Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 52319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 262(@200wpm)___ 209(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 262(@200wpm)___ 209(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
"Watch it, baby doll," he growls, narrowing his eyes on her as he leans back against the counter, crossing his arms. His eyes come to me, his expression soft. "Hey, pirate princess."
"Hi, Daddy. Why are you home today?"
"Helping your mom bake for your brother's bake sale."
Mom rolls her eyes. "He needs to get out of my kitchen and leave me alone is what he needs to do. He's eating them as fast as I get them finished."
Dad grins, completely unrepentant, and then he cocks his head to the side, looking at me again. "Why didn't you come home last night?"
"Dad," I groan. "I told you that I was staying at the apartment so I didn't have to get up early to make it to campus."
"I don't like it," he complains. "It's safer for you here."
"I'm perfectly safe there."
"You'd be safer here where I can keep an eye on you. Until they find the men responsible for Bellamy's murder, you need to stick close to home, sweetheart," he says.
I glance at my mom for help.
"He's right," she says gently, betraying me.
"Mama!" I cry.
"Sorry, sweet girl." She shrugs, her expression full of apology. "But I worry about you out there on your own, especially right now."
"I'm fine," I insist.
My dad's cell rings, distracting him before he can launch into a lecture about all the reasons I'm not fine. He's given a lot of those lately. And I get why he's worried. I even get that he has reason to worry. But if he keeps me locked up here, I'm screwed. I'll never be able to help figure out who killed Bellamy. Bella will be stuck in Texas forever. And I'll never see Brantley again. Because—call me crazy—but I don't think my dad will jump for joy if I tell him that I went to see him in the first place.
He'll know exactly why I was there, and he'll freak out. He's overprotective to a fault. And I don't want to be shipped off to Texas before Brantley and I ever even have a chance. I need time with him. And I need my dad to like him. But I'm a little worried that won't ever happen, especially if he knows how much I like him.
"I need to take this," Dad murmurs, striding from the room.
"Thank God," my mom says loud enough for him to hear. "My cookies are finally safe."
He shoots her a dark look over his shoulder. "I heard that, Dimples."
"You were supposed to hear that, Mac."
He shakes his head, smiling, as he disappears into the living room to take his call.
I sigh, throwing myself down into a chair at the table with a scowl.
"It's not so bad, baby girl," Mom murmurs. "It's not forever."
"Easy for you to say. He's here with you," I mutter.
She gasps quietly, spinning to face me.
Crap.
"You met someone?"
"I…didn't say that."
"Isla Marie Sterling."
I grimace, my shoulders drooping as I bury my face in my hands. "Yes," I groan. "I met someone. But you can't tell Dad! It's new. And if he finds out, you know he'll act all crazy about it. He'll scare him off before we ever even have a chance."
"He wouldn't do that, baby girl."
I drop my hands, staring at her incredulously. "He tried to insist on parent chaperones at prom just so he could keep an eye on us! And Bella and I didn't even have dates!"
She laughs quietly as she rolls out cookie dough onto a sheet. "Okay, maybe you're right. But he's only crazy because he worries about you girls."
"I know," I groan. "But he doesn't need to worry so much. We aren't little girls anymore. We're adults. Eventually, he has to realize that."
Mom laughs again. "Baby girl, the second hardest thing your daddy has ever had to face is the fact that you girls are grown up. Believe me, he knows. He hates it, but he knows. That's why he worries so much. He can't protect you from everything anymore. He has to let you fight your own battles now. It drives him crazy."
"I know," I whisper, feeling guilty for being annoyed. My dad is the most amazing dad. He loves us fiercely. He always has. I think, in a way, he's always fought for us harder because of what Marion did. He carries a lot of guilt about it, even now. But it wasn't his fault. He didn't make her the way she was, and he didn't make her choices for her. All he did was love us. She's the one who couldn't handle the fact that he loved us. "I love him for loving us. I just…really don't want him scaring this guy off."
"Tell me about him," my mom says.
I hesitate, not sure how much to say. She and my dad don't have secrets. They tell each other everything. So I don't want to put her in a position where she has to lie to him. But I don't want to lie to her, either.