At least the boys aren’t fighting me on it—yet. And they’re the ones I thought would pitch a fit about it. Even though they both have cars of their own, I think they like having someone to drive them around and not have to worry about parking, or paying for gas.
I’m hoping Aussie will strike a balance with me, that she’ll at least selectively acceptprotection. Maybe not on campus, which is relatively safe, but maybe if she needs to travel off-campus.
I smell the pizza even before I make it out of the foyer, where I don’t even stop to remove my coat.
I want my hug, dammit.
They’re in the kitchen and have already set the table. Aussie swoops in at the kitchen doorway and gives me a long, strong hug. I can close my eyes for an all-too-briefmoment and pretend it’s Ellen watching us with amusement on her face instead of Ashleigh.
I guess now my daughter isn’t the only one with a secret.
I finally release her, because my stomach starts growling from the smell of pizza. Pulling off my jacket, I hang it over an empty chair. “So, what’s the occasion?” I remove my blazer, loosen and take off my tie, and roll up my shirt sleeves beforesitting down.
She grins. “It’s a thank-you.”
“For what?”
“The idea for talking to the CFO at the hospital about their fundraising…” Annnd we’re off. I sit and eat and listen, not interrupting.
I could watch and listen to her talk all night. She has Ellen’s mannerisms and her mother’s inflection. It’s almost like I’m back in college and knowing I was going to marry the pretty girl I’d onlyjust met.
From the way Ashleigh’s smiling as she watches her, I’m pretty sure that’s what’s running through her mind, too.
When Aussie finishes, I swallow the bite of pizza I’d been working on. “Congratulations, sweetheart. Thank you for listening to your old man of eighty or ninety years of age.”
She laughs and leans in for another hug. “I love you, Daddy.”
I somehow swallow back the prickleof tears threatening to hit me right now. “Love you, too, Aus.”
They stay until nearly eleven. Turns out there was no ulterior motive, just my daughter genuinely wanting to thank me and spend time with me.
I mean, sure, I know it also means she and Ashleigh get to snuggle on my couch together while we all watch TV for a little while, but they share a fricking dorm room together.
They have plentyof time to be alone together.
Ashleigh’s parents know and are fine with it, but the girls still haven’t publicly come out, or told Ryder and Logan. Maybe some of the security team suspects something, but if they do, they haven’t said anything to me about it.
Case must know Aussie was at the house, because she doesn’t call or text me. She would’ve received the alert from the alarm about Aussiedisarming it. We each have a code of our own. Then again, I’m not even sure if they’re out of their meeting yet.
But usually during one of these meetings she’s texting me updates, asking me questions.
Not tonight.
Is she mad at me for what I did with Declan? Or mad at me for the order I gave him? Or is she just giving me and Aussie father-daughter time?
I’m not sure Iwantto know the realanswer.
Once I’m alone the silence rapidly settles around me, stifling, smothering. I try to sit on the sofa and watch a little more TV, but my gaze keeps drifting to the nearby bookshelf, where Ellen’s urn sits next to a family picture of all of us.
I want to text or call Declan, but he’s at the meeting with Casey.
Or…
Maybe he’swithCasey.
Hey, why the fuck shouldIfeel guilty? She lethim go, what, twoweeksbefore she thought to check to see how he was doing? Couldn’t use the excuse she never saw him, because she saw him nearly every frigging day at work. That was negligent on her part. Not a very good owner, in my book. No telling how many other times there have been, or how long he’s gone without before. Maybe there have been times where he was forcibly celibate even longerthan that.
I don’t sleep that night.
