Page 61 of Tight Spot

“Yeah, honey.” I kissed her forehead. “Remember how your friend Margo reacted? That happens.”

“A lot?”

“Sometimes. You need to call them back?”

She worried her lip in between her teeth and then a pretty pink blush rose on her cheeks. “You’re right. My dad knows who you are and he’s not really happy.”

“What do you mean?”

She curled up next to me and held her phone out. On her screen was a text message, and I quickly scanned it.

At your house and you’re not here which only tells me you’re one place. We need to talk about this association you have with Dawson Butler. ASAP.

Damn.Her dad probably didn’t like me all that much to begin with, but until this year, I’d never made the news for anything bad. I’d never made the news at all except for being called rude to reporters. Excuse me for not wanting to sit behind a table and answer idiotic questions after we lost a game. We played bad. The other team played better. I should have been able to say that, but instead, social media critics started claiming I wasn’t a team player and didn’t support my QB or coach. Total and utter bullshit.

“Don’t think your dad likes me very much.”

“Doesn’t matter.” Her thumbs started wildly flying across her screen, and she hit send before I could catch more words than dare, not your house, and call you when I feel like.

“Hailey. What was that for?”

She flung sheets off her waist and practically jumped out of the bed. If I thought she was cute not giving me credit for who I was, or not knowing, she was glorious as she started pacing next to my bed.

“Twenty-four years old, Dawson. I am twenty-four freaking years old, was supposed to be married this year, and my dad thinks it’s okay to show up at my house? The house I worked for? The house I paid for to lecture me about a man I spend time with? It’s absurd.”

Well, yeah. She had a point. “Is it bad he’s worried?”

“No.” She spun, faced me and slammed her hands to her thighs. The loud slap of her palm against skin echoed in the room. “No, it is not bad he’s worried, but they treat me like a baby. Still, all of them. Hell, my brothers freaking texted and it’s what? Five in the morning there? It’s freaking ridiculous. I’m allowed to live my life the way they’ve always had the freedom to. Ugh!”

She spun on her heels and rushed to the bathroom. She slammed the door so hard it rattled the hinges.

I didn’t quite care about her parents being concerned about me. I didn’t quite care what many people thought of me, period. With how hot she burned, how quickly, I took it this wasn’t the first time her parents crossed a boundary she didn’t appreciate.

At least she had a family who cared.

Unfortunately, in a few months when we ended this, her parents would probably give her theI told you sospeech, and that sucked.

Although the knot in my chest tightening at the thought made me uncertain. Was I actually concerned about them liking me? Or was it the thought of us ending things?

“Damn,” I groaned and climbed out of bed. After pulling on a fresh pair of shorts from my closet shelves, Hailey exited the bathroom. She’d washed her face, probably brushed her teeth.

After our last round last night, I’d gone downstairs and brought up the overnight bag she’d brought with her and she went straight to that on my dresser, grabbed her clothes, and marched right back to my bathroom before slamming the door again.

A clear stay out message to me. Awesome.

I gave her the time she needed and hurried downstairs instead. After I used the bathroom there, I was in the kitchen, making coffee when she entered. The plunk of her bag on my floor alerted me to her presence first and when I faced her, she was gently laying her dress over the back of my couch.

“You all right?”

“No,” she sighed. “And I’m sorry for that, you didn’t need to hear all of that, but my family…they’re a lot. Great people, but boundaries and remembering I’m no longer thirteen come harder for some than others. But now my dad is still at my house, claiming he’s not leaving until I get there and I’m debating whether to stay away for the entire day, and go to Meredith’s just to let him stew in his own anger that’s ridiculous and completely unhinged, or if I should head home and deal with him so it’s over.”

I was not a fan of her father putting his adult daughter in either position.

“Want me to come with you?”

Her eyes turned huge. “Why?”

“It’s my shit that’s got you in this mess.”

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