I pulled my knees to my chest as I met Roe’s stare. He had yet to say anything and I wanted to gauge what he was thinking.
I didn’t know what he saw on my face, but he came over and sat on the edge of the bed next to me. He kissed me. “Are you hungry?”
I nodded, and as I stared at him, I realized something. “What about school?”
Wyatt plopped down on the bed on my other side. “We’re skipping today.”
“And what are we going to do all day?” I asked.
Reid returned with a towel wrapped around his waist and made his way over to his dresser.
Wyatt smirked as he looked from Reid to me. “I have some suggestions, but I don’t think Reid is ready to share just yet.”
I couldn’t stop my eyes from going wide as I looked to Roe, who took in my shocked expression with a smile.
Reid pulled out a shirt and threw it, hitting Wyatt in the face. Reid glanced at me. “You can wear that, if you want.”
Wyatt pulled the shirt off his face and held it out to me.
I let the sheet drop, revealing my breasts. I could feel three sets of eyes watching me, or more specifically my breasts, as I put the shirt on. “What made you decide to skip today?”
“Well, school started a half hour ago and Brandon’s back today,” Roe said. “I don’t think you should have to deal with bullshit two days in a row.”
“We brought breakfast and a shit-ton of snacks,” Wyatt said. “Let’s have a chill day and then we’ll take you home when Bram gets off work.”
They knew I wanted to talk to Bram. I had called them last night before falling asleep and told them I was with Reid and why. I had also sent a text last night to Bram informing him I was staying over at Reid’s. He had responded with a simpleokay,which was sort of upsetting. I had yet to text him this morning. I’d do that in a minute. “What did you bring for breakfast?”
Pretty much the whole day was the four of us eating and watching movies back-to-back. I sat between Roe and Wyatt on the couch and Reid sat in his chair. We laughed. I cuddled with each of them. Not long after breakfast, Roe brought out a joint that we passed around. Once we finished it, I understood the reason for the shit-ton of snacks. The day was nearly the perfect lazy day that I hoped we’d have many of in the future.
Then five o’clock came and it was time for me to go home. Roe and Wyatt drove me and dropped me off. I was wearing yesterday’s jeans and the shirt Reid had lent me.
As I walked up the driveway, I noticed Bram in the garage tinkering with his bike. I headed in that direction, unable to wait any longer. He watched as I walked right up to him. Immediately, I got hit with the urge to cry and my eyes flooded.
“You don’t get to do that,” I said to him. “I needed you here and you took off.”
His shoulders slumped, but he didn’t look surprised by my reaction. He set down his tools and stood. “I’m sorry. I needed to cool off and clear my head.”
Tears rolled down my cheeks. “She deserved it. What you did—she deserved all of it and more. But you scared me and I needed you here. I needed to talk to you so I could see you past what you did. I needed to be reminded that you’re you. After Donnie, you made sure I was okay. With Clay, you made sure I was okay. Yesterday, you told me to go home.”
He wrapped his arms around me, hugging me. “I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry, kid. I knew I scared you. I’ve never raised my hand to a woman before.” He sighed. “When I saw her, I fucking lost it. She hurt you so much. She hurt my kid and she was trying to hurt you again. Seeing you on the ground, the rage that hit me…I wanted to make her pay. I don’t know how I reeled myself in. But the damage had been done, and I could see your shock. Your fear. I’m sorry.”
My arms tightened around him. “Will I sound childish if I say all you needed to do was hug me and I would have felt better?”
“No,” he said quickly. “You’ll never be too old to get a hug from me. I’m your dad and I love you, kid.”
Hearing that made more tears fall from my eyes. For so long I’d ached for a parent like everyone else had. And here it was—here he was. A parent who loved me.
“Thank you,” I cried against his chest.
“For what?” he asked.
“For loving me.”
His arms tightened around me a little. “You don’t have to thank me for that.”
We hugged each other for a while until he finally spoke again. “Why don’t we go out to eat, just the two of us?”
I pulled away. “I was planning on running to the craft store. I need things to draw my final.”
