I can’t stop gaping and realize I don’t know what to say. “Um….”
“It’s good to see you, sweetie,” he says, ignoring the fact that I look extremely confused, and apparently ignoring the fact that I’ve been ignoring him for the past few months. Dad reaches for me and draws me into his arms, the same way he did when I was a kid and I can’t help that desperate need within me to feel love from my father. I sink into him and let him hold me as I’m hit with the realization of just how much I’ve missed him. “I missed you.”
“I missed you, too,” I murmur into his chest, and just like that, all the pain I’ve held within me dissipates as though it was never there. He’s my dad and although I sometimes hate on him, I still love him with every inch of my being.
“Come on,” he says, pulling back. “Why don’t you come and have breakfast with your mother and I before you rush off to school?”
I can’t help but cringe. “I, um… can’t,” I tell him, wondering if what I’m about to do is the right thing. “Nate’s taking me to pick up my car.”
Anger flashes behind his eyes but he manages to keep himself together. “I thought you called things off with Nathaniel?”
“I did,” I tell him, stepping into him and looking up into the eyes that are so similar to mine. “I love him, daddy, and whether we’re apart or not, that’s never going to change.”
“I don’t like it,” he tells me.
“I’m not asking you to. I’m asking you to accept it. He’s stood by me through everything that’s happened over the past eight months. He was there for me when Nanna died, when you got sent away. When I had appendicitis, he slept by my bedside when you and mom couldn’t be there. He-”
“He loves her,” mom murmurs from behind dad.
Dad watches me, his eyes studying mine and trying to see within me. “This thing between you two is more than just a schoolgirl crush, isn’t it?”
“So much more,” I tell him.
Dad slowly nods his head and lets out a deep sigh as he watches me. “Ok,” he whispers. “I’ll give you my blessing, but I still stand by what I said two months ago. I don’t want him bringing his rebellious lifestyle down on you.”
“He doesn’t want that either. He’s worked really hard to keep me away from it.”
Dad lets out a breath. “Fine. Now,” he adds. “What happened to your car?”
My eyes flick to mom who blanches. Yep, she forgot about that one and I guess I have all of three seconds to decide if I’m going to tell him that some crazy bitch slashed my tire because of Nate.
Ahhhhh, no. Especially when he only just accepted that I want to be with him. I’m not about to shoot myself in the foot. “I got a flat a few weeks ago and I didn’t notice so I kept driving on it and sort of destroyed the rim,” I explain. “It’s been in the shop ever since.”
Dad cringes and I don’t doubt he wants to curse me out for being so stupid, but the sound of Nate’s Mustang outside draws our attention. “I guess you have to go,” dad murmurs.
“Yeah,” I say, giving him a tight smile.
“Alright,” he says, placing a hand on my lower back and leading me towards the door, “but don’t think you’ve gotten away with the whole suspension thing. We’re going to talk about that as soon as you get home. Which is right after school by the way.”
I can’t help but smile up at him as he opens the door. I have the whole day to come up with an excuse about the suspension, but for now, I’m just happy he’s here. “Love you, dad.”
“Love you too,” he says, pulling me into him again and giving me a tight squeeze. He holds me for a silent moment. “I’m sorry, Tora. I hate how strained our relationship has been over the past few months, but I promise you, I’m going to make it right. I didn’t mean to come down so hard on you. I just hated seeing what was going on and then the fire happened-”
“Dad,” I say, cutting him off. “It’s ok. I get it.”
Dad releases me and looks down at me with a fond smile before turning toward the sleek Mustang sitting at the bottom of the stairs. “Do I want to know what happened to the Camaro?”
I shake my head and laugh. “No,” I say before rushing down the stairs. I look back over my shoulder. “I’ll see you later.”
Dad nods and a second later, he closes the door between us.
A smile rips across my face as I turn back to Nate. Having that conversation with my dad was like getting the big green light. There’s finally nothing standing in the way of me and Nate being together, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to make Nate sweat a little. After all, he shattered my heart in a way I’m positive I’ll never forget.