CHAPTER SIX #3
When I open the door, I can feel the tension in the air.
I look, and everyone but Dad is looking at me.
Dad looks more upset than I’ve ever seen him, and right now, he’s staring down Emmett like he’s the prey to be hunted.
Well, I’m not gonna let that happen, no matter how much I love my dad.
I speak up before any of them can fly off the handle.
“Dad! Dad, stop trying to kill him with a Vulcan stare or whatever it is you’re doing.
” His glare turns to me as there are a couple of chuckles from others in the room.
He’s standing on the other side of the table with his hands on his hips.
“I’m sorry if I’m staring down the man who defiled my little girl.
I’m actually not sor—” Oh for Pete’s sake.
“Dad! I’m sorry that you seem to have forgotten that I’m not a little girl and am in fact twenty-four years old!
I’m an adult, and as much as it probably hurts you to hear this, Emmett here was not the man to whom I lost my virginity.
” Both Samson and Saxon groan at that little nugget of information.
Dad’s look hasn’t changed, but he’s moved to look at me.
“If you’re pregnant from a fling, you know you don’t have to stick with him.
In fact, I don’t even see why he’s here.
” I glance up at Emmett for a second. He squeezes my hand, and I look back at Dad.
“It’s not a fling. We’ve been seeing each other for months.
We love each other and are in love with each other.
” Dad scoffs at me. “You’re too young to know what real love is. ”
Oh, he did not. I’ve never yelled at my dad, but I guess that streak is coming to an end. I will not have him question my being an adult or my capacity to know when I’m in love with someone.
I step forward, put both hands on the table, and lean closer to Dad as I speak.
“I’m the same age you were when Samson and Saxon were born.
I’ll actually be a year older when our baby is born.
Are you telling me that you weren’t old enough then to know what real love was?
You weren’t old enough to make your own decisions about your life?
You and I both know you were. Hell, by the time you were my age, Dad, you were setting up your tattoo shop, becoming a dad to these two, and had learned some…
hard lessons along the way. Do you not trust me and my judgment to know what is right for myself? ”
Dad's glare goes back and forth between the two of us before he speaks again. “If you are so in love like you claim to be, why in the hell is this the first we’re all hearing about it, and why the fuck didn’t you fucking introduce us before this?
” For the first time, Emmett speaks up. “I know you’re upset at our news, but respectfully, sir, do not swear at Kinsley and do not question her commitment to me or our child.
” It’s probably good that Emmett spoke up because I was about to comment on the pot calling the kettle black about not telling everyone.
Dad stares down Emmett. “You’re lucky there’s a fucking table between us.
I don’t know who you are—” Emmett interrupts Dad, and he responds in that deep voice that has me thinking naughty thoughts at a moment they should be furthest from my mind.
“Deputy Emmett Wood, Loowit County Sheriff. Son of Brooks and Ada Wood. Father to Booker and our little one on the way. Partner to Kinsley and your future son-in-law.” Oh, he laid it all out there like that.
If I didn’t know any better, penises would be whipped out and measured here any second.
“That’s where I recognized you from! You pulled me over and gave me a ticket last year for speeding.” Leave it to Saxon to unintentionally slightly break the tension in the room.
Erik stands up, puts an arm on Dad, and gets him to look at him for a moment.
“You know, maybe we need to sit on this information for a bit. Kinsley just shared that she’s met someone and it’s serious.
She also shared that she’s expecting your grandbaby.
Why don’t we go out to the main room, introduce him around, and get to know him?
I think emotions are running high, and no one wants to say anything that can’t be undone. ”
Dad looks at Erik and then back at us. “I think I need to have a conversation with Emmett alone for a moment, and then we can go back out and join everyone.” Emmett gives Dad that chin-lift thing guys do.
I don’t like this idea at all. I shake my head, and Emmett takes his life in his hands and leans down and gives me a quick kiss.
“It’s alright, baby. I’ll be fine. Nothing he says is gonna change things between you and me.
” I know he believes that, but I’m not convinced he’ll leave this room in one piece.
