Chapter 13—Heather

My stomach was in knots as I watched my father’s truck pull into Darian’s driveway. I was nervous about seeing my dad and Corrine together again, but more than that, I was terrified of telling them about me and Darian. Despite everything, I loved my father. I’d always been daddy’s little girl, and the thought of disappointing him weighed heavily on me. What if he was so angry he refused to ever speak to me again? Or what if he decided to disown me? Or worse, what if he demanded I choose between him and the man I was quickly falling in love with?

“Hey.” Darian took my hands into his. “It’s going to be okay.”

I nodded, but I wasn’t nearly as confident as he was. He kissed my knuckles then released my hands. I swallowed hard and followed him outside.

“Thanks for coming out on such short notice,” Darian said, shaking my father’s hand. My heart constricted at that sight. Something about seeing the two most important men in my life getting along made my knees weak.

“No problem. It’s the least I can do considering what you’ve done for me.” My father’s gaze sliced over to me, and the knot in my stomach tightened. Then, he walked over and wrapped me up in one of his bear hugs. Tears filled my eyes as I hugged him back, holding on longer than I ever had before, and squeezing a little tighter, too. “I’ve missed you,” he whispered. Eventually pulling back, he kissed my forehead. “I’ve been worried sick, too. Are you okay?”

“Yes.” I nodded and wiped the tears from my eyes.

“Don’t you ever take off like that again, you hear me?” And just like that, he was back in strict dad mode. I couldn’t help but laugh. “I mean it, Heather.” He pointed at me.

“I won’t. I promise.”

“Good. I’m getting too old to pull all-nighters pacing the floor, worrying you’re dead in a ditch somewhere.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re not old, Dad.”

He jerked back slightly. I was always teasing him about getting old, so I knew it was a surprise to hear me say the opposite now. But I had an entirely new perspective on the whole age thing that I didn’t have a few days ago. “And I’m not dead in a ditch, so you can stop worrying.”

“You’re my daughter. I will never stop worrying about you.” After giving me another hug, he said, “Corrine’s in the truck. I know she’d like to talk to you.”

“I want to talk to her, too.”

A warm smile spread across his face. “All right then.” He turned back to Darian. “So, where’s this window you need to have replaced?”

Darian caught my eye and gave me a quick wink that sent my heart into a flutter. Then he led my dad upstairs. I took a deep breath and headed to my dad’s truck, hopping into the driver’s side. “Hey,” I said, closing the door.

“Hey,” Corrine said. Her hands were in her lap, and she was twisting them nervously.

“You look good.” I motioned to her face and arms, which were all bruised and bandaged last time I’d seen her. “I take it you’re feeling better?”

“Yes.” She nodded.

And then we sat in awkward silence for what felt like hours. I’d never been around Corrine and not talked her ear off. I’d always told her everything, and I was dying to tell her about Darian. I wanted to ask how she was doing and what was new in her life. Not that I wanted to hear her gush about how great my dad was in bed or anything because that was just gross.

“I’m sorry, Heather,” she said, finally breaking the tension. “I miss you like crazy.”

“I miss you, too,” I admitted.

“I swear to God, I never meant to hurt you like this.” She looked up at me, her eyes filled with tears. “You’re my best friend, and losing you will kill me. But I’m in love with Noah, and losing him would kill me, too.” Tears streaked down her face. “I know you want me to choose, but I can’t.” She shook her head.

“I don’t want you to choose, Corrine. I never said that.” My throat burned with tears, and my voice caught. I swallowed hard. “I can accept you being with my dad.”

“You can?” There was so much hope in her eyes.

“Yes. What I can’t accept is that you lied to me. You snuck around for weeks, and I feel betrayed more than anything.” Silent tears fell down my cheeks. I tried to wipe them away, but they just kept coming.

“I know. I’m sorry.” She hung her head.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I knew what I needed to say to make this situation better, but the words didn’t come easily. But if I wanted even the smallest bit of understanding from her about Darian, I needed to give her the same in return. Not to mention, I really did miss my best friend. “I forgive you.”

“You do?” She didn’t wait for my response before flinging her arms around me in a hug.

I laughed through my tears and hugged her back. “Yes, but it’s going to take me a while to adjust to all of this, okay?”

“Yeah, of course.” She pulled back and wiped the fresh tears from her face. “Whatever we can do to make it easier, we’ll do it.”

I scrunched up my face. Hearing her talk about her and my dad as “we” was a bit strange, but I guessed I’d have to get used to it. “There are a few things you can do.”

“Name it,” she said without hesitation.

Sniffling, I retrieved a tissue from the small package my dad always kept in the center console. I handed one to Corrine. “Don’t hurt him,” I said firmly.

“Never.”

“I really don’t want to hear about your sex life, either. I mean, I know we’ve talked about things like that in the past, but that’s my dad, and I don’t want to know anything.”

