She rolled her eyes. “I can talk about him in public. Give me a little credit. I just thought this was a better place to…” She flashed her engagement ring, the oversized emerald glinting in the light. “We’re getting married.”
His face fell. “When did this happen?” He asked it as if she’d just told him someone had died.
“I love Gabriel. This is what I want. I’m very happy.”
“What about school?”
“What about it?”
“You never finished your degree. Are you going to do that first before you tie the knot with this guy?”
“Mmm. No. I think that ship has sailed actually. I’m not really interested anymore. I have more important things to focus on.”
“Like Gabriel.”
“Yes, and other things.” She placed a hand on her abdomen, but he didn’t seem to notice.
With an exasperated sigh, he lowered himself into one of the nickel-and-black faux-leather chairs in front of her mom’s desk, his grip on the beer tightening. Silence uncurled in the room until Raven could hear the clock tick and the distant clanking of workers cooking in the kitchen. She leaned one hip against the desk.
“So, are you shopping for reception halls? The best ones need about a year’s notice,” he said finally.
She shook her head. “I don’t have a year.”
Her dad leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, face not even hinting at mirth. In fact, his expression was one of complete vexation, bordering on rage. “Why?”
“Because I’m pregnant.” Raven left it at that. Her father could never know that the baby she was carrying was actually a dragon. He’d never believe it anyway. But there would be no hiding her pregnancy. She was already showing.
All the blood seemed to rush from her father’s face, and his fingers gripped his beer until his knuckles turned white. “No reason a pregnancy has to mean marriage in this day and age. If it’s about money—”
“Stop.” She held up a hand. “Before you say something you might regret, Gabriel and I had planned to be married before this happened. In fact, we’d considered eloping. He is exactly what I want, and so is this baby.”
He nodded slowly. “So when can I meet this guy?”
Fidgeting with the edge of the desk, Raven decided that honesty was the best policy. “I thought at the wedding would be good.”
“At the… Raven, you can’t be serious. I can’t meet the guy moments before I walk you down the aisle.”
“I don’t remember asking you to walk me down the aisle.”
He stilled as if she’d slapped him across the face. “You don’t want me to walk you down the aisle? I know we’ve had a falling-out, but Ravenna!”
She sighed. “We haven’t had much of a relationship since I was sick. It seems like it would be… forced.”
He lowered his head and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he looked like an entirely different person. “I’ve waited too long to say this. I should have had this conversation months ago. I wronged you, Raven. I am so sorry that I wasn’t brave enough—hell, wasn’t man enough—to fight alongside you when you were dying and hospitalized. I made every excuse in the book, and I know every word of it hurt you. My absence hurt you. If I could take it back, I would. But I can’t. We can only live forward. And all I can say is I accept responsibility for what I did to you, and I am genuinely, truly sorry.”
Raven had to stop herself from toppling over. David Tanglewood rarely apologized to anyone for anything. He always had to be right. But just now he looked positively beside himself with regret. Raven didn’t know what to do with it.
“Thank you. I’m going to need some time to process that,” she said softly.
He sighed. “I understand.” He rubbed his palms over the tops of his thighs. “I know I’ve been difficult. You’re a big girl now. You can make your own decisions. You love this guy, and he’s clearly well positioned to take good care of you and this baby. I wish you the best.”
He stood and turned to leave. Raven felt an immediate swell of relief but also a sudden twang of guilt. He’d apologized, sincerely. Was she a bad person if she didn’t accept the olive branch?
“Dad… I don’t think we’ve had a relationship that warrants you walking me down the aisle, but I would like to invite you to come to the wedding. Maybe, over time, things can be different.” Her stomach clenched. She might regret this.
“I get it. When is the occasion?”
She winced. “Avery is helping me put something together. I want it to be soon, but we don’t know the exact date yet. Once we nail it down, I’ll let you know.”
