He raises a brow, brushing the hair away from my face. “Why?”
“It shows that you can’t control yourself around me. That you want me so bad, you have to have me right this second.” I smile. “I like that I can make you lose control.”
“I like that I can make you lose control too.” His fingers linger on my cheek, caressing me there. “You know you’re moving in here, right.”
He doesn’t say it like a question. More like a statement. “I am?”
“Yes.” He nods. “No more staying at Savannah’s house. I want you here. All the time.”
His gentle command makes me want to beam with happiness. “What about Chad?”
“What about him?”
“I’m taking away your bachelor pad status for good.” I bite my lip, trying to act like I care. I don’t mind Chad. But I would love for him to eventually move out and for us to have the house all to ourselves.
“His lease is up in the spring. We’ll kick him out then,” Rhett reassures me.
“You own the house, right?”
“I do.”
I’m not comfortable talking about finances with Rhett. And it’s probably going to take a while for me to be comfortable with it. Or maybe I never will, who knows. “Is it the only house you own?”
“In my name? Yes. Once I graduate college and figure out what I want to do, then I’ll buy a house wherever we end up.”
I love, love, love how he uses the word we. That will never get old. “What do you want to do?”
“You know what? I don’t have a clue.” He chuckles and tugs me closer. “That probably makes me a dumbass.”
“No, I think that makes you a guy with a lot of opportunities in front of you, and you’re lucky that you can make a choice,” I say softly.
His laughter dies. “You’re right. Thank you for putting it in perspective.”
“No problem.”
We’re silent for a while, Rhett playing with my hair, me stroking my fingernails lightly along his chest, making goose bumps rise. I could touch him like this for hours. For days. I wonder if he feels the same.
“Did you ever hear from your father?” I finally ask.
“Yeah. He texted me earlier, right before I got to City Lights. Said that he talked to Diane, and she denied everything. All of it. About Craig, about Park” He hesitates and my heart starts to pound. I’m scared of what he’s going to say. “She said she didn’t believe you.”
“She didn’t believe what?” My voice shakes. This is such a big moment, yet it also feels very, very small.
“That you’re her daughter. She told my father she never had a daughter.”
“She actually said that?” I thought it would hurt more, to hear that she denied me. But for some reason, it doesn’t. His words, her denial, it’s all…
Meaningless.
Oh, I can admit I experience a small twinge, hearing Rhett say it, and it’s frustrating, how she can so easily deny everything she’s ever done.
But most important of all, her denial doesn’t hurt. Diane will most likely deny my existence for the rest of her life. She will probably never want to be in a room with me again. That might make for some awkward family encounters, but for once in my life, I don’t care. I don’t care what she thinks of me, I don’t care what she’s doing, and I don’t care that she won’t be a part of my life.
That’s all thanks to Rhett.
“Dad kicked her out of the house. Told her she couldn’t live with him anymore and promised he would file for divorce by the end of the year,” he continues.
“Is she going to take him for all he’s worth?” I’m sure she will. She’s greedy. Always has been.