I peer around the corner to the game room and find that Dad and Holly are tucked into the corner. Neither look terribly pleased, but I can’t help watching anyway. It’s been three days since I’ve seen him, and as much as I want to say that I’m an adult and it doesn’t hurt, I would be lying. He’s my dad, and even when I don’t want to admit it, his opinion matters to me. He made me feel like a cheap whore and acted like Jeremy only wants me for my body. But I know that’s not true. Still, it was terribly hurtful and mean for him to say it. What’s worse is that Holly saw it all and didn’t say anything. She’s supposed to be on my side.
“You have to talk to her,” Holly says. Dad huffs and rolls his shoulders like he’s going to put up a fight, but Holly doesn’t give him any time. “One of the reasons I fell in love with you was because I got to see the kind of father you are. I know how much you love your little girl, and I know it kills you to see her grow up, but making her feel like crap is only going to push her away.”
“We still on this?” he asks.
“I can’t live with you being this grouchy. You need to talk to Cheyenne. You’re upset, but she’s upset, too. She’s not one of your brothers, so handle her with a little more care, will ya?”
“You telling me how to care for my own kid?” Questioning his decisions is one of the things he hates most. It doesn’t even matter that it’s Holly. I can tell it’s pissing him off, but I give him credit where credit is due, because he keeps his mouth shut when I know he wants to tell her off.
“Yeah, I am,” she says.
“You gonna make a habit out of it?”
“When I need to.”
Dad nods his head and rubs the back of his neck. As much as I wish she had stuck up for me during our fight the other night, I’m grateful she’s doing it now. I’m lucky to have her. In fact, Dad’s lucky to have her, too.
After an appropriate amount of time of listening in, I decide to make my presence known. Walking into the room, I clear my throat and avert my eyes. Showing up here doesn’t mean I’m caving. I meant what I said the other night, but unfortunately, I think Dad did, too.
From the other end of the hall, Jeremy strides toward me but stalls when he turns to see who’s in the game room. He wasn’t there to hear what Dad said, but I certainly wasn’t shy in relaying my frustration.
“Talk,” Holly says quietly as she elbows Dad in the side.
He turns to her and narrows his eyes before focusing his gaze back on me. He takes note of Jeremy in the room and crosses his arms over his chest. Without thinking about it, I mirror his stance. I want to move my arms and do anything aside from looking like the spitting image of Sterling Grady, but I don’t want him to think I’m backing down. Because I am so not.
“Haven’t seen you in a few days,” Dad says with a nod in my direction.
“Yeah, I figured we needed a few days of space.” Truth be told, I wish he had shown up at Duke and Nic’s house right after our fight and apologized. But that’s not my dad, and I know better than to hope for an apology like that.
“I was hard on you,” he says. “Went too far, didn’t say what I wanted to.”
I swear the man is capable of forming complete sentences but definitely not when he struggling with his emotions. “Well, I’m listening now.”
“You two are so young. There’s no reason you got to rush into being adults. Trust me, it ain’t all it’s cracked up to be. I just want you both to slow things down and focus on the shit you need to instead of each other all the time.”
“I love him,” I say in absence of the more eloquent response. It’s simple and it’s the truth, so really it’s all that I have. Dad’s eyes shift to Jeremy, totally ignoring my declaration.
“Jeremy, you’ve been fucking up the last few months. You’re not where you’re supposed to be, and when you are, you’re on your fucking phone. Spent a good year fucking begging for a cut. Did good with it until you got distracted. But the way you’re going, the brothers are never going to vote you in.”
I suck in a sharp breath and try to keep my composure. I don’t want him to know how much what he’s just said hurts. Jeremy’s gotten in trouble because of me, not because he’s lazy or disrespectful. He hasn’t forgotten where he is supposed to be and when. It’s only been to protect me.
“You get that?” Dad asks, his eyes now having traveled to Jeremy’s.
“Yes, sir,” Jeremy says like a goddamn parrot.
“Prospecting isn’t a time for hooking up. Your only priority should be the club, and if you can’t tell me without a doubt that you choose the cut over your girlfriend, then you might as well hand it over now.”
“Fiancée,” I snap. I shouldn’t let them get to me like this, but I can’t take it back. The word I so callously and carelessly threw out is probably the worst thing I could’ve said right now. Well, not technically the worst. I bet telling him I was pregnant would be worse, but only slightly.