Page 35 of Backstroke

“It’s nice to finally meet you, Remington. I’ve heard so much about you,” her soft voice lingers in the air.

“I wish I could say the same,” I reply flatly.

“Remington,” my father warns.

“It’s alright, dear,” she says, her voice soothing. She rests her hand gently on his forearm, her touch softening his stern expression. My father, the man who rarely shows any emotion, is looking at her with genuine affection?What is he playing at?I’m about to demand answers when the hairs on my neck prickle. Before I can turn, I hear her soft voice.

“Mom?” Fallon’s voice is barely a whisper. My mind races.Mom? Fallon’s mom? How is that possible?I turn slowly, my heart pounding in my chest. Fallon stands frozen, her eyes wide with shock. She gulps, then looks from me to Abigail. The restaurant seems to fade away, the soft clinking of cutlery and murmured conversations becoming distant as the tension between us grows. The air leaves my lungs as I take in the sexy little dress Fallon chose to wear tonight. It’s black like the one she wore to the party, but a little more conservative. Her long hair is curled to the side and pinned in place.

“Honey! I’m so glad you could make it,” she beams as she pulls her in for a hug. Fallon’s arms hang limply at her sides, her eyes never leaving mine.What the hell is going on here?

“Remington, this is my daughter, Fallon. She’s attending the same university with you.” Fallon looks horrified.

“We’ve met,” I announce, my voice flat. Fallon’s eyes widen, and she looks at me, her face a mix of shock and confusion.

Abigail’s eyes dart between us, clearly taken aback. “You have?” she asks, her voice tinged with surprise.

“Yes,” I smirk, my gaze fixed on Fallon. “We’ve had a few classes together.” The lie slips easily from my lips, but the truth is far more complicated.

Fallon’s face flushes and she looks down at her hands, clearly uncomfortable. “I didn’t realize you knew each other,” Abigail claims, trying to regain her composure.

“Honey, this is Remington’s father, Benjamin.” He holds out his hand for her to shake. He’s always so fucking formal, but the minute her hands slips into his, I see red. I don’t want anyone touching what’s mine, especially him.

“Since everyone’s here, shall we take our seats?” My father’s voice cuts through the tension, his tone commanding as always. He gestures to the table and we all move to sit, the air thick with unspoken questions.

I take a seat across from Abigail, my eyes never leaving her face. Fallon sits beside me, her hands trembling slightly as she places them in her lap. My father sits at the head, his presence dominating the space.

Fallon shifts uncomfortably beside me, her eyes darting around the room, as if looking for an escape.Yeah, you and I both, little fox.“Mom, what’s going on?” she asks, her voice wavering.

Abigail’s smile falters and she glances at my father before answering. “Fallon, there’s something we need to discuss. Something important.”

My father leans forward, his hand covering Abigail’s. “Remington, Fallon, Abigail and I have been seeing each other for some time now.”The fuck?The reality of what he’s saying falls over the table. I glance at Fallon, the same shock written across her face.

At the most inopportune time, the waitress appears.

“Good evening. My name is Samantha and I will be your server. What would you like to drink?” She scribbles down our orders, then disappears as quickly as she came.

My father’s words hang in the air, heavy and suffocating. I feel a surge of anger and betrayal but I force myself to stay calm.

“Seeing each other?” I echo, my voice cold.

“Yes,” Abigail says softly. “We couldn’t keep it a secret any longer,” she trails off, looking to my father for guidance.

My father clears his throat. “We understand this is a lot to take in, but we hope you can accept it.”

I take a deep breath, trying to process everything. “Why now?” I ask, my voice barely steady. “Why tell us now?”

Abigail looks down at her hands, her expression pained. “Because we got married,” she says quietly.

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. I glance at Fallon, who looks as shocked as I feel. My father’s expression is unreadable, but there’s a hint of satisfaction in his eyes. The bastard.

“Married?” Fallon echoes, her voice breaking. She looks back at me and I can see the swirl of questions going through her mind, but most of all she looks hurt. The anger I’ve been barely containing threatens to explode. I hate seeing that pained expression on her face, unless I’m the cause. No one else gets to torment her but me.

Abigail reaches out to touch Fallon’s hand, but she pulls away, her eyes filled with tears. “You’ve been seeing each other behind our backs?” she asks, her voice trembling.

I can’t hold back any longer. “And you thought now was the right time?” I snap, my anger finally breaking through. “In the middle of a restaurant, with no warning?”

My father’s expression hardens. “Watch your tone, Remington. This is difficult for all of us.” He looks around, making sure we haven’t drawn the attention of others, but that’s the last thing on my mind. He should have known this news wouldn’t be well received. That’s why he did this in public. It’s all starting to make sense now.

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