“Nothing’s gotten into me. I’m just tired of watching you treat him like there’s something wrong with him when there isn’t.” The words kept coming, like a dam had broken. “He’s not hurting anyone. He’s not doing anything wrong. And honestly? He’s got his shit together way more than I do.”
Stacey had tears in her eyes now, but she was smiling. Dad just looked stunned.
“I think we should go,” James said quietly, standing up.
“James, please,” Stacey started, but he was already heading for the door.
I stood up too, intending to follow him. But I stopped after only a step or two, turning back to my father. “And just for your information, Brittany and I broke up. She kicked me out because I’m a fuck-up and I treated her bad. Because I treated her the way you treat Stacey.” I couldn’t bring myself to look at Stacey.Instead, I focused on my father’s face that was growing redder by the second. “And you know who took me in? Who gave me a place to stay even though I’m an asshole?James.”
“You know I would have?—”
“I don’t care, Dad,” I barked, cutting him off. “James is the reason I have a roof over my head and food to eat right now. So, if you want to see me again, you’ll apologize to him. Right now.”
Dad sat there for a long moment, the muscles in his jaw working. “I don’t have anything to apologize for,” he said at last. “I’m entitled to my opinions.”
“Fine,” I nodded. “Then I’m entitled to not speak to you anymore.” I turned to Stacey as I walked you. “I’m sorry you have to put up with this. And I’m sorry if I was ever like this to you.”
I left the dining room before she could respond, my legs feeling unsteady beneath me. The front door was still open where James had gone through, and I found him standing by his car, arms crossed, staring at nothing in particular.
“James,” I called out.
He didn’t turn around. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“Yeah, I did.” I walked closer, stopping a few feet away. My hands were shaking, so I shoved them in my pockets. “I should have done it years ago.”
“Why now?” He finally looked at me, and there was something in his expression I couldn’t quite name. He looked confused and maybe a little…proud.
I didn’t have a good answer for that. Or maybe I did, but I wasn’t ready to say it out loud. “Because it was the right thing to do.”
He studied me for a long moment, like he was trying to solve a puzzle. “Are you okay?”
The question caught me off guard. After everything that just happened, after I’d just blown up my relationship with my father, he was asking ifIwas okay.
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “Probably not.”
James nodded slowly. “Do you want to grab food somewhere? Actual food, not whatever that disaster was.”
I almost said no. Part of me wanted to get in my truck and drive until I couldn’t think anymore. But the larger part, the part that had been growing stronger since I’d moved into his apartment, wanted to stay near him.
“Yeah,” I said. “That sounds good.”
Chapter 12
Kent
James had been dawdling around for half the morning, and I needed him to leave the apartment. His meeting with his clients had gone well the day before and the check had cleared the bank. That meant there were things that needed to be done like grocery shopping, spare towels for me, and a few other necessities. I’d already given him some money to pay for my portion of the shopping, but he was still dragging his feet.
There was something I needed to do, but I needed him to leave to do it. Part of me wanted to say something, to urge him out the door. But things had been good between us the past couple of days, ever since I’d defended him against my father. We’d been almost…friendly, and I didn’t want to jeopardize that by pushing him out of the house. He’d get suspicious and then there would be questions. That was the last thing I wanted.
Finally, I saw him heading for the front door.
“Heading out?” I asked, muting the television.
“Yeah,” he nodded, pulling on his shoes. “I want to get everything done before rush hour.”
“Good idea,” I turned back to the TV, trying to act aloof. “I’ve got to get to a meeting soon, so I’ll be heading out too.”
“Maybe we can order out when you get back?” he offered. “To celebrate.”
