Page 97 of Tickled Pink

I brace myself for another one of Thad’s deep kisses as the doors close and we continue our ascent upward.

“Thad, are you okay?” Max asks, his voice full of concern.

I look at them, only now noticing the sudden lack of color on Thad’s face.

“Yeah,” he answers. “I’m good.”

“Did you know he was here?”

“Nope.”

I shift to face them. “What’d I miss? Who was that man?” I ask.

Thad swallows hard. “That, Phoebe, was my father.”

Chapter Thirty-Two

Thad

I haven’t seen my father in years.

The man booted me out of the house the day I graduated from high school. No warning. No safety net. He expected me to just figure shit out, the way he did and his father did. That old Hemsley man rite of passage.

In hindsight, I guess I’m okay with it. If he didn’t do that, I wouldn’t have joined the Air Force. I wouldn’t have become a pilot. I probably wouldn’t have fallen for Phoebe Pink. Hell, maybe Max and I wouldn’t be the way we are now. I don’t want to think about who I’d be today otherwise.

Things worked out.

Still salty about it, though.

“Thad, we can go home,” Max says behind me. “Don’t think we have to stay.”

I turn away from the window, the glorious New York City skyline even better from all the way up here in the penthouse suite. “What?” I ask. “No way. I’m not going anywhere.”

He looks at me, his eyes full of concern. Phoebe paces behind, clearly attempting to look busy as she unpacks her suitcase and hangs up her dresses. “Thad…”

“No, Max. How long have I been talking about my thirtieth birthday?” I ask.

He snorts. “Since we were kids.”

I list it off with my fingers. “Botsford, buddies, booze, and bimbos,” I say. “The alliteration has changed, but the general vibe has not.” I list it all again. “Botsford. You. Her. I will not let Rutger Hemsley ruin the night I’ve been looking forward to for so long.”

“They named him Rutger Hemsley?!” Phoebe asks with amusement. “Did they want a comic book villain? Because I’m pretty sure that’s how you raise a comic book villain.”

Max smiles, unable to smother it despite his serious eyes. “You’re sure?” he asks me.

“I’m sure. We’re never even going to see him. There’s a do not disturb on the room and once I’m naked, I don’t plan on getting dressed again, so…” I snap my fingers twice, then point at him. “You. Get naked. You.” I point at Phoebe across the room. “Also naked. Now.”

Phoebe flings off her blouse. “Okay!”

“That’s my girl!” I say as I give the knot on my tie a firm yank.

Max doesn’t move. “Thad.”

“Less talky, Max. More skin.”

“Did you know he’d be here?” he asks again, his voice low, only for the two of us as Phoebe stumbles out of her pants.

“At the hotel? No.”

---