Page 82 of Tempting Him

Once I made it to the room, Dad showed up a minute later, and Mom and Janae could tell something had happened. Mom pushed it aside, instead focusing on seeing me for the first time in several months. We talked about graduation, work, their new puppy, and how she’s happy to be on vacation. Dad fumed silently, grunting responses, and I avoided looking at him. He didn’t mention Alek, so I didn’t either. I only stayed an hour before needing to flee, promising Mom and Janae that I’d be back tomorrow morning so we could go have breakfast.

I wanted to go straight back to his room and plead with him to stay, but I guess it wouldn’t do any good. He’s made up his mind, and he’s right, it was always going to end. I just hate that it’s ending right after our first kiss. We could’ve had two weeks of kissing. We could’ve had more.

After leaving the hotel, I drove around for hours before finally making it home and dropping to my bed. The desire to text Alek was high, but I didn’t, and I never heard from him either.

Now, as I’m getting ready to go meet my family for breakfast, dread knots up in my stomach. I’m not ready to face my dad again. I don’t know if he told them anything and if I’m about to be met with three people telling me how wrong and stupid I was to sleep with Alek.

I pull up outside the IHOP my mom told me to meet them at, and as soon as I step inside, I spot my mom waving me over to a table near the window.

“Hey, baby.”

“Hey, Mom.”

“Hi, ugly,” my sister greets, barely looking up from her phone.

“What’s up, snitch?”

She looks up, tucking a long braid behind her ear. “What?”

“I know you’re keeping Mom and Dad up to date on my social media posts.”

She snickers. “Oh. I was mad at you.”

“For what? I’m all the way over here.”

“I think it was when you said you wouldn’t buy me those shoes I wanted.”

I shake my head and Mom laughs. “We told her no, too. She needs to learn to save up some of her allowance, plus who pays over two hundred dollars for shoes?”

Dad’s quiet in the corner, not chiming in like he usually would.

“So, what’s been going on, baby?” Mom asks, looking over the menu. “How’s life? Are you excited to be done with college?”

“Yeah, I am excited, but I also can’t believe it either. Now that it’s almost over, it feels like it went by really fast.”

“That’s how it goes,” she says with a nod. “And your internship? How’s that been?”

Both me and Dad stiffen. Clearly he hasn’t mentioned anything to her. “It’s been really good. I’ve learned a lot. It’s definitely been more hands-on learning than in class.” Dad scoffs but hides it by clearing his throat before drinking his coffee.

“That’s good. When do they choose who gets the job?”

“The end of next week.”

“You’re working with Mr. Drakos, right? I really like him. Kind of stiff, but friendly.”

Dad pins me with a glare. I look away and notice Janae watching us. I give her a forced smile before responding to my mom.

“Yeah. He’s nice.”

I keep it simple, hoping to keep my dad from popping a blood vessel.

Once we start eating, Dad begins to join in on the conversation. We’re able to act like we’re not avoiding each other by responding to the same questions, giving our responses one after the other, however, we’re still not actually communicating. If Mom notices, she doesn’t bring it up, but Janae seems to be more aware.

After we’re done eating, we all go to the zoo. My mom likes to visit the zoo no matter where we visit, so we walk around looking at animals and feeding the ones we’re allowed to. At one point, me and Janae are left alone while Mom and Dad wander around a gift shop.

“What’s up with you and Dad?” she asks.

“Nothing. Why?”

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