Page 72 of Changing the Play

“Then sell it,” I say, shrugging. “Or hire help. I don’t mean to sound insensitive, but it’s truly not my problem, Dad. I don’twantto work atthe shop. I never have. I’ve also never been shy about telling you that. I don’t know why you can’t seem to let it go.”

“You’re fucking selfish.”

Ah, this again. “You need to leave.”

“No. You need to listen to me. I’m tired of your spoiled brat routine—”

I stand up, knocking Darcy’s legs off my lap in the process, and step in front of Dad. “No. I’m not a spoiled brat. Look around, Dad. All the things I have, I have because I’ve worked my ass off for them. Not because of you.”

“I put a roof over your head for years. Supported you. Paid your way.”

Darcy makes a strange noise. Dad peers around me with a shitty look on his face. “You have something to say?”

“Yeah, actually,” Darcy says, coming to stand beside me. He grabs my hand in his and stares my dad down, not wavering at all. “Your son is incredible. He’s kind and compassionate. And unbelievably intelligent.” My heart beats wildly in my chest, my stomach warming. “It’s yourjobas a parent to do those things. You do realize that, right?”

Dad’s face is turning beet red, and I know he’s about to unload on Darcy. I’m familiar with the look. Hell, I’ve seen it enough over the years. “Where the fuck do you get off—”

Absolutely fucking not. He can say whatever he wants about me, but it’ll be a cold day in hell before I let him think he’s going to get by with talking to Darcy like that. “Out.” I snap my fingers, gesturing to the door.

“You can’t just snap at me like I’m a fucking dog, Weston!” Dad bellows, ears turning purple with his anger.

“Actually, as you know, this is a roof I put over my own head, and you’ll find that I can. Get the fuck out. Don’t show up here again or I’ll call the cops. I warned you about talking to him like that.”

“You’ll treat your father this way?”

I really don’t mean to, but I laugh in his face. Right now, he doesn’t even seem like my father. The man who took me fishing, who taught me how to tie my shoes, who comforted me when Mom died—that man doesn’t exist. Not anymore, it seems. “No. But this is how I’ll treat a man who clearly doesn’t care about me or respect my choices.”

“It’s a good job, Weston. A steady job. Not this bullshit you’re trying to pursue.”

This bullshit I’m trying to pursue.The dream I’ve had since I was fourteen years old and disappeared into a book for the first time. How doesn’t he understand why this is important to me? Why doesn’t he get it? “Okay, well, I don’t really need your opinion on that.”

Darcy squeezes my hand.

“You’ll come crawling back,” Dad says.

Yeah, I wouldn’t be so sure about that. “Have I yet?” Dad doesn’t seem to know what to think about that. “You need to leave. Don’t contact me anymore.”

His mouth opens and closes a few times, like he’s trying to come up with something to say but can’t. After a few seconds, he turns and walks out the door, slamming it so hard behind him that he knocks a photo off the wall. Oddly enough, it’s a photo of him and me, and the glass breaks the second it hits the ground.

Darcy and I stand side by side, staring at the door for a few seconds. I can’t believe I did that. My body starts to tremble a bit. It’s been a long time coming probably, but I didn’t expect it to feel so… final. I didn’t expect it to hurt. I’m not sure why. That was short-sighted of me.

“Jesus,” Darcy says, breaking the silence. “He’s a real treat.”

“Yeah,” I croak out, the tips of my fingers tingling as the reality of what I just did crashes down around me. I turn to Darcy. “Are you okay?”

“AmIokay? Jesus, West. Areyouokay?”

Chapter 24

Darcy

Igive West’s hand another little squeeze as he looks at me. “You stood up for me.”

Of course I stood up for him. What the heck did he think I was going to do? Sit here and let his dad berate him? “I’m sorry if I overstepped.”

West cups my face and pulls me into a kiss. “God, Darcy, I—” His voice cuts off as he shakes his head and kisses me again. He’s shaking, his fingers trembling. I drop his hand and wrap my arms around him, squeezing him to me and slowing our kiss down.

His adrenaline has him frantic, but what he needs is comfort and care. I break the kiss, smiling when he chases my mouth. “Come on. Let’s gocuddle.”

---