Chapter 63
CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE
HEATHER
I sat in an upscale Italian restaurant in the heart of Pittsburgh across from Dad and twisted my fork around the pasta on my plate. My stomach had been in knots since I had sat down because I didn t know what to say to him. I didn t think I needed to say anything.
While I completely understood that no father wanted to see their daughter sucking off his business partner, I had apologized multiple times and felt terrible about it. There was nothing else for me to say to him.
“So”—Dad cleared his throat—“how was your Christmas?”
“Good,” I whispered.
Another long pause fell over the table, and Dad shifted uncomfortably.
“How was yours?” I asked, my heart stinging from the anticipation of him telling me how wonderful life was with Evelyn. And I mean, I was beyond happy for him, but I … I just wished that he would apologize to me too.
Dad grabbed his glass of whiskey and sipped. “Terrible.”
After snapping my gaze up to him, I widened my eyes. “Terrible?”
Spending time with Evelyn was great, Dad clarified. But I I missed you.
My lips quivered, and I dropped my gaze back down to my food so he wouldn’t see the tears in my eyes. I didn’t want to show him how much he’d hurt me because he was hurt too. And talking about our feelings together was never really our thing.
“I missed you too,” I whispered so softly that I almost didn’t hear myself.
You did? he asked in disbelief.
Gaze flickering back up to him, I nodded. “Yes.”
He stared back at me with a plethora of emotions crossing his face, and then he finally settled on a frown and sad, desperate eyes. “I’m sorry that I didn’t call you or make an effort to see you yesterday. I … I haven’t been able to stop thinking about how I failed you.”
You didn t fail me, I said. Maybe pressured me a lot, but you didn t fail me.
“But, Heather …”
Stop it, Dad. It s weird, especially now that you re dating someone my age. What does her father think about you two? Does he think he failed her? I asked, realizing quickly that maybe her dad didn t even know about them yet. Even if he doesn t know, how do you feel about her because I know it s more than you hooking up with her? You re happier.
Dad looked at me for a long time in silence, then dropped his gaze. “It’s hard.”
“What’s hard?” I asked. “Being with Evelyn? Because that looks easy for you. I saw how you were with her the other day at the coffee shop.”
“He’s my business partner,” Dad said. “And you’re my daughter. It’s hard, Heather.”
Well, I whispered, it s not going to get any easier for you.
As the words tumbled out of my mouth, I realized how harsh they’d sounded, but I meant every single last word. I didn’t want to apologize to him anymore about my feelings toward Hector.
We shouldn’t have kept it a secret, sure.
But I loved him.
Way more than anyone else.
“I have—” I started.
I m sor- Dad started at the same time.
After smacking my lips together, I glanced across the table at Dad and stayed quiet. I never thought that those words would leave his mouth, never mind ever being said to me for how he’d acted. But maybe he was apologizing for something else …
I m sorry for the way that I treated you and for the way you felt like you needed to go behind my back, Dad said, avoiding eye contact with me because, again, feelings were not our forte with each other. You re an adult and allowed to make your own decisions about who you date and spend your time with. I m sorry.
I pressed my lips together and nodded. “I forgive you.”
Dad snapped his gaze up to mine and furrowed his brows. “You do?”
Yes, but I m not going to stop seeing Hector, I said, sitting up a bit taller and finally feeling a bit more confident in who I truly was. I love him, and we re in more than just a contractual relationship with each other.
“I understand,” Dad said, a small smile creeping onto his face.
“And also …” I paused, unsure if I should continue. “There’s something else.”
Dad s smile tightened, and a strained laugh left his mouth. Please, don t tell me that you re pregnant.
A giggle bubbled up past my lips, and I shook my head. No, I m not pregnant. We re smarter than that. Although we never wore any protection, but he didn t need to know that. I ve decided that I m not going to work with you anymore. It s not what I want to do, and I know that you ve wanted me to, especially if Aaron isn t going to one day run the company. But it s not going to happen, and I don t want
When I realized that I was just rambling away, I sucked in a breath and stared back at him. It was a bad habit that I had tried to get rid of since I’d left high school, but it always came back when defending myself in front of him.
“Okay,” Dad said. “That’s fine.”
My eyes widened. “You’re not mad?”
“Why would I be mad?”
“Because I thought that …”
Dad arched a brow. “That I’d be mad at you for not wanting to do what I do?”
“Yes,” I squeaked, feeling like a mouse.
I ve come to realize that I don t care what you do with your life, Heather. I just want you to be happy. And from what I can tell, Hector makes you happier than you used to be. So, I m okay with whatever you decide to do with your life.
“Are you sure?” I asked.
“Yes.” He paused. “Why?”
“Because … right now …” I’m kinda just Hector’s whore. “I’m just trying to figure it all out.”
Dad smiled at me. “That’s okay.”
“Okay …”
We fell into another silence, but this time, it wasn’t as awkward as the first few.
Dad smiled at me from across the table, and I smiled back, finally feeling like I had him back in my corner again.