“Nope.” I pop the P as I lift one of the brown boxes filled with books on top of the large dining table.
“Hmm,” he hums walking over to the bay window to the right of my front door. “That’s odd.”
I roll my eyes because I don’t want to have this conversation again. After my mother called him in absolute hysterics the same day she caught me in bed with Jack, my father hasn’t stopped joking about the whole thing. But by the tone of his voice I can’ stop myself from asking, “Why do you ask?”
“I guess I just figured that considering my daughter likes a little sugar with her daddy, that—”
“Dad!” I exclaim, chuckling at his joke. “Really?”
“What?” He faces me with a broad smile. “Personally, I think it’s rather funny that my wonderful, and incredibly intelligent daughter stole my ex-wife’s husband from right under her nose.”
“They were already getting a divorce,” I sing. “I didn’t steal anyone.”
“Semantics.” He flicks his hand dismissively, turning his attention back to the window and frowning.
“What?”
“Is it usual for you to have random people standing outside your home?” He points. “Do I need to worry about stalkers now?”
My eyes widen and I storm over to where he stands. “No. Nobody knows where I—” The moment I make it to the window and look at where my father is pointing, I freeze. “What the—”
My father walks around me and opens the front door. “Are you going to loiter out there all day like some crazed fan or come inside,” he calls.
I watch as Jack slowly jogs up the stairs towards my front door, my father stepping back and allowing him entrance into the house.
“Hey, Mike.” Jack smiles, reaching out and shaking my father’s hand.
“Jack.” He smiles back, releasing Jack’s hand after a brief shake.
Okay, what the fuck is going on here?
My eyes dance between the both of them and I have no idea what is happening. I snort dryly. “I’m… confused. Did you both…” I point to my father.
“Mike had nothing to do with this, I swear,” Jack confirms.
“Loverboy here contacted me a few weeks after you left.” My father clasps him on the shoulder as though they’re old friends. “Luckily, I didn’t have to threaten him with death if he ever hurt you.”
“Oh God,” I grumble, pinching the bridge of my nose in embarrassment. “You have got to be kidding me right now.”
“I can go if…” Jack points over his shoulder.
“No, I’ll go.” My father leans forward, placing a chaste kiss on my cheek and whispering in my ear, “I love you, hear him out for Christ’s sake, he’s a mess without you apparently.” I watch Jack’s eyes roll with humour, because my father isn’t the quietest whisperer in the world. My dad stands back and offers his hand to Jack, and they shake. “Nice to finally put a face to a name, I can see why my daughter… well… yeah, I’m not going down that road.” He moves past Jack and out onto the top step. “I’ll see you both for dinner Sunday. Have fun, kids.”
I watch as my father jogs down the stairs and away from us, hopping in his car and waving before he drives away from my house. I’m still in shock, with no idea what the hell happened between Jack and my father, or even why he’s standing in front of me right now.
“This is—”
He closes the door behind him. “Weird?” Jack finishes for me. “Yeah.” He uses that same hand to run it over the back of his neck awkwardly.
Is he… nervous?
“I wasn’t sure if this was a good idea or not, but after you left, nothing was the same.”
“Be more specific.” I cross my arms in front of my chest and fight the smirk.
“I missed you, alright? But there was no way I could fathom coming to get you when my life was fucked up and I was—”
“Still married to mymother?” I chuckle dryly.
