Page 94 of Rebel Secrets
Tread carefully.“Is there a reason he didn’t want you to come home?”
Ian’s mouth flattened into a straight line.“It’s complicated.”
“Most father-son relationships are.”
“Yours doesn’t seem to be.”
Again, I didn’t hear jealousy, just sadness.
“My senior year in college, I thought I was going to flunk out.I have depression and anxiety issues I’ve been dealing forever.”
Ian stared at me with wide eyes.“Seriously?You?”
“Yeah.But I only got help after I told my dad what was going on.I thought he’d be disappointed.I thought I was letting him down.It wasn’t until we talked that I realized he only wanted to help.”
Ian fell silent for several seconds.
“My dad’s got early onset Parkinsons,” he said.“He’s only in this forties, and it’s not too bad yet, but we know it’s going to get worse.I wanted to spend the summer at home.He said he didn’t want me wasting time mourning him while he was still alive.”
I thought about that, rolled it over in my head.“I’m sorry about your dad.That’s a tough situation.”
“It really fucking sucks.”Grief and anger interlaced in Ian’s voice.“I know there’s nothing I can do to change what’s happening, but…”
“It kinda sounds like your dad doesn’t want to burden you with his problems.”
“I thought he’d be happy I wanted to spend the summer at home.”
I suddenly realized why Ian’s dad had told him to spend the summer like he normally would.Vacationing with friends.Training.Development.Being a twenty-one-year-old.“He wants you to be happy and enjoy your life.I know it sounds harsh, but maybe he doesn’t want you to see him struggling.”
That’s why I hadn’t told my parents how badly I’d been struggling at college.I hadn’t wanted them to see me like that.I’d been young and stupid, and I’d needed help.
Ian’s dad probably thought this was the best for Ian.
“Have you talk to your dad since you’ve been here?”
Ian shook his head.“I’ve been too angry.”He sighed.“Do you really think that’s what’s going on?”
“The only way you’re going to know is if you call your dad.Talk to him.Tell him what’s going on with you.”
“And if he doesn’t want to talk to me?”
Pretty sure that wasn’t going to happen, but I didn’t want to give the kid false hope if I wasn’t right.
“Then we’ll talk about that later and come up with a new plan.But don’t worry about having a place to be.You’re welcome here for as long as you want to stay.”
ChapterTwenty-Four
Erin
I’d survivedthe past two nights in my parents’ home.I’d survived the bachelorette party.
And so far, I hadn’t broken my jaw gritting my teeth.
Everyone was just so damn polite.Mom treated me like I was made of glass.Everyone at the bachelor party had acted like I was crazy to have wanted to leave all of this behind and open a bakery and a bookstore in some backwater town in Pennsylvania, of all places.One woman had actually asked if I was talking about the plot of a movie.
A few of the women at the bachelorette party had given me fake smiles and said how sorry they were about my failed engagement.The one that had ended five years ago.I’d managed not to roll my eyes and had asked about their children.
Sue me for being petty, but none of them had kids and I knew it.They’d looked highly offended that I would even think they looked like they’d been pregnant and made a fast retreat.My sister, who’d been standing by my side, had actually seemed impressed and given me a slight smile.
