And the week pretty much goes along those lines. I pack things up and help get it over there when I’m not working. On Thursday, my dad grabs my last box of things and shakes his head. “Sophie, I really don’t like this.”
“Dad, I’m an adult. Most adults – successful ones – don’t live with their parents.”
“I’m aware of that, but that doesn’t mean I like you moving in with a bunch of guys.”
“So you’d rather me live alone in some studio in New York?” I ask. “I think I can afford that with my salary.”
“No. I’m not saying that either. Look, princess. I just want you safe. I want you close. I want … I want you to stop growing up so damn fast.” He sits on my bed and rubs his hands over his short hair. “I hate thinking of how much time I’ve missed out on, and it was easy to ignore it while you were still living here, and I didn’t know about the other things you were doing.”
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry that we missed out on a lot of summers together, time together.”
“Your prom. Your first boyfriend. Soccer games. Track. Your acceptance to college.” He lists, staring at the wall. “I have plenty of pictures, but it’s not the same.”
“I’m here right now, Dad. There’s so much that you still get to be a part of. My first promotion at work. Birthdays. Maybe a wedding. Parties, celebrating you and mom’s anniversaries. We have so many memories to make still.”
He shrugs.
I nudge him, and he rolls his eyes but takes my hand. “In my head, you’re still sixteen, kiddo. Not some rational all-knowing adult.”
“There’s plenty I don’t know. And I promise to call when I mess up, or my car makes weird noises, or I think someone’s being a creep.”
“And I’ll be your first call?”
I kiss his cheek. “A girl always needs her dad. Always.”
He squeezes my hand and shakes his head. “I don’t care if you think it’s ridiculous. I really don’t want you moving in with them. All I’ll be able to think about is … is …”
“The stuff you guys did with Bella?”
“Stuff I don’t want you knowing about. You shouldn’t know any more than her name as far as I’m concerned.” He points at me. “If that changes ….”
“It won’t change. I’m not curious.” I roll my eyes.
He continues to tap his foot. I clear my throat. “Does Mom have a problem with it?”
“No. We have our own problems right now.”
“Bella related problems?”
“Yeah. I want her to understand that’s the past. I’m not expecting her to be Bella, and I don’t want her to be Bella. But she has a million questions and thinks that the best way to move forward is to know every single detail.”
“Great. I’m sure that’s going to help my case a whole lot.”
Dad actually chuckles and shakes his head. “We’re both going to be in the dog house.”
“Fantastic.”
Dad finally lets me go, but I hear him and Gunner going at it not even thirty minutes later. I roll out my neck and shut my laptop. Gunner promised not to get into it, and everyone else has kept their promise, but Dad went for the hard digs.
Telling Gunner he’s not allowed to drink around me because dad knows how Gunner gets when he’s drunk. As if I don’t. As if I didn’t see it in Italy and beforehand. I roll my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose.
Roman drops down on the couch next to me and rubs my knee before slinging his arm around my shoulders. “In Gunner’s defense, he tried.”
“He tried making off with every single liquor bottle he could find, you mean?” I ask.
Roman chuckles and kisses my temple. “About that date idea … how would you feel about a play? We could do Broadway. Take a walk after, get some street food.”
“I like the sound of that.” I kiss his cheek quickly.