“Remember what I told you,” Carter reminds him. “Our daughter loves him.”
Alex aims a soft look in his direction. “I know. Can’t I let him stew for another minute? If he’s not scared of me, then how will I threaten him that if he ever treats Angie badly I’ll kill him?”
“You mean it?”
“You want to be threatened by him?” Carter asks me. “Really?”
“No, not that.” I wave him off. “To get to treat herany waymeans I’d be with her to start with…”
I don’t want to let myself hope. Even the tiniest sliver dangled in front of me and then pulled away would be too much for me to handle.
Folding his hands, Alex leans across the table.
“I guess I should be sorry too,” Alex starts, looking at my dad. “I let our past color my opinion of you and your family. I know I’m not the same person I was twenty years ago, so I don’t know why I wouldn’t give you the benefit of the doubt. If my daughter approves, then I guess I can too.”
“Are you serious? Like for real?”
“Yes,” Carter confirms. “We didn’t know you were the reason our daughter was so happy, but we’ve seen how happy she’s been these last few months. That’s all we want for her.”
“I promise, I will treat her right. I love her more than anyone else on this planet, and I just want the chance to build a life with her.”
This time, the smile Alex gives me is genuine and bright. “That’s all we’ve ever wanted for her.”
“All any parent wants,” Mom agrees, eyes glassed over with tears. “You have a wonderful daughter, and I know how lucky Troy feels to be with her.”
I nod at my mom’s words. “Thank you for giving me the chance to show her I love her, Mr. Brooks-Young. And Mr. Brooks-Young.”
Alex reaches across the table to shake my hand. “Call us Alex and Carter.”
Carter’s eyes are sparkling. “Now, tell us your plan to get our daughter back.”
Chapter Thirty
ANGIE
“Why are you dragging me to the beach?”
Harper points her car in the direction of the coast, doing her best to ignore me. “Why not go to the beach?”
“Because it’s fifty degrees outside. No one in their right mind goes to the beach this time of year.”
She swats my leg. “I thought you were from Colorado and used to cold weather?”
“Sue me,” I grumble. “I’ve gotten used to the warm weather here.”
“I brought a coat for you. So quit your whining.”
There’s no point in arguing with her. Whether I want to go to the beach or not, she’s taking me, kicking and screaming.
After the disaster of a party, I retreated to the safety of my apartment. It’s the first time I’ve left the comfort of my room in a week besides class. Even going to class has been a struggle. Everywhere I go on campus reminds me of Troy. It makes me sad, then I get irrationally angry.
All because of my dads. For two people who run acharity based on inclusivity and not judging people, they made up their minds about Troy without even getting to know him.
God, I’m so mad I could burst.
“Are you okay over there?” Harper asks, breaking me from my runaway train of anger.
“I’m fine,” I snap back.
