1
“Parent Teacher conference?Is that what you guys call it?” I ask with a snort of amusement once Dad has finished laying out his request.
On my phone screen his expression takes on a familiar look of wry disapproval. “The principal will be there as well.”
“Threesome. Kinky. You’re getting adventurous in your old age.”
“Thank you, that’s exactly the image I need for the meeting tonight,” he says dryly. “And the principal’s a woman, just FYI.”
I let out a breath of amusement. “What? After over three decades of heterosexuality you’re off women completely now? Deacon’s cock must be even more magical than I imagined.”
Dad lets out a long-suffering sigh. “As enjoyable as it is listening to my son speculate about my boyfriend’s penis, can wepleaseget back to the matter at hand?”
“You know, I wouldn’t need to speculate if he let me take a peek,” I tease. “It’s only fair since Piper?—”
Dad narrows his eyes in warning.“Jazz…”
I can’t help letting out a rumble of laughter; he’s just so fun to tease, and can you really blame me? It’s his own fault for dating someone so freakin’ hot. But I know he’s not really bothered by it; he’d tell me if he was. All that matters to Dad and Deacon is that I support their relationship.
“What time’s her appointment?” I ask, getting back to the reason for Dad’s call. Evidently Izzy’s nanny was given a couple nights off this week so she could finish a big paper she has due before the Thanksgiving break; that shouldn’t have been an issue, except Izzy’s speech therapy has been rescheduled because of the Holiday and Dad’s tied up with a meeting at her school. It’s pretty unlike him to get caught out last minute like this; I can only assume he’s been distracted by all the epic sex he’s been having lately.
“Five pm.”
“You want me to just pick her up from school?”
“That’d be good, thanks. What time’s your set tonight?”
“Actually, I’m not playing tonight. So if you want Izzy can stay at my place and you and Deacon can continue your parent-teacher conferencing…” I trail off with a waggle of my eyebrows.
Dad tries for a disapproving look but he can’t quite hide the upward tilt of his lips. “I appreciate the offer but could do without the commentary.”
I offer a wide grin. “It’s a package deal. Take or leave.”
He lets out a soft breath of laughter. “I’ll take it. Thanks, buddy.” He glances up from the screen for a moment. “I’d better go—RJ’s hovering.”
“No problem. See you tom?—”
“Oh, I meant to ask about your plans for Tahoe,” Dad cuts in. “They’re doing the letter J next week and Izzy wants you to be her show and tell.”
Despite feeling a sharp pang at the mention of my cancelled plans—which I didn’t realize I hadn’t mentioned to Dad yet—I can’t help grinning at the idea of being Izzy’s show and tell for J week. “Well, that stands to reason. I’m the most awesome J thing there is. But shouldn’t J be this week?” I ask, recalling how excited Izzy was last Tuesday when it was revealed she was the only kid with an I name, which made her the star of the class for the afternoon. Evidently for the letters A through H there were either multiple kids or none at all.
“They’re not doing a letter this week because of the Holiday,” Dad explains. “I don’t want you to change your plans but?—”
“I’m not going to Tahoe this year,” I say flatly.
Dad’s shocked expression is almost comical. “What?Why?”
“Bullshit I’d rather not get into—isn’t RJ waiting?” I remind him.
Dad frowns in concern but knows better than to press. “He can wait. So what will you be doing for Thanksgiving?”
“I’ll be here,” I say with a shrug, glancing around my office at the bar. “There are plenty of people who want to commemorate the thieving of native lands by drinking whiskey and listening to better performed nineties music, so I’m going to give them that opportunity.”
It’sthefirst time I’ve collected Izzy from school and she’s over the moon at my surprise appearance. After greeting me with a fierce hug she grabs my hand and leads me around the classroom, proudly showing off the hook where she hangs her backpack, her little table and chair, the brightly patterned rugat the front of the room where they sit for story time and show and tell, and Curtis the Crocodile—a three-foot-long stuffy that apparently serves as the class’s mascot.
It’s onlyabout a fifteen-minute walk from the school to my apartment and the time is spent with Izzy telling me more about her classroom and what she’s learning. With it being Thanksgiving this week I’m not surprised to hear the main theme of the week is being thankful.
“I say thank you when someone help,” she says proudly. “Andwhen someone say nice thing.”
