And I punched the bed with my fist.

…takes care of business. I reluctantly finished.

Make it happen, and thank you, he shot back.

I threw off my shirt and jumped in the hot shower, lulling me into some fucking peace and quiet for once in the last twenty-four hours.

I still couldn’t believe I’d hit my father. I’d never done that before, even to defend myself that summer.

I didn’t know why that comment about Tate having another man’s babies had gotten me so angry. My father had accomplished what he’d set out to do, and I’d fallen for it again.

I couldn’t think of myself as a father, now or any time in the future.

But one thing was for certain. Whether it was now or ten years from now, I didn’t want Tate having anyone else’s kids.

But someday she’d want them. Most people did.

And I swallowed the baseball-size lump that it wasn’t going to be me in her future.

It was Monday morning, and I was breaking and entering for the first time in my life. Of my own free will, anyway.

My hands weren’t even shaking as I loaded the key into the lock and walked into the Brandts’ empty house. Tate had left for school a half hour ago, and I was a little aggravated that I was late for school, too. I’d hoped she’d be off early this morning, doing whatever she did in the chemistry lab, but not today. She’d left late, and now I was behind.

Tate’s dad wanted me to find out what she wanted for her birthday like we were friends or some shit, and he knew better. The only way I was going to find out the answer was to ask her, and our relationship wasn’t on good foundations.

Date: 2015-02-16; view: 585