Page 26 of Needing You

“Yeah?”

“Dad would be great,” I said, relieved my voice didn’t sound weird this time, despite the fact that it was the understatement of the year based on the swirling in my gut. “If you want.”

He cleared his throat and nodded, giving me a small smile.

“But listen, I don’t want to have to repeat everything I just said about going easy on your mom. I hated it when my dad would go on and on when I already got the message. Know what I mean?”

At this, he let out a chuckle paired with a slight narrowing of those eyes that matched mine. “You’re like, really defending her hard right now. Does that mean you’ve forgiven her?”

This kid.“Not shying away from asking the tough questions, huh?”

“I’m not sure when I’ll feel like I can. I want to. I don’t like this. But… I’m still mad.”

“I get that. And you can feel however you want.”

His dark eyes flicked to meet mine. “But?”

“But maybe, at some point, try talking to her again. Or at least let her know you’re sorting through things. I don’t know. She loves you, and I know I’m potentially overstepping here, but I hate to see either of you in pain.”

Those eyes narrowed on me again. “You got a thing for my mom?”

I barked a laugh. “God, kid. You do not pull any punches.”

“Yeah, but unlike you, I’m not actually punching people, so that counts for something, right?”

“Oh, shit! Is this what it’s like to have a smart-ass teen? I get it now.” I shoved his head away playfully and he chuckled, completely proud of himself.

“But seriously, do you… I don’t know, do you havefeelingsfor her?”

Aw fuck, fuck, fuck. This was not a conversation to have with him. Not a conversation I wanted to have at all because that was a dangerous question. I’d tried to ignore all my feelings for too long. I’d run across the fucking continental United States to escape all the tangled-up bullshit I’d carried around after she left and my dad died.

One of the things I’d promised myself when I came back was that I wouldn’t keep bullshitting myself. I wouldn’t stand for anything less than honesty and facing down my fears. I recognized that mattered all the more now that I was someone’s father.

Yes, I had feelings for Kate. I’d realized in the last week that yes, I had forgiven her. I didn’t understand it but getting to know Jackson and seeing glimpses of her, even our little coffee chat, had drilled home that she really had done what she thought was best. I hated the reality of it, but I couldn’t change it. And did I really want to live my life holding that grudge when I could choose to let it go?

And then, there were the other feelings. The ones that made me want to kiss her and touch her and make her come so hard she can’t see straight.Yeah, I’m an animal. I know it.And maybe even the scariest feelings—the softer, hidden ones I didn’t let myself look too closely at.

Instead of asking what I felt for Kate, maybe the better question was whatdidn’tI?

Jackson must’ve lost patience with my internal waffling because he piped up as he threw open his door. “Well, I’m not telling you what to do,Dad,but I should mention she’s on a date. Right now.”

My adrenaline spiked—both at the first use of my new name and at the implications of what else he’d said. Adate?

Fine. Completely fine. She had to live her life, right?

And yet, everything in me screamedfuck no!No, I didn’t want her out with someone else. I didn’t have a right to think that way, but the idea that she might go home with some asshole tonight made my skin crawl and my gut lurch.

All those feelings rose to the surface, and I gripped the steering wheel to steady myself.

Jackson smirked. “I think it’s at Antonelli’s. They’re meeting at seven, and that’s at,” he dropped his gaze to his watch dramatically, “oh, ten minutes ago. And if you do happen to have any feelings, you might—”

I punched the ignition and let the engine rev enough that he stopped, one leg still in the vehicle.

“Get the fuck out, kid. I’ve got somewhere to be.”

13

KATE

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