Page 113 of What I Should Have Known

“How does a necklace answer what you do for—” He stopped talking the moment the dog tags slid between his fingers. Holding them close to his face he slowly shook his head. “No. Not only are you immature and impulsive, but you’re also in the military.”

“Yes, sir.”

“So, you’re a coward too. Ashamed of your career that even your mother hides it. From everyone.” He clenched his fist around the dog tags and slammed his hand against the table, rattling the dishware.

“Hank,” Kat’s mom cautioned.

I tipped my chin up and inhaled deeply. “No. I’m not ashamed. I’m a special forces operator in the Navy and most of the shit I do is classified and I can’t talk about it. So, it’s easiest to say nothing at all than try to explain that asking for stories doesn’t make it so I can magically share them.”

“You’re a what?” Levi asked, leaning forward in his seat.

“A special forces operator. I’m a Navy SEAL,” I explained, and both Levi’s and Beau’s mouths fell open. Even Colton and Sawyer leaned back in their seats, a little shocked.

“Now you’re acting like that makes you some big hot shot,” Hank said and threw the dog tags at my chest.

I caught them as they slid toward my lap, and I danced a finger around the edge of the silver metal. “No, sir. Just some guy who’s pretty good at what he does.”

“How long have you been in?”

“Ten years.”

Hank snorted and shook his head. “Which means you didn’t immediately join the military. So, you screwed around for the first few years of adulthood.”

“Dad, seriously. Will you stop?” Kat cried out, and I slid a hand to her thigh.

“It’s all right,” I gently said and then returned my attention to her dad. “I completed my bachelor’s degree in engineering before joining the military.”

“You wasted a perfectly good degree to go and be a disappointment.”

“All right, that’s too far! He’s no disappointment! You’re acting like Wyatt was a catch when he tried to kill Bernie and was caught up in selling drugs. Please, Dad,” Kat exclaimed. “Just stop with the pestering.”

“I won’t stop. You’re my daughter, and I will make sure whoever you’re with is worthy of you,” Hank said.

“I’m fully aware, sir, that I don’t deserve your daughter,” I replied.

“How many people have you slept with?” he blurted out, and Kat’s mom’s eyes widened.

“Hank! That is so inappropriate to ask, especially in front of the kids,” she snapped at him, slamming her palm against the table.

I pulled my hand off Kat’s leg and turned toward her dad. “Respectfully, sir, that is none of your fucking business.”

“How is it not?” he snarled.

“Because there are things that stay between a couple, and that’s one of those. My sex life is my personal business, and believe it or not, it’s something I’ve already discussed with your daughter.” I reached into my pocket as Hank growled.

“If you want to be part of this family, then you need to grow up. Secrets are not allowed because that’s where—”

“Like this one?” I said and slid a picture across the table toward the man.

His eyes narrowed as he lifted the folded photo and studied it. I knew the moment he recognized what it was as his brows raised and he shot a terrified gaze toward me. “What’s this?”

“I knew coming to this dinner tonight, I’d be barraged with a fuck ton of questions. Kat had already explained that you’re not particularly fond of men in the military due to what happened with your wife’s ex-husband. Now, I totally understand that. But something didn’t make sense to me the moment she shared that detail with me.” I folded my hands against the edge of the table as Kat’s dad remained quiet and kept the picture hidden against his chest.

“What didn’t make sense?” he mumbled.

“The first time I met Kat, she was out uniting service dogs with Veterans. It seemed odd that you had so much hate for men in the military yet respected and were proud of your daughter. I knew you were aware of her training those service animals and the purpose of it.”

Kat’s dad leaned back as he slowly shook his head. “You let people think what they want about you, don’t you?”

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