37. Chapter Thirty-Seven
Jason’s mom and mine step out of his room, whispering quietly to themselves. Jason’s mom must not know we’ve had issues. That or she’s just happy her son has a visitor, because she’s agreed to let me see him.
His gaze trails me as I sit down in the chair next to his bed. My dad stays by the door, his arms crossed over his chest.
“Hey,” I say quietly after a few seconds.
“Hey,” he rasps, closing his eyes as he swallows. “Why are you here, Kelsie?”
“Why does everyone keep asking me that?”
He laughs weakly.
I bite my lip and scoot forward, wrapping my hand around his arm. “You’re not like Matt, you know?”
His eyes open but remain focused on the ceiling. “I am just like him,” he argues, void of all emotion.
My dad grunts in agreement.
“You are not.” I squeeze his hand.
His head rolls my way, and he finally gives me his full attention. “You’re only saying that because he told you I agreed to go along with his plan.”
My head pulls back. “What plan?”
A look of surprise passes over his face, followed by regret and something else … relief.
“So, you really do believe I’m not like Matt?” he asks.
I rise slowly, nodding. “Did he … did Tank do this to you?”
He lunges for my hand before I can pull away. My dad takes a step away from the wall.
“Kelsie, he didn’t do this to me, he did this for me. He’s giving me a second chance.”
I don’t understand.
“Time’s up,” my dad says, grabbing Jason’s hand and roughly tossing it aside. “Let’s go.”
Jason and I stare at each other as my dad pulls me from the room. Tank did do this … and Jason agreed to it. But why?
“Everything okay?” my mom asks, quickly saying goodbye to Jason’s mom as my dad drags me past them. She jogs to catch up to us.
“We’ll talk in the car,” he tells her.
When we get there, my dad turns around in his seat. “If Tank had something to do with this, you don’t need to know any more about it than you already do.”
My mouth falls open. “I … I don’t know a damn thing.”
“That’s good.” He turns around, mumbling under his breath.
“Do you?”
He backs out, ignoring me.
“You know something, don’t you?”
My mom’s gaze bounces between the two of us, and I scoot forward, hanging over his seat.
“Seatbelt,” he says.
I fall back, giving up. “I want permission to write to Tank.”
Since he doesn’t want to talk about how Jason ended up in the hospital, maybe he’ll give in more quickly to avoid my questions.
He sighs loudly. “No.”
“Mom, we should go visit Jason again tomorrow,” I say to her.
She tips her head like an owl. “Don’t drag me in to whatever this is.” She waves her hand between my dad and me.
“You can even read the letters. Just …” I growl, I’m so frustrated. Step out of the shadows. Show them who you are. “My heart aches for connection, Dad.”
He begins to make the argument that I have plenty of connections. I stop him.
“With a man.” My gaze meets his in the mirror.
“You have a connection with Ash.”
My mother and I both laugh. “Oh, so now it’s okay for me to connect with Ash? Okay.”
“I didn’t say that.” He looks over his shoulder to change lanes.
I switch tactics. Lexi was right. I think this is a good time, because the man is trapped in the car with me for another hour.
“I don’t even really know him. Maybe if I did, I wouldn’t like him. Maybe you’re right. Maybe he is too old for me, and we’ll have nothing in common.”
“I never said that he was too old for you. Don’t put words in my mouth, little girl.” His stern eyes meet mine in the mirror, but I see he’s thinking about what I said.
Yay!
My mom shakes her head, turning her attention out her window. “You two are ridiculous.”
Despite her words, I see her smile in the reflection of the glass.
“Please,” I beg.
“Fine. But I read every word.” He turns the radio up but not before saying how crazy he must be for letting his daughter write to her stalker.
My sexy stalker.
I smile, snuggling down in my seat.
Kelsie two, Dad zero.