Page 65 of Love Me Like You Do

Before Kane or I can say anything, Dad turns around and storms out of Kane’s office, slamming the door behind him. The door I wish we had closed earlier.

Blinking rapidly, I stare at the doorway Dad just stormed through. My eyes well with tears and then I collapse to my knees and cover my face. “He … he hates us,” I cry into my hands.

“Sunshine,” Kane coos as he drops down next to me. He pulls me into his lap and holds me tightly. He whispers sweet nothings but it does nothing to abate the hollowness I feel.

“Did I just ruin your friendship?” I tearfully ask him.

“You didn’t ruin anything, Sunshine. He just needs time.”

“But—”

“Nope.” He shakes his head and presses his finger to my lips. “No buts. I know him, he needs time to process.”

“What if he never processes?”

“He will,” Kane tells me but from the look on his face, I don’t know if he believes it himself. Cementing my fear that us being together has ruined their friendship.

* * *

It’s beenfour days and Dad hasn’t spoken one word to me or Kane. He won’t answer my calls. My texts are left unread and when I stopped by the house, just now after work, he made some lame excuse and left without kissing or hugging me, leaving Mom confused.

Obviously, he hasn’t told her yet, but Mom being Mom takes one look at me and she immediately knows something’s up. “Let me get some wine and then you and I can chat.”

Nodding, I follow her into the kitchen. “How did you know?” I sadly ask, leaning against the countertop while she pours our wine. Mom hands me a glass and I chug half of it back before Mom’s even taken a sip. She refills my glass and escorts me outside. It’s a beautiful evening and the sunset is gorgeous. It’s oddly calming seeing the world so beautiful and peaceful when my world is anything but beautiful and peaceful right now.

Mom tucks her legs underneath her and takes a sip. “So, who is he?”

“Who’s who?” I nonchalantly ask, staring into my wine glass.

“The boy who’s swept you off your feet and has your father all grizzly-like.”

A laugh escapes me at Mom’s description of Dad, but then the guilt slams into me. “Ohh, Mom, I was so happy and now, I’m all confused.”

“Before we get into things, who is the young man who has stolen my baby girl’s heart?”

I choke on the sip of wine I’d just taken when Mom refers to Kane as a young man. After composing myself, I look to Mom and mumble, “It’s Kane.”

“Kane who, honey? Is he new in town?”

Shaking my head, I swallow deeply. “It’s Kane Heatherington, Mom.”

“Ohh,” she replies, before bringing her glass to her lips and chugging the whole thing back. She quietly stands up and heads back inside, returning a few moments later with the open bottle, and another. She refills her glass and then mine. She sits back down next to me, reaches over to take my hand, and squeezes it in that mom kind of way. “Okay, tell me everything, Cali.”

Taking another big sip, I breathe in deeply and I tell her everything and I mean everything, starting from my date with Seth and bumping into Kane. Us becoming friends. Me becoming a stripper and how Kane found me when he was prematurely celebrating his divorce.

When I’m finished, Mom places her wine down on the table before us. She takes mine and pops it down next to hers and then she pulls me into a hug. The mom hug of all mom hugs and it’s just what I need right now.

“Ohh, honey, I have so many questions but the most important one is, are you happy with Kane?”

Nodding, I grin at her. “Happier than I’ve ever been before, Mom. He’s become my everything.”

“You deserve a love like that and Kane is a lucky man.”

“But what about Dad?”

“You know he’s a stubborn mule when it comes to you girls. Give him time, he’ll come around. It’s not every day you find out your daughter is in love with your best friend.”

“Mom, I’m not in love with him.” She eyes me but I’m not in love, am I? It’s too soon for the ‘L’ word. It’s just the honeymoon, all-consuming phase of a relationship. Love will come but it’s not here yet … I don’t think. “Surely, he knew about my crush?”

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