Page 47 of Shortcake
Enzo’s eyes widened. “Don’t you have a hot tub?”
Conrad nodded. “And private lake access. And even after Addy moves back into her apartment, they’re both open for her to use anytime.”
“Really?” Well, that was news to me.
Conrad shrugged. “I was going to tell you. It’s the least I can do.”
Haylee whipped her head around to Enzo. “Let’s go tomorrow!”
I rolled my eyes at the excitement emanating from my girlfriends. “We live in a lake community, you guys. There’s like four different public access points to the lake.”
“It’s not the same,” Enzo said. “And you know it.”
I did know it. There was something special about having your own private dock and water view from your home.
I placed the pint glass in front of Conrad. “You don’t have a nut allergy, do you?”
He shook his head no. “Are there nuts in the chowder?” he asked, obviously confused.
“No. But that’s a local peanut butter stout made in Maine. It’s my personal favorite.”
I finished setting down Harper and Conrad’s food and silverware, then dropped the tray to my side. “Is there anything else I can get for you two?”
“Cobbler?” Harper asked, hopeful and wide-eyed at her dad.
“I left you cobbler at home!” I laughed.
She shrugged. “It’s better here.”
Conrad leaned back in his chair and draped his arm over the back of Harper’s. “You just don’t want to go back home to your prison.”
Harper’s smile twisted and she nibbled the inside of her cheek. “Maybe.”
Conrad ruffled her hair and she quickly scoffed, flinching to fix it and smooth her ponytail down.
Something about the scene caused my heart to splinter. I’d never really known my dad. He’d left when I was really young and even though Finn had recently reconnected with him, I couldn’t quite bring myself to call the phone number that I’d saved in my phone as Rick. Not Dad… Rick Evans.
Add to that, he had another family. Another daughter. A daughter that he’d actually raised himself. A daughter he hadn’t run from.
What did she have that we didn’t? Why did she get a father who stuck around and not us? Was she better than us? Easier? Cuter?
The lump stuck in the back of my throat like a wad of gum. I couldn’t help but wonder if he was as warm and sweet with Hope as Conrad was with Harper. Did my dad ruffle her hair? Ground her when she was bad? Did he bandage her skinned knees when she fell off her bike?
I swallowed and with all humor gone, I tapped Enzo’s shoulder. “Come on, girls. Party’s over. Let them eat their dinner in peace.”
They must have sensed the shift in my tone because neither of my friends argued with me. Instead, they stood up, taking their glasses of wine with them. Just then, the bells above my front door chimed and I froze. Because walking in the door were the five guys from the bachelor party last night.
The five guys who were all over Harper.
Every muscle in my body seized and I didn’t know what to do. They hadn’t done anything wrong. Not really. We didn’t find any drugs in her drinks. And while they were pushy with her, for all they knew, they were just drinking with a local girl that theythoughtwas their age.
There was a chance they might not recognize her. She looked totally different today with her makeup-less face and ponytail. Instead of a short skirt and tight shirt, she was in denim shorts and a t-shirt.
Harper saw the guys first and her eyes darted toward me, wide and panicked.
I did my best to give her astay calmlook in return. But truly, on the inside, I was freaking the fuck out myself.
Please don’t recognize her, please don’t recognize her…
