“I know everything.” I reached for his hand.
He jerked it back. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He checked his watch. “Now, I have a meeting in a few minutes. Was there anything else you needed?”
I took a deep breath. “Tell me the truth. That’s all I need.”
He looked down at his coffee, then stood. “The truth is that your mother isn’t being faithful.”
“Dad.” I felt my entire body tense, though I tried not to show it. “She isn’t cheating. You know that.”
“No.” He shook his head wildly. “She is, that’s what everyone believes, and that’s how it’s going to stay.”
He started walking away.
“Is it worth it?” I said to his back. “Is being mayor? Running for public office? Is it worth losing your family over?”
For a brief second he hung his head, and then his back straightened as he called over his right shoulder, “I do love you, baby.”
“Prove it,” I whispered.
His only answer was silence, and then the front door clicked shut. I didn’t cry. I wanted to. But I didn’t feel like giving him my tears.
Instead, I waited in the tense silence and then, very slowly, went into my room and started numbly putting things in boxes.
My childhood felt shattered and I had no idea why; it wasn’t like I had this perfect upbringing and now the rose-colored glasses had fallen to the ground and got crunched beneath his boot or something.
A deep sadness filled me.
And then determination.
To be better.
To not cheat my child out of a life full of love and happiness. I wasn’t going to give my kid gifts when I worked too late, or fun trips with his or her friends because I couldn’t take time off for a family vacation.
When I looked around at all the pictures in my room, it was oddly reassuring that in almost every picture I was with Avery, and some even with Lucas.
And then there was Thatch.
The missing piece.
I picked up an old teddy bear and tossed it in a Goodwill box.
And then I grabbed another box that I’d been keeping in my room for when I eventually moved out, and slowly started tossing in shoes, clothes, pictures, pieces of my life that seemed worth rescuing and keeping for later, for my new life with Thatch.
I didn’t realize I was crying until strong warm hands wrapped around my middle and tugged me down to the carpeted floor.
Thatch held me in his lap for at least a half hour while I cried out the rest of the tears my dad had caused. When I blinked up at him, his face was soft, so beautiful.
Let it be known that you can meet the love of your life after a one-night stand and a crazy game of Mario Kart.
“I’m sorry.” He kissed my forehead softly and then pulled back. “Why don’t we just grab what you need, and you can finish up later.”
Nodding, I took his hand as he helped me stand up.
With a sheepish grin, he took a look around my room and then burst out laughing.
“Hey! What’s so funny?”
“You liar!” He charged toward one of my poster boards. “You knew who Enrique Iglesias was!”
I gave him a wide-eyed innocent look and then said, “Who’s your hero, baby?”
“That’s it.” He charged after me and then picked me up in his arms and started tickling my sides. “You said you didn’t know the song!”
“I wanted to see,” I said, laughing, “if you would sing it!”
“I was drunk!”
“You were adorable.”
“I puked all morning.”
I scrunched up my nose. “Yeah, well, maybe not that part.”
“You’re a horrible human being, you know that, right?” He set me down, still grinning as a piece of surfer blond hair fell across his high cheekbone.
“You love me anyway.”
“True.”
“And you really are my hero.”
“No.” His face sobered as he brushed a kiss across my lips and then touched my stomach. “You’re mine.”
Chapter Forty-One
THATCH
“I think I may puke,” Austin said at my side. She was dressed in a gorgeous black gown that hugged her every curve. It was lacy, and it was really messing with my head, since the lace gave glimpses of her creamy skin. If our driver stared at her one more time, I was going to punch him in the face.
I’d gotten really territorial all of a sudden.
Hell, I’d always been territorial where Austin was concerned; I’d just never wanted to act on the feeling as much as I wanted to right now.
“You look awesome,” Avery encouraged. She was sporting a short red dress that kept hiking up enough to cause Lucas to have trouble breathing every few seconds when he looked down and did a double take.
We decided to rent a limo to drive us to her father’s fund-raiser. Rather than hide out while news went wild. It only made sense to show our unity and strength.
It had been a week since the news hit about me and Austin’s mom, and the fervor hadn’t died down, but without any more proof, it was all about speculation, which I’m sure was exactly what Austin’s dad wanted.
Just enough speculation to make his wife look bad. And for him to look like the wounded party and sail into reelection.
I patted my suit jacket for the second time that night, just to be sure what I needed was still there, and smiled when I felt the familiar shape.
Tonight was going to be epic in more ways than one.
The minute I helped Austin out of the limo, cameras flashed like lightning and reporters shouted questions, trying to figure out what we were doing together.
I ignored their questions and chose to kiss Austin full on the mouth before kissing her forehead twice and looping her arm in mine.
The cameras flashed even more.
Avery and Lucas brought up the rear of our small group, and when we finally made it inside, I felt like a five-hundred-pound brick had been lifted off my shoulders.
Austin’s mom was waiting for us, champagne in hand. She looked beautiful, but she wasn’t Austin. She smiled at both of us and then walked right up and linked arms with Austin as if to say, We’re a team.
I was afraid Austin was going to cry. Instead, she held her head high as we made our way to our table.
Where, wonder of all wonders, Austin’s dad was talking business.
He looked ready to puke when his eyes fixated on his wife with me and Austin in tow.
But I think the best part, the truly best part of the night, was the moment when Austin’s mom said aloud, “Honey! This is Dr. Holloway. You know, the one you sent me to for that surgery you wanted me to have?” She was talking so loudly, it was impossible not to hear her over the soft music playing. She turned toward me. “It was so kind of you to make an out-of-office visit, since I had so many privacy concerns.”
“Any time.” I nodded. “And I have to thank you too.”
“Oh?” Her eyebrows arched. “For what, dear?”
“Giving me permission to date your daughter.”