“It’s okay,” she said. “You had a little girl to worry about.”
I smiled, grateful that she understood our main motivation for keeping things quiet. “I love you too, Sutton,” I said as I pulled the door of my office open and found Kayden and Olivia sitting at her desk, both looking anxious.
Sutton looked at me and then settled her eyes on them. “I’ll see you both for breakfast Thursday with Jace.”
They stared at her in shock.
I cleared my throat. “Can you please not scare my partners, Sutton?”
She chuckled. “Sorry, I never get to play mean-boss-lady anymore. Don’t worry, it’ll be a good breakfast. Jace and I will handle Martin, you don’t need to worry,” she said as she passed them on her way to the elevator.
Kayden seemed to relax at her words, but Olivia looked tenser than I’d seen her in a long time. Something told me this was going to be a setback for Olivia’s confidence in telling everyone about us. I wastempted to call Martin and scream athimfor once. Instead, I walked over and hugged the two people I loved, assuring them that I was going to be fine.
Only one of them seemed to believe me.
Chapter Forty-Eight
Kayden
Olivia was pretty shakenup about the situation with Martin, especially after Jace told us everything about his threats and attempt to discredit us both. After Jace reassured her multiple times that Sutton wasn’t upset and they were handling it, she finally dropped it, willing to place her confidence in Sutton’s legendary lawyering skills. I’d ended up working in the conference room at Jace’s office while he handled a few other things so we could all go together to visit my father after lunch.
I’d suggested putting it off for a few days after the morning we’d had but Jace wasn’t even willing to consider it.Typical Jace, always putting everyone else first. Truthfully, I needed this visit to release myself from my father in more ways than one. Just being in Boston again had compelled me to visit him, but after watching him pass out after the Thanksgiving dinner I’d ordered for us without so much as a thank you, I’d realized I was only hurting myself by continuing to try. Today, I was going to tellhim my truth and officially cut ties with him. It was the best thing for me and my happiness.
I stared at the door to my father’s condo, the one I’d only seen a handful of times since I left for college, and took a deep breath. As if Jace could tell my heart rate was picking up, he grabbed my hand and squeezed gently.
Something about this place made me claustrophobic and I was grateful I’d gone to a meeting earlier. I rarely went to AA meetings, especially after the first year of my sobriety, but when something really triggering happened—or in this case, was about to happen—they were a good support and reminder to stay the course. Nothing good would come from having a drink to get through this. In fact, alcohol was a big factor in what had gotten us to this moment to begin with.
“Fuck him,” I said, as Olivia took my other hand. “Right?”
Jace kissed my cheek. “Yeah, baby, fuck him.”
I dropped their hands and knocked on the door before pushing it open.
“Dad?” I called as we entered.
“Kayden? Is that you?” Dad called back, words slurring. Not even his severely damaged liver was enough to get him to put down the beer. Sure enough, when we entered the living room a moment later, he had a beer in his hand.
“Hi,” I said.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, looking first at me and then the two people by my side. “Seen more of you in the last few months than in the last decade, boy.”
“Yeah, about that. I shouldn’t have come before,” I said. “You may not punch me anymore, but you still hurt me every time I see you, and I’m done being hurt by you.”
He raised an eyebrow and took a swig of beer. “Then what the fuck are you doing here now?”
“I have a few things to say before you die,” I said. I took a deep breath through my nose.You can do this, Kayden. It’s been a long time coming.I’d spent years in therapy going over what I’d tell my dad someday if I ever decided to come out to him. This wasn’t exactly how I’d envisioned the moment, but I’d had my opening line decided for years.
“First of all, you’re an asshole,” I said.
Jace snorted and leaned closer as he whispered, “You probably should have warned us you were taking this path, but we’ve got you.”
I fought a smile at his reaction.
Dad laughed, like this was all a joke. “You came all the way over here to tell me I’m an asshole? You’ve said that before, Kayden. You could have saved yourself a trip since I know how you feel about me. Your ten-year absence made that pretty clear.”
“Well, that absence was well-deserved, and this is the last time I’m going to say it,” I said, taking a step closer. I gestured to Jace. “This is my boyfriend, Jace.”
Dad scoffed. “The fuck it is. I told you plenty of times, boy, I didn’t raise you to be gay.”
