My father ignored our antics to hold a hand out to Connor. “My name’s Patrick. I didn’t get a chance to introduce myself earlier.”
Connor stared at my dad’s hand with puzzlement before reaching out to shake it. “You may call me Connor.”
Jenna leaned against my shoulder as she dropped her voice to a whisper. “Is he the reason you didn’t agree to move in with me until you found a new place?”
I could have warned her that it was pointless to whisper and that Connor had probably heard every word out of her mouth, but where was the fun in that?
“Of course not. We’re strictly platonic.”
Jenna wiggled her eyebrows at me. “Does that mean you’re still dating tall, dark, and delicious? His name was Liam, right?”
Somehow the word “dating” when used in conjunction with Liam seemed like a tepid description for what we were doing.
“Yes.” I shrugged her arm off my shoulder as we reached the exit. “What’s with all the questions about my dating life?”
Jenna’s expression was innocent. “I’m your sister. This is the type of thing sisters discuss.”
I fixed her with a hard look that said she wasn’t fooling me.
“By the way, where is Liam?” Jenna made a show of looking around. “I was hoping he’d come with you so I could play twenty questions with him.”
Note to self—don’t let Jenna within spitting distance of my vampire boyfriend. He’d have way too much fun with anything she asked.
“He was busy tonight,” I said evasively.
In truth, I hadn’t asked him.
I wasn’t sure if he would have said yes. Although he’d met Jenna and my dad multiple times, it hadn’t been with the label of my official boyfriend. There was also Liam’s history with his mortal family and the complicated feelings the topic brought him.
“How do you know my daughter?” Dad was asking Connor.
“I’m her brother.”
The resulting silence made me wish we were still talking about my love life as Dad and Jenna went very quiet.
“Brother-in-arms,” I was quick to clarify with an awkward laugh, seeing the question in their eyes. “Not a blood related brother.”
Connor’s expression was a little stiff at my denial.
“Right, Connor?” I nudged him with an elbow.
He’d better back me up on this. There would be hell to pay if he didn’t.
Reluctantly, Connor nodded. “Aileen saved my life. I owe her more than I can ever repay.”
My relief was short lived as Dad contemplated the two of us with a serious expression and a gaze that saw right through me.
He knew—or at least suspected—there was more to the story. That I was hiding something important.
I held my breath, waiting for the hammer to fall. Dad had always had a knack for detecting my lies.
“No combat, huh? I guess all those assurances you gave me and your mother were bullshit.”
My mind went blank.
I’d forgotten I’d told my parents that I never left the FOB—Forward Operating Base—during deployment. One of my bigger lies now exposed while covering for another lie.
Dad was quick to let me off the hook, the amused glint in his eye telling me he’d known the truth all along. “You’re home safe now. That’s all we can ask for.”
