Alex slapped Ian’s shoulder.“Yeah, Scotch sounds like agood idea.I’ve never been so happy Coop is mostly transportation.”
“Your boy was the smart one,” Ian agreed.
“Meal ticket?”Daisy asked, her voice going low.
“Oh, shit,” Devi said under her breath.“Dais, you shouldthink about this.You’re kind of half naked in front of your parents, and youhave that look in your eyes.”
Brianna shook her head.“There’s no stopping her now.Weshould go with the uncles.”
“This is going to get bad,” Devi whispered.“Daisy is supersweet until she gets angry and then… Well, it’s bad.But she never does thisaround her parents.”
Avery sighed.“No, she never does this around her father.Iassure you I’ve seen my daughter get really angry.It’s odd.Almost like shegot it from somewhere.From like DNA or something.I wonder from who.”
Daisy’s eyes had narrowed.“Nathan, I’m going to need you tohold my coffee.Maybe you should go pour some Bailey’s in it.Or whiskey.I’mfeeling like whiskey this morning.”Her accent changed, and she sounded asIrish as her father.“Táim chun labhairt le m'athair.”
Devi held Bri’s hand and started to back away.“She’s goneIrish.”
Nate took her coffee.“Daisy, it’s okay.I told you I don’tcare what he thinks about me.”
Daisy ignored him.“What meal ticket do you think I am, Da?Minighseo dom.”
“I don’t have to explain anything to you,iníon,”her father replied.“I have obviously been too lenient, and that stops now.”
“Liam, please,” Avery begged.
He shook his head.“No.Avery, you know I love you.You’remy world.But she’s my responsibility, and I’ve failed.”
He watched Daisy’s skin go pale as her father’s words hither.
“I’m a failure?”Daisy asked.
Damn it.“He doesn’t mean it.”
“I didn’t say you failed,” Liam replied, a shockedexpression hitting his face.Like he hadn’t thought those words through.“Isaid I did.I should never have let you go off to college.I should have knownyou would run wild.”
“Oh, Da.”She shook her head.“I started running wild solong before college.”She’d gone a bit cold.“You want to know all the reasonswhy I’m a failure?Let’s talk about who stole your whiskey when I was fifteen.You were so sure it was Aidan.It was me.And then when you locked it up, Istill got into it.I replaced it with the big jug of iced tea I always made Momget from the store.The one I kept in my room and everyone wondered how I coulddrink it without ice.You told me a proper Irish girl wouldn’t drink it at all.Well, that’s because this proper Irish girl was drinking your whiskey.”
Devi held up a hand.“Okay, could we maybe not mention thisparticular part to my parents?”
Liam pointed a finger his daughter’s way.“I knew it wasn’twhiskey.I convinced myself it had gone bad.”
“It was delicious,” Daisy replied, a dark gleam in her eyes.“And the time the school let out because the fire alarms went off?I made gooduse of the free time, Da.”
“Yes, you went to the library.”
“I went to the lake with Leo Hall, and you do not want toknow what we did in the back of his truck,” Daisy taunted.
Liam went pale.“No.You wouldn’t.”
Avery threw up her hands.“Of course, she would.She is yourdaughter, Liam.You know I love you, but you have blinders on when it comes toher, and it’s not doing either of you any good.She feels like she’s forced tolie because you won’t love her if you see the truth, and you’re trying so hardto not notice she’s your mirror image except she’s got boobs, and that makesher even better at getting what she wants than you were.And I swear if youwreck her shot at happiness with Nate, we’re going to have serious problems.”
“I did a spot of underaged drinking myself,” Nate admitted.“And there’s this billabong on the station.I actually lost my virginity in it.Damn lucky it wasn’t full of crocs.”
“Oh, I can do so much worse, Nate,” Daisy promised.
“She can,” Bri agreed.“She probably shouldn’t, though.Hey,bestie, remember all those ‘we’re never telling anyone about this’ vows wemade?”
“I don’t need to hear it.”Liam stepped back.“I’ve got workto do.”He pointed Nate’s way.“If you get my daughter killed, I swear on mysoul I’ll take yours.And I’m leaving my wife here, too.I’m going to go fixthis for Daisy.Avery…”
