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“The Ashfords hardly need a defender.”
I think of Jameson lying pale in the hospital bed. “Against him, they do.” I let that sink in. “I bet Jameson and Theo would have been a lot less screwed up if they had a father like you.”
Dad’s expression softens. “You’re saying that to get back on my good side.”
I lean over the table. “Is it working?”
He shakes his head, but there’s a glint in his eyes.
“I’m sorry I lied to you,” I say. “I realize now how shitty that feels, being lied to by someone you love. Even if it was for the right reasons.”
“I know. I’m trying to protect you the best way I can. I’m proud of you. You get that, right?”
The backs of my eyes burn as I nod. “Sure.”
He pauses. “Why were you with Jamie Ashford in the hospital?”
I shift in the booth. “That’s a conversation for another day.”
“No, I think it’s today,” he says. “Bree, can we get some more coffee? We might be here a minute.”
“Dad…”
“I mean it.”
Of all the things I was hoping to avoid talking about with my dad this year, falling for the heir to the Ashford dynasty wasn’t on my list.
“He’s smart,” I say, trying to sound measured. “Capable. Dedicated.”
“Bree?” Dad calls again without breaking my gaze. “Is that what all those fan posts on the internet about Jameson Ashford are about? His—what was it—dedication?”
I can feel myself turn red.
“No, it is not,” my friend chirps as she tops us up. “Judges would accept: fine body, baddest blue eyes, or aura personified.”
“What does that even mean, Bree?”
“It’s undefinable. You just know it when you see it.”
“Okay, okay!” I groan. “The point is, I like him.”
Suddenly I’m thinking of Jameson’s handsome face, and the reckless, bold way I feel when I’m with him. How I’m more myself but also someone better when I’m around him.
“Probably more than like him,” I admit.
Maybe it shows on my face because my dad huffs out a breath.
“You going to ask if he likes me?” I cross my arms.
“No. He’d be an idiot not to.” Dad’s gruff loyalty has me feeling lighter. “It’s been a long time since I saw those boys—they were probably still in karts. Memory serves, Theo was wild and Jameson was terrifying, but neither of them was out of their mind.”
It’s strange to think of my dad knowing them. I guess it’s not so odd since he worked on the grid for ARI all those years.
“What did Luca want?” I ask.
He takes a long sip of his coffee, setting it down with care. “Nothing to worry about. You’ve taken care of me enough lately. My turn to take care of you.”
I smile, but my hands twist together under the table.
