Page 33 of Beach B!tch
13
Brinley
I didn't even look up, frozen to the spot, from the voice alone. The bottom dropped out of my stomach and I allowed myself one last moment of peace by dropping my head down onto Dean's chest. Then I pushed away, disentangling myself from the warm body that made me feel so good just a moment earlier.
It was time to face reality.
"Who the hell are you?" Dean allowed me to push away, but he spun around and put me behind his back, tilting his head way back to stare at the man on the balcony above us.
"You might want to be more respectful, young man. You have your hands all over my daughter."
Not wanting a confrontation between my old life and my new life, I stepped around Dean and started up the stairs.
"That's enough, John! What're you doing here?" I called to my father, drawing his attention from Dean. Calling him by his first name always used to piss him off. I figured I'd test it out again.
As I came up to the second level, I noticed his clothes were hanging off him and he appeared disheveled. It was obvious he hadn't figured out how to do the laundry or the grocery shopping after I left. Looked like he still found the liquor store though.
"Whadya mean? I came to see my girl!" He stepped away from the railing and stumbled to the side as I approached. A broad smile cracked his face, but the joy didn't reach his eyes. They remained hard and mean, the way I remembered them from years ago, and from my more recent nightmares.
Dean had run up the stairs and come to my side, his hand protectively on my back.
"More like you ran out of money, am I right, John?" I was a grown woman now and reminded myself that he couldn't hurt me anymore. I stood my ground, arms crossed over my chest, hoping he would understand I wasn't joking around.
"Really?" he snapped, all the fake good-humor gone in an instant when he realized I wouldn't play nice. "I haven't seen my daughter in several years and this is how you greet me? I see you letting this guy grope you like some whore, and then you have the nerve to insult ME?"
"Now just a second--" Dean put a hand out, like he could ward off my father's attack.
"No, it's okay, Dean. He was just leaving, isn't that right?" I didn't dare look away from my father for even a second. I was used to his baseless insults, but that didn't mean I wanted Dean to hear them firsthand. Better to get him to leave.
His eyes narrowed, and he stormed past me toward the stairs, only to spin around and get in my face one last time. "I always knew you wouldn't amount to much. What happened to your precious volleyball? Guess you finally realized you better find some guy to support you since you can't mooch off me anymore. How's that fancy degree helping you now?" He chuckled darkly. "Good riddance..."
He walked off, smug smile in place, happy he'd gotten in the last word.
I let the insults wash over me, humiliated that Dean had heard all that. Disgusted with myself for letting his words and his contempt affect me. I didn't know why he'd come back and I didn't know why he bothered insulting me. What could he possibly get out of harassing me?
There was a low buzzing sound in my head as I tried to process all that my father had said. I was cold, so cold, all of a sudden. I wasn't sure if I would be sick, or if I would burst into tears. Either way, I needed to be alone.
"Brin. Sweetheart. Let's get you inside. I don't want him coming back." Dean gently guided me to my front door and grabbed my keys out of my bag, letting us in before my brain caught up to what he was doing.
He flicked on the lights, the slamming of the door behind us pulling me out of my stupor.
My father was right about one thing though: I needed to refocus on volleyball. This thing with Dean was just a temporary distraction and I couldn't let it get in my way. I refused to be the failure my father said I was.
This would hurt. Maybe even more than my father's words. But I had to do it.
"Dean." He was busy putting my purse down and turning on more lights. "Dean," I said louder.
He finally looked up and hurried back over. "Yeah, I'm here." He put his hands on my arms, rubbing up and down trying to warm me when there was no chance of thawing the ice clawing at my stomach.
Oh God, he was being so sweet.
I swallowed hard and thought of my game next week, setting my resolve to do what I had to do.
"I need you to go home."
There. I said it.
Dean shook his head. He gripped my arms tighter and pulled me into him. "Brin, I don't want you alone. Even if he doesn't come back, we should talk about this. Make sure you're okay."
