Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 100225 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100225 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
“I don’t want them…upsetting you.”
“It’s fine. I told you to stop worrying. Breaker helped me get the day off. I was actually just heading over to pick you up at the college.”
“You bringing your bike?” she murmurs, and I fucking love the way her voice goes soft.
“You want the SUV? I don’t want your leg hurting, and it’s kind of a long ride.”
“I’d rather be on your bike. It won’t bother me since you were so sweet and installed the rests for me.”
I do laugh then. “Not sure I’ve been described as sweet before.”
“I’ve been telling you that you’ve been hanging out with the wrong people for years,” she giggles.
“Yeah, yeah. I will say I prefer sweet to being called a dick.”
“Oh, you can still be a dick, too,” she practically sing-songs.
“Good thing you’re prepared for both sides of me, babe.”
“Looking forward to uncovering more,” she practically whispers.
“Now who is being sweet? I’ll see you in a bit.”
“You got it. Later, Dom.”
“Later.”
I click the phone off and stare at it in my hand for a minute until I hear my father clearing his throat.
“That our Thea?”
“Yeah,” I respond.
“She’s the reason you took the day off?”
“I have to get going,” I respond instead of answering him.
“Bring her with you to dinner tonight,” Dad says, studying my face.
“Not happening. She’s had a rough couple of days, and I want her to relax, not deal with family bullshit.”
“Thea is family. She’s not going to get anything but love from us, you know that.”
“Yeah, but she’ll pick up on the tension with us and that’s the last thing she needs.”
“If you’d talk to me, maybe some of that tension would leave.”
“Of the two of us, I’m thinking you should be the one talking.”
“Hard to do when I have not one fucking idea what is going on in your head, son.”
“Listen, I’m working through shit. I’ll talk to you about it when I’m ready. In the meantime, maybe you should think about if you need to talk to me about anything.”
“Dom, you got shit you want to know, man-up and ask. I’m not a fucking mind reader.”
“I don’t have time for this, right now. I’m still getting my head together. I’m not ready for this conversation, which is exactly why I’ve been trying to avoid you.”
I see the surprise flash over my old man’s face. Maybe he didn’t think I’d admit to dodging him. I’m done hiding from shit. If I hadn’t been trying to do that and spare Thomas, things would be different today. At the very fucking least, I would have discovered what a whore I had attached my dick to.
“You and Thea…”
“We aren’t having this conversation.”
“Son, Thea’s not just any girl—”
“Trust me, I know that. I know that down to the marrow in my bones. She’s everything good. I don’t know what she wants with me. I don’t care if it’s a brother, a friend, a shoulder to cry on, or a man by her side. I know I’m not good enough, but I know whatever it is I’m going to be that for her and that is all you need to hear from me. I’m not fucking around. I wouldn’t do that because she is family, but more importantly, I wouldn’t do that because it would hurt her. Now, if we’re done, I have somewhere to be.”
“Dinner next Friday. Bring Thea if she wants to come. No forced discussions unless you have shit to ask me. Your mother wants time with you. I’ll even warn her not to grill you over Thea.”
I want to tell him no. It’s on the tip of my tongue. Instead, I grunt, give him a nod, and walk away. I’m not sure I’m ready to confront him.
Then again… I’m not sure I ever will be.
Chapter 20
Thea
“God, it’s beautiful here,” I breathe, taking the fresh air in. I cap my hand over my eyebrows as I look out over the lake. My gaze moves up to the cement walls of the dam as the water ripples in the breeze. The wind ruffles my hair and for the first time in a long time, I feel alive. Dom was right. I needed to unwind. I’ve been stressed for so long that I’d forgotten what normal was. Well, not that having a picnic with Dom is normal. It is anything but. Still, I’m surprised at how perfectly natural it feels.
“I think you’re beautiful,” Dom replies, finishing off one of his three chili dogs he bought at the park.
“Oh, that was slick,” I sass.
“It’s true.”
“Whatever you say.” I shake my head as I look at him.
It really has been the perfect day. Dom picked me up at the college. Since Mattie dropped me off this morning, I didn’t have a vehicle to worry about. We took the back roads, enjoying the feel of the bike beneath us and the surrounding nature. I worried things would be awkward between us. I shouldn’t have. It feels easy between us, and I don’t know how that’s possible. I mean, the time we’ve been spending together has been like this, sure. Yet, now, there’s an underlying current of attraction that is roaming freely between us. I could say I didn’t like it, but I’d be lying if I did.