Page 159 of Zero Chance

I nodded, swallowing thickly, unable to voice aloud just howmuchI liked Keene.

Dad nodded back slowly, his eyebrows twitching with some unnamed emotion I couldn’t place before he admitted, “I wasn’t sure if you’d ever find any interest in dating after…”

He let the words trail off, and an itchy awful discomfort crawled over my skin.I think this was the first time he’d ever made a reference to my rape.He usually let Mom deal with these conversations.Hearing him admit it had actually happened felt foreign to me.

And for some reason it made my voice sound like rust when I quietly answered, “I think I’m only interested in dating because of him.”

His head shifted up and down with careful contemplation before a small smile slipped across his face.“So you’ve been watching him for a while, huh?”

I blinked, not sure what he meant.

“Yeah,” he murmured fondly.“Remember when you were five and we took you to the pet store to get a new kitten?”

I nodded.

Cadbury had been my first pet, only to get run over on the street about two years after Zane had died and a couple of weeks after Sprout had taken my virginity.I remember standing in the backyard, watching Dad bury him, and not crying once.I justexpectedto lose something I loved by that point.

Shaking his head in amusement, Dad kept talking with no idea where my own thoughts had gone.“We had to go back to that storeseventimes before getting anything because you had to study and scrutinize each cat before deciding which one was perfect for you.”

Sending me a look filled with deep pride, he added, “I know my little girl.You don’t make rash decisions.You watch and deliberate, which tells me there must be something about this kid that makes him right for you.”

I mean, I’m not sure what he’d say about my impulsive actionslately, but he was right that I’d carefully chosen theboyto do those crazy, impulsive things with.

I released a relieved breath, happier than I could express that he wasn’t going to warn or lecture or judge.

And I said, “He is.”

Accepting that, Dad inclined his head solicitously.“Good,” he murmured.“I trust your decisions then.”

My lips parted.“You do?”

He nodded again, and I almost freaking cried over his support.Needing to show him how much I appreciated him, I surged forward and hugged him hard, saying, “Thank you, Dad.”

He shuddered for a moment in my arms and then squeezed back tightly.Tighter than I could ever remember him hugging me before.But that thought only made me wonder how long it’dbeensince I’d last embraced him.Probably years.Not since…

Shit.No wonder why he was keeping his arms locked around me for so long.He knew how adverse I’d been to touch.And he’d respected my boundaries.

When he finally let go and pulled back, he had to clear his throat and discreetly draw the back of his hand across his cheek under his right eye.“So, uh, where’s he taking you?Somewhere fancy, I hope.He knows this is your first Valentine’s Day to have an actual Valentine, right?”

I grinned, feeling giddy and expectant about tonight.“He knows,” I assured.“And I don’t know what we’re doing.He says it’s a surprise.”

“Mmm.”Lifting his eyebrows in approval, Dad slapped the side of my arm in encouragement with his newspaper and said, “Well, have fun.”And he turned to stroll toward the back, probably headed for the kitchen for his afternoon snack.

I was staring after him, trying not to feel bad about all the years I hadn’t hugged him.I guess I hadn’t been the only one who’d paid the price for what had happened to me.My entire family had suffered along with me.

Promising myself I’d be more affectionate with my father from here on out, I glanced up when I heard footsteps on the stairs.

Seeing Mom pause with a basket full of laundry propped against one hip as she took in my outfit, I inwardly cringed, bracing for the vitriol I knew was coming next.

Heaving out a disappointed breath, she shook her head and snarked, “Well, I guess you’re going out withhimagain, huh?He realizes you have classes to study for, right?”

“He knows,” I bit out, crossing my arms over my chest as I turned to the window to take up looking for him.“He has classes to study for too, Mother.”

“Mmm,” she hummed, but in a completely different manner than Dad had used just moments ago.“And what’s his major?The study of women’s skirts?”

“It’s nursing,” I bit out.“He wants to be adoctor.”

Mom sniffed derisively, but at least she said nothing about his noble aspirations.I started to chew on a thumbnail, hoping Keene hurried his ass up before Mom started in about?—

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