“Deal.” She smiled.

“And I’m not calling you Mom.”

Corrine’s jaw dropped, and she stared at me for a moment before bursting out in laughter that quickly morphed into uncontrollable giggles. “Oh my God,” she gasped. “I’ll kill you if you ever call me Mom.”

And that was all it took to set me off. We sat in my dad’s truck, giggling like we had so many times in the past, and it felt good to just laugh. I felt lighter than I had in days. “Don’t make me tell Dad that my new step-mommy is threatening me with physical violence.” I could barely get the words out around my laughter.

She clutched her stomach and doubled over, her face beet red. “You’re an asshole.” She gasped for breath.

Minutes later, after we’d stopped laughing, I sighed and rested my head on the back of the seat. God, I’d missed her, and my heart swelled with happiness at the knowledge she was back in my life. “I’m sorry I said all those horrible things to you.” I cringed at the memory of throwing it in her face that she had daddy issues. That had been a low blow.

“Hey, don’t worry about it. We’re good.”

I turned my head to look at her. “Thanks.”

She nodded, resting her head on the seat, too. Just then, Darian and Noah came out of the building. My heart raced at the sight of Darian. “Now that’s a wet dream waiting to happen,” Corrine said.

“I’m sleeping with Darian,” I blurted out.

“I knew it!”

“Shh,” I hushed her, my gaze darting to them then back to her. With both windows down, it would be easy for them to hear her.

Her eyes widened, and she twisted in the seat to face me. “When Noah told me you were here, I knew something was going on.”

“You didn’t say anything to him, did you?” Fear gripped my chest and spread through my body like wildfire. I shouldn’t have told her. I didn’t know why I did, but hearing her saying Darian was a wet dream flipped something inside of me. Jealousy. Or possessiveness, maybe.

“No, of course not.”

Before either of us could say anything else, my dad folded his arms atop the passenger’s window and leaned in. “Everything okay out here?”

“Couldn’t be better,” I said.

“Yep,” Corrine said, giving him a quick kiss. “We’re good.”

I frowned. Watching those two kiss and touch wasn’t going to be easy, but I’d have to suck it up and deal with it, especially knowing I was going to ask my dad to accept seeing me with Darian. “How’s the window?” I asked, needing to change the subject.

“We need to special order one,” Darian said. “In the meantime, I’m going to board it up. I might just remove the damn thing altogether.”

“What? Why? That window has a great view.” I climbed out of the truck.

He pinned me with a hard stare. “It’s dangerous.”

My heart raced, and I had to consciously stop myself from wrapping my arms around him, kissing him, and assuring him that I was fine.

“Darian and I are going to make a run to the hardware store for plywood,” my dad said, breaking my silent stare-off with Darian. “We won’t be gone long.”

I nodded. “Corrine and I can stay here.”

“Shit.” Darian patted his pockets. “I need to grab my wallet.” He headed inside.

Dad smiled. “I’m glad you two are getting along again.” He opened the passenger’s side door and helped Corrine out. She rose up on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on his cheek, which he quickly turned into a full-blown French kiss.

I covered my eyes with my hand. “I really don’t want to see that.” I laughed and went inside. As soon as I stepped through the door, Darian grabbed me around the waist and pinned me against the wall. Keeping one hand on my waist and the other cradling my neck, he kissed me deeply, his lips demanding obedience. And I gave it to him, too. Happily. I moaned into his mouth, and he kissed me harder.

“You have no idea how fucking hard it was not to kiss you out there.” He nipped at my jaw. “When I came out and saw you laughing…” He groaned. “So damn beautiful.”

I tilted my head, hoping he’d keep teasing me with heated kisses.

“We’re telling him as soon as I get back,” he said.

“Yes,” I agreed, fully understanding why Darian was so adamant about not sneaking around. “You’d better go before he comes looking for you.”

He gave me another quick kiss. “Remember, we’re in this together.” He dragged his thumb across my bottom lip, then traced the same path with his tongue. “Just you and me.”

“I know.” I smiled. “Now go.” Reluctantly, I pushed him away, and he headed outside. A moment later, Corrine walked in, a knowing look in her eyes. I tried to fight back a grin, but I couldn’t. I rested my head on the wall and sighed, my knees weak. “Oh my God.” How was it possible to care so much it was a physical ache in every part of your body?

“Spill it, girl. I want details.” Corrine made herself comfortable on the couch.

I sat next to her and told her everything, not leaving out a single detail. “So, the plan is to tell my dad when they get back from the store.”

“Wow. A lot has happened in a few days, huh?” She chuckled.

“Yeah, it has. But I want to be with Darian, and I hope my dad will understand that.”

“Well, I’ll do whatever I can to help him understand.” She winked.

“Thank you, Corrine.” I smiled gratefully. Telling her had been the right thing to do, and I felt a little better about telling my dad, knowing she was in my corner.