Fuck. “Yes. And it’ll be super awkward if you’re here when he wakes up.” The understatement of the year, she added inwardly. “So I’m sorry if I’m taken aback, but later we can meet and catch up,” she said, then touched her friend’s elbow, nudging her back to the entrance.
“Jeez, girl. Fine, I’m leaving,” she said, and Alyssa’s heart was almost resuming to beat at its regular speed, when she pointed at the console table by the couch. “Oh, can you open the gift now? I promise then I’ll go. I wonder if this is your size.”
“Of course,” Alyssa said. She retrieved the gift bag and smiled at her friend, guilt eating up at her. “You shouldn’t have brought me anything,” she added with a nervous voice, the bag weighing in her hand.
Madison waved her off. “Oh, don’t be silly. Of course—”
Her friend stopped talking, and she followed her gaze, then turned around to see what had rendered her speechless.
Holy shit.
She stilled the moment she saw Knox rubbing his eyes, now wearing his boxers as he yawned lazily in the hallway leading to the entrance.
Her heart froze, and she opened her mouth but no sound came out, like all her body parts went on a spontaneous strike and refused to work. Shit, shit, shit.
“Dad?” she asked, surprise crossing her expression. Then her gaze ping ponged between her father and Alyssa, which only enhanced the tension crackling in the air.
Knox lifted up his hands to explain, baffled. “Madison. I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were coming—”
Madison shook her head. “Dad, you’re wearing boxers!”
Knox glanced down. “Shit, okay, hold on, I’ll get dressed, wait,” he said, then trudged to Alyssa’s bedroom.
Alyssa stepped toward her friend, but Madison lifted her hand, a silent warning for her not to go any further. “Madison…”
“You and my dad? Really?” Madison said, her voice shrieking. “Look, I don’t care about the age difference, even if it’s weird. But you both lied to me.”
Alyssa balled her fingers into a fist, wishing she could punch herself for this unexpected revelation. “Yes, and I’m so sorry about that. We didn’t mean to… well we did, but not in the way you’re thinking,” Alyssa said, trying to find the right way to explain. “We fell in love.”
“In love?” Madison’s eyes widening. “Holy crap, I don’t know what’s worse.”
Same, she added internally. “It’s a lot for you to take right now, and I didn’t mean for you to find out like this,” she said.
Madison shot her a snarky look, squinting her eyes and studying her for a moment. “How would be a better way to find out? By getting the save-the-date card for your wedding?”
“Wedding? Don’t be silly,” Knox said, coming back, now wearing the denim pants and shirt from last night. “We aren’t getting married.”
Alyssa’s heart lurched, and it was like someone slit her with a blade. Her shoulders dropped a little, and the overwhelming sense of sadness filled her chest. They’d never discussed getting married, but the way he denied the idea to his daughter—the way he’d been condescending even about it… she bit the inside of her cheek.
He’d told her he loved her one night ago. But now, he was acting like she was his dirty little secret. How many more red flags needed to be waved in front of her for her to stop acting like her mother and stop accepting every crumble?
“This is too much right now,” Madison said. “When I woke up today, I thought jet lagging would be my main problem… not dealing with finding my dad and my best friend together.”
“We weren’t together,” her father said. “I was still in bed and—”
“Don’t play dumb, Dad. I have to go… I’ll talk to you two later and try to erase some stuff from my memory.”
Alyssa sighed as her friend left. If only she could do the same.
12
Knox shook his head, his insides still in turmoil after what just happened. Sure there was a way to tell Madison about him and Alyssa, but it certainly wasn’t by her catching him wearing some underwear as he walked up to his lover. Fuck. “Did you see that?” he asked, pointing at the door.
Alyssa tilted her head, and he couldn’t quite understand the darkness in her eyes. “Yes, I saw and heard.”
He raked his fingers into his hair, walking up to the entrance. “I need to go talk to her,” he said. What would he say? Sweat sheened his forehead. He wasn’t afraid of much, but the idea of permanently damaging his relationship with his daughter knotted his gut. He’d done all he could during the last years of marriage and the divorce to spare her, and now, he’d undone all his good work.
She shrugged. “Be my guest.”
