His face brightens. ‘Tell me all.’
It takes me a moment to work my courage into my fingers, but eventually, I do, and then everything sort of flows like a river. How I met Dex—sans all the dirty parts, because he doesn’t need to know that. But I tell him how much I hated him and how much that conflicted with how badly I wanted to know him.
I tell him what it was like coming back and seeing him, and then the dates.
He bursts into laughter when I tell him about failing to get straight As.
‘That must make you want to scream,’ he signs emphatically.
‘You have no idea,’ I admit. ‘I have one more to go.’
He tilts his head to the side as he regards me. ‘He’s still grading you even after you’re boyfriends?’
I shrug. ‘I don’t know. Maybe not. I want the A+ forme. I’ll make him give me a grade.’
He laughs again. ‘You are definitely my son.’
I like when he says that. He’s such a good man, and he never deserved a life so damn lonely. I, on the other hand, probably did. Up until now, anyway.
‘Where is he now? I want to meet him.’
‘He’s at work,’ I tell him. I make a mental note to send Dex a message after I’m done here to check in. He usually shoots me something by now, so I’m feeling a little worried.
Not about us. I actually do feel safe about that. But something in my gut is squirming, and I don’t know why.
‘I need a favor,’ I say when I give my dad my attention. He nods for me to go on. ‘I want to tell him how I feel.’
His mouth is clearly fighting off a smile. ‘Howdoyou feel?’
‘I don’t know if it’s fair that I tell you before Dex.’
His nose flares as he snorts. ‘Understand. I don’t think you need to make it complicated.’
‘No. I don’t want complicated. I want deep. Important. Real. Maybe he wants a big gesture.’
‘No,’ my dad signs quickly. ‘Not that. You would never fall for a man who wanted someone to be all show.’
He’s not wrong. I’ve avoided people like that my entire life. My ex was that in spades. How things looked was more important than how things were.
Dex is the complete opposite.
‘Do you think ILY will be enough for him?’ I ask.
My dad frowns. ‘What do you mean? Would he prefer you to voice?’
I quickly shake my head. ‘He likes my voice, but he doesn’t ask for it. Not ever.’
More tension fades from my dad’s shoulders. ‘I really want to meet him now.’
‘Soon. Promise. But…’
He waves his hand to interrupt mine. ‘ILY is enough. You know him better than I do. Don’t doubt yourself.’
He’s right. And I have been on the verge of doubting that I can be or will be good at this. Or, at least, good enough for what Dex deserves. But maybe I was shit at it before because the moment wasn’t right.
He’s been worth fighting for this entire time. Even spending three years away, I never let him go.
So why wouldn’t simple words and simple signs be exactly what he needs?
