Page 94 of Swiped By My Dad's Best Friend
“You don’t have to do anything you’re not ready to do,” Trace said gently. “But I think your dad has a point.”
“Yeah,” I said, my voice a little shaky.
“It doesn’t have to be today,” Trace said.
“No, it’s okay,” I said. “It’s time.”
If I was truly going to break the habit I’d formed of avoiding difficult things in my life, as I’d been trying to do this semester, then it felt right to confront this. Whether I told her everything I felt or not, I had to stop hiding from her.
I’d read her letter, but now I needed to hear the words.
“I’ll take the call, but Dad, can you do me a favor?”
“What is it?” Dad asked.
“I’m taking a chance and trying to be open-minded about talking to Mom again. Can you maybe do the same for me and Trace? Just…think about how happy he makes me, and how good he’s been for me, and maybe be open to accepting us at family dinners without Lena twisting your arm?”
My father looked pained. “I’ve already accepted this is what you want,” he said. “I’m sorry that my reaction hurt you, but I was only concerned for you. This age gap between you…”
“It works for us,” I said.
He sighed. “Yes, all right. I can’t change your mind,” he grumbled. “Now, please talk to your mother before she decides we’ve forgotten about her and hangs up.”
Trace squeezed my shoulder, nodding in support as I reached for the phone.
“Hey, Mom.”
* * *
TRACE
I placed the plate Cooper had made on the desk in front of him as he took a seat. “I’ll make another plate,” I whispered to him. “That way you can eat.”
He nodded to me even as he listened to his mother and blew me a kiss.
Matthew withdrew from the room, and I did the same, joining him in the hallway.
“Thanks for backing me up in there,” he said.
“Only because it’ll be good for Cooper,” I said. “He’s been holding on to a lot of emotional baggage. I think he’ll feel better for talking to her, even if it’s not a happy conversation.”
Matthew nodded. “Well, still, I appreciate you having his best interests at heart.”
“I always do.”
He didn’t say anything to that, but then I didn’t expect it. He’d promised Cooper to accept his choice to date me, and I knew he was a man of his word. He’d stop fighting our relationship. And before Cooper had found us, he’d had a chance to say his piece, which had mostly involved warning me not to hurt his son. Matthew’s heart was in the right place and always had been.
I hadn’t been certain things would turn out so well when I’d followed him into his office half an hour ago. He’d poured me a drink, but his broody expression had made me nervous. I’d feared he might be on the precipice of saying something that would break the tenuous peace, ultimately hurting Cooper all over again, so I’d spoken first.
“Thank you for letting me come to dinner.” I’d held Matthew’s gaze even though it hadn’t been easy. “It means a lot to Cooper.”
“That’s why I did it.” He’d run a hand through his hair. “If everything Cooper says is true, you’ve been good for him.”
I hadn’t been able to hide my surprise, and he’d chuckled wryly. “That kid is head over heels for you. I hope you know that.”
“The feeling is mutual.”
Matthew had given me a hard look. “It had better be. I’m trusting you to be what he needs. If you hurt him…”
