Page 143 of The Daddy’s Girl

My mom puts up her hands with a wince. “That’s enough.”

“Then before you judge me and Matis for loving each other regardless of our ages or our relationship or others’ opinions, consider what it felt like when you did it.”

My dad is watching me with a guarded expression. But neither of them speak, and I start to feel as if I’ve made a point they can’t deny.

“We are not judging you, Mel. We are your parents. We are worried about you,” my mom says softly.

“Well, you don’t need to worry about me. In fact, you should be relieved. I’ve found a man who loves me for me. Who puts my needs first and always takes care of me. He makes me a better person and loves me unconditionally. If anything, you should be overjoyed at this news because I know I am.”

When I walk back into the house, I march directly to my room. I don’t give my parents a chance to counter or argue. I just need to move. I need to do something.

So without knowing why and with absolutely no plan in mind, when I get to my bedroom, I start to pack.

Rule #40: Make him listen. Help him understand.

Matis

Iam not a monster. I’m not some fiend or predator pervert. I am only a man who fell in love.

Like Amelia said, it doesn’t matter what other people think. It only matters what we know in our hearts to be true.

Sitting alone in my apartment, I wring my hands in my lap as I relive the look on Ronan’s face as he put it all together. I betrayed my best friend. I touched his daughter, crossing the one line a man is not supposed to cross.

As if I could help it. As if I could stop myself against the gravitational pull that brought her into my life in this way. It was as inevitable as the tide.

And now she’s over there alone, and I don’t know what to do. Sitting here feels impossible. I wish I had someone to talk to, but the only person I would reach out to for advice is Ronan.

And yet maybe he’s exactly the person I need to reach out to. He’s the one who needs to hear my side of the story. Until he hears me out, I don’t know how else we’ll be able to move on.

Grabbing my keys from the table by the door, I march out of my apartment. I hail a cab outside my building, a nervous energy running through me like a live wire as I ride all the way to Ronan’s house.

Everything I need to say to him is playing on repeat in my mind. When my emotions run high, my thoughts spill out from me in French, and I have to calm my erratic mind to translate them to English. Somehow, they never feel as righteous, but they are true just the same.

As we pull up to the house, I burst from the car, thanking the driver before rushing to the door. I bang on it twice while I wait for someone to answer.

It’s Daisy who pulls it open, but instead of inviting me in, she plants herself in the open space and glares at me.

“He’s still angry, Matis.”

“I know he is,” I reply.

“If you want him to listen, I promise you he only wants to argue.”

“Then we will argue.”

She lets out a sigh. “You should have told us.”

“I’m telling you now.”

She only rolls her eyes. “You want us to listen to logic, but we’re not ready. Emotions are still too high, Matis. Are you sure you want to talk to him now?”

“Yes, Daisy. I need to talk to him.”

“Fine,” she says with a relenting sigh. Then she steps aside and lets me through.

I already know where to find my friend, so I head straight for his office on the left side of the house. When I reach the doorway, I stop and stare at the man pouring himself a drink at the beverage cart.

“I told you I needed time,” he mutters darkly.