Dom thinks about this, nodding his head slowly. "That makes sense. Duke saidmy sister told me. He was talking about Kerrigan, not you."
"An assumption he knew you would make." I can't help my harsh breath of disgust.
Dom turns his body so he's facing me, looking me in the eyes with such intensity. "Do you want to know what he found?"
I gaze back into that face, those earnest blue eyes, the arched eyebrows and light scruff cheeks. Do I want to know what Duke found?
The answer arrives swiftly.
"You can tell me if you need someone to listen. I already know there's nothing about you to find, so I'm guessing he learned something about your dad."
Dom nods.
"You telling me what your dad did will not change how I feel about you, Dom. So tell me only if you want to. My decision about you has been made."
Dom takes the cup of coffee from my hands, setting it on the small table. Then he gathers up both my hands in his, rubbing his thumbs along my knuckles. "If I hadn't been watching your family misbehave for the past week, it would be more embarrassing to admit this." He half-smiles. "My dad is very good at making friends. Sometimes, he attracts the wrong people. The kind of people who take advantage of him. This isn't an excuse, but he has never been very good at seeing someone's motivations. Anyway." Dom sighs. Lightly squeezes my hands. "My dad became friends with some guy who said he had collected used items to sell, but wasn't sure where to sell them. My dad saw anopportunity"—Dom rolls his eyes—"that's always the word he uses. He told the guy he would take care of selling everything for a cut."
My heart makes its way into my throat. I know where this is going, and it's not good.
"The goods were stolen. Electronics, high-end tools, things like that. Someone responded to my dad's for sale post, and when my dad went to meet him, the guy said it was his generator that had been stolen out of the back of his truck the week prior. There was a serial number on the bottom that matched the serial number on the paperwork the guy had. The police came, and my dad cooperated. He gave them his newfriend's"—Dom's jaw tightens on the word—"name and number, but it turned out the guy was using a fake name with my dad. The guy claimed to have never seen my dad before and had no idea who he was."
I feel terrible for Dom. My parents have embarrassed me plenty of times, but never like this. "What happened to your dad?"
"The police said this isn't the first time something like this has happened in recent months, and they'll be looking into the man who gave my dad a fake name. So, my dad's not in trouble exactly, but he's not in the clear yet, either."
I take my hands from Dom, only so I can place them on his shoulders. "I'm sorry Duke forced you to have this conversation with your dad today."
"I understand what Duke was doing. Why he was doing it."
I open my mouth to speak when Grandma and Rainbow appear around the corner.
"Knock, knock." Grandma wiggles her eyebrows. "I hope we're not interrupting anything."
I drop my hands from Dom's shoulders. "Not a thing. Everything alright?"
"Have you looked at the weather for today?"
I shake my head. "No." Currently the sky is a perfect blue.
"Looks like our next destination is going to get a late spring snowstorm. We need to get on the road."
"Wha—"
Grandma gives me no time to process. "I'm going to the lodge to grab a bite to eat and sign the bill. I need you to make sure your parents and siblings know we're leaving as soon as possible."
"No problem." I glance at Dom, who's nodding like he's prepared to be a part of the roundup. "Do I have time for a shower?"
Grandma looks at Rainbow. Rainbow says, "There's a shower on board the motor home."
I want to tell Rainbow that does not answer my question, but in an effort to make everything as easy as possible for my grandma, I nod my head in compliance. "We'll see you at the motor home."
Grandma and Rainbow walk away.
Dom stands, pulling me up with him. "If it's not one thing, it's another."
CHAPTER 50
Cecily
