Page 45 of Swiped By My Dad's Best Friend
I shrugged. “Um, chai tea latte, I guess.”
Trace put in our orders, getting an iced, slushy mocha drink that surprised me. At my expression, he scowled. “What? Nothing wrong with a little chocolate.”
I smirked. “All things in moderation.”
He snorted. “Yes.” He dragged a hand down his face. “I could use the sugar high to be honest. Been a long day.”
Another niggle of guilt. “I’m sorry. You’ve got other things to worry about.”
Trace laid his hand on my thigh, squeezing gently. “None of those things are half as important as you.”
A flush of heat shot through me. “Still, not like I was injured or dying or anything. I feel dumb for dragging you here.”
Trace stopped at the window, paid for the drinks, and handed me one. As he pulled out again, he said, “I didn’t realize you dragged me anywhere. In fact, I remember you asking to come to me.”
“Semantics,” I mumbled, before taking a sip of my chai latte. But his reassurance did ease some of my anxiety. I’d never taken myself for high-strung, but right now, I was beginning to wonder.
Trace drove aimlessly down streets before turning in to a car wash. Once his pickup was in neutral, he shifted toward me. “There. Now, I can give you my full attention. Tell me why you want to be punished?”
I swallowed hard. Asking to be punished was one thing, but owning up to why I deserved it? That was a lot harder.
I gazed down at my lap, idly spinning the cardboard sleeve around my coffee cup. Speaking quietly, I said, “I let everyone down. The frat, Simon, myself.” I hesitated, stealing a glance at him. “Even you.”
“Well, that’s not possible,” he said, catching my eye. “I’d know if you let me down, and you haven’t. I’m not sure you could, even if you tried.”
“You were so proud of me for trying to take on so much. The project and everything.”
“I still am,” Trace said. “Whatever happens, if you try, I’ll always be proud. But more than that,youshould be proud of yourself. I knew you were feeling a lot of pressure.”
“You did?” I asked in surprise.
“Yes. And if anything, I feel as if maybe I let you down.”
I shook my head, confused.
“I should have pushed you harder to talk about it,” Trace clarified. “I knew you had a lot on your plate, and you were stressed, and I didn’t do anything to try to ease it.”
“But that’s not your job.”
“Isn’t it?” Trace asked, eyes intent on me. “I’d like to be your Daddy in all the ways that count.”
My heart jumped.
He blew out a breath and sagged in his seat. “I’ve been coming up here to teach a seminar the past two weeks, and I didn’t even tell you. I could have been here for you, been supporting you. If anyone deserves to be punished, it’s me.” He looked me in the eye and said, sounding gut-wrenchingly sincere, “I want more than anything to make your life better, andIletyoudown.”
* * *
TRACE
Cooper looked shocked at my words.
My heart pounded, wondering if I’d made a mistake in admitting the truth. What if he didn’t forgive me? What if he got out of my pickup and left me? Before the panic could take hold, water poured down, streaking the windshield. He couldn’t run away, not yet. The car wash had granted me a reprieve.
The truck eased forward on its track, sprayers dousing it on all sides.
“I’m so sorry,” I croaked.
Cooper unbuckled his seat belt.
