and slyly mouth, “Sucker.”