I give his hand one more squeeze before I leave the room, followed by my brothers, Erik, and Rory.
Jon closes the door, leaving himself and Jonah in there with them.
I really hope Emmett is alright. I know he’s strong and can handle himself but I also know he’s a good man and won’t swing back at my dad if he does punch him.
I sit in a chair at the nearest table, watching the door, willing it to open.
I know a few people join me at the table, but I can’t take my eyes off the door, so I don’t see who it is until someone next to me speaks up.
“Are you ashamed of us? Is that why you didn’t introduce us to your man?
” I spin and am surprised it’s Saxon who asked that.
Samson, who’s sitting next to him, speaks up.
“Do you think we would embarrass you or something?” I shake my head.
“I’m not ashamed at all. In fact, I’m proud of my family and what you guys have accomplished.
Dad, too. My not sharing my relationship with Emmett had more to do with me than anything else.
” Samson leans his elbows on his knees and gives me a look that he usually saves for Saxon.
“You’re gonna have to elaborate on that, little sis, because it sure looks like you didn’t want your lawman to meet your misfit family. ”
I shake my head, and the words just come out of me.
“Like I said, my not telling you had nothing to do with me feeling ashamed or like you would embarrass me. It had to do with me! I’m not the prize.
I’m not the one who guys notice or try to talk to.
I’ve got extra junk in the trunk, and my size is never going to be a single digit.
I’ve always been the friend, the nerd. I was fine with that till the day I met Emmett.
I couldn’t believe someone like him—someone that good-looking, tall, sweet, funny, and successful—would even be interested in me.
He’s good and made me see my worth to him.
He makes me feel special. I just…I just got in my head about it.
I know Dad doesn’t see me as a grown-up and still sees me as the little girl who liked to wear puffy dresses and spin in them.
I just knew he was going to have a problem with anyone I brought around.
So I didn’t because I wanted to live in my happy bubble as long as possible.
I admit I waited too long and should have brought him around months ago.
So sue me. It’s not like any one of us has had the normal route to a relationship. ”
Saxon looks like he’s trying to dissect me, and it’s a little unnerving till he speaks up.
“You lumped us in with Dad. I know he’s always seen you as his little girl, but we haven’t.
” Samson, for once, is on the same page as Saxon and tacks on to the conversation.
“You are special, Kins. Not just ‘cause we’re biased as your big brothers, but because you are, just by being you. You’re fucking way smarter than just about anyone else we know. ”
Tears threaten to fall again because apparently, they happen a lot nowadays.
I look at both of them. “I can’t go back in time to change things, but I really am sorry.
I hope you can forgive me and get to know Emmett.
He means the world to me. You both would get a kick out of his kid, Booker.
The kid is a riot and super smart.” Saxon walks over to me, pulls me up, and gives me a hug.
A moment later, I feel Samson behind me, and they give me a sandwich hug like they’ve given me for as long as I can remember.
Samson speaks up behind me. “We’ll get to know him.
We just want you happy, sis. Plus, we gotta prepare to be uncles. Your little one is gonna love us.”
I hear a door open, and I spin around to see Dad come out and head straight to the bar without looking at me, wearing a scowl on his face. Erik looks at me, gives me a small smile, and follows Dad.
Emmett walks up, and I can’t help but pat him down to make sure he’s all in one piece. “Sweetheart, I’m fine. Nothing happened but a conversation.” He pulls me into him and kisses my temple. “Now, why don’t you introduce me to your family?”
Emmett
Five minutes earlier
I watch the door close and wait to hear what her dad has to say.
I know his dream come true would be ripping me to shreds, but that ain’t gonna fucking happen.
I could speak up and tell this man that he needs to get with the program if he wants to spend any time with his grandchild, and that his daughter will be hurt if he doesn’t get over himself.
But knowing how much he means to her, I’m gonna hear what he has to say.
He moves around the table to stand in front of me.
He’s not a small man, but is a couple of inches shorter than me.
Jon speaks up behind me. “I want you both to remember that Kinsley loves both of you and won’t want to see either of you walk out of the room hurt.
And I really don’t want to have to break anything up between you two. ”