“Oh god, Ari, I’m so sorry.” He wrapped his arms around me, and his warmth engulfed me. This was why I came back. I’d forgotten what it felt like to have someone care about me and not just because of what I could do for them. I’d forgotten how to feel. The blood running through my veins turned to ice and cut off my emotions for every wrong deed I committed.
“You promised.” I sniffed hard. “You were supposed to stop her.”
“Jesus, Ari, you’re killing me every time I think about what you went through.” He rubbed my back comfortingly. “Tell me he was at least good to you.”
He was worse. He made a monster seem like an imaginary friend. What he’d done to me…I could never forget. And thankfully, I didn’t need to forgive a dead man.
“He wasn’t a good father like you.” The understatement of the year. “But he wasn’t so bad.”
“I don’t get why you didn’t call me. Why did you stay if you wanted to come back?”
Because dear Mom had been smart and ensured I had no choice in the matter.
“I thought it was best.”
He scoffed. “A whole lot of good that did. Only when she walked out did she admit you didn’t have a choice in leaving. She seemed positive I’d see you again. Told me to ask you why you had to leave when I did.”
“I didn’t want to be responsible for your marriage falling apart.” I pulled back from his chest so I could see his face. I had to know if he believed the words coming out of my mouth. “I knew she’d been acting crazy about us, accusing you of sleeping with me. I was afraid she would do something stupid like make an untrue report to the police.”
His body stiffened against mine. He dropped his arms and stepped back.
“Your mother had issues.”
If he thought she had issues boy, was he in for a shock.
“Yeah, she did.”
He walked over to the counter, ripped off a couple of paper towels, and returned to me. He raised his hand, then paused and handed me the towel.
“Your mascara’s running a little,” he said.
I giggled. “I missed this. Having someone around who doesn’t disapprove every time I wear makeup and a dress.”
“Whatever makes you happy, Ari.”
What if I tell you that being with you would make me happy?
“I should probably go upstairs and clean this makeup off.” I felt better now that I was a hundred percent sure he hadn’t been in on my mother’s crazy plot to send me away. It had weighed heavier on me than I’d thought.
I would have forgiven him for it, but this was so much better.
“You do that, and I’ll get the ice cream and pie for us,” he said.
“Sounds good.”
I shuffled past him, but he stepped neatly in my way.
“I came to find you, you know.”
My breath caught in my throat. This I hadn’t expected.
“You did?”
“Yes, but I was too late. The neighbors told me you already moved on with your dad, and I wasn’t sure where else to look.”