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“If they’d hoped at one time that you and Kendra might get together—”
He snorted. “That was never going to happen.”
“But you knew her.”
“I did.”
Tessa tried not to be hurt that he wasn’t forthcoming. After all, they weren’t a couple; his past was none of her business. But she didn’t like him being tight-lipped. Was he ashamed of something? Or did he not trust her? “Look, it’s none of my business, but—”
“My father was fucking Kendra, okay? The summer after I turned sixteen, I caught them together. In bed.”
“Oh, my god.” She gaped. “But Kendra is your age…”
“A year younger, actually.”
His father had been having sex with his friend’s fifteen-year-old daughter? “What did you do?”
“If you’re asking me whether I told anyone, I didn’t. No one would have believed me. When I asked Kendra what the hell was going on, she told me she’d wanted better sex than her bumbling boyfriend could give her and that my dad was very accommodating.”
Tessa felt sick to her stomach for him. “You must have been disillusioned.”
After all, her own father’s choices hadn’t been anywhere near that horrible, and their relationship was still rocky.
“About who my dad is?” He leveled a cynical stare her way. “No. Unfortunately, he didn’t surprise me at all.”
Just then, other people sat down at their table, full of chatter. She and Zy fell silent, which was fine. Tessa didn’t know what to say.
After a scrumptious dinner, the new Mr. and Mrs. cut their wedding cake and danced, all smiles. Tessa could hardly reconcile that the fresh-faced bride in front of her had allowed a grown man to defile her at fifteen. And if his dad’s behavior hadn’t shocked Zy, what did that say about their relationship?
Tessa made small talk with a woman who sat beside her, a distant cousin of the groom’s. Around her, music played, people laughed, family gathered, and love abounded. All she could feel was Zy’s big, silent presence beside her as he kept a watchful eye on the festivities, doing his job judiciously.
Josiah and Ashley pretended lust during a slow dance. If she’d only looked at their body language, Tessa would have believed them. But their astute gazes told a different story… Cutter and Rebecca seemingly argued in a back corner. Afterward, he propped himself against a wall while she scanned the room, acting as if she’d rather ignore him. Tessa wished she had any idea how to contribute to this evening, but all she’d managed to do was stir up bad memories for Zy.
“Dance?” he asked suddenly.
She whipped her stare to him. He was serious. He wouldn’t ask if it would interfere with the mission, right? “Sure.”
He stood and held out his hand. She slid her palm into his, and awareness crackled through her body as they made their way to the dance floor. When they reached it, the song changed to a power ballad sung by a woman who crooned that the pieces of her heart ached for her missing lover. It felt so good to be in Zy’s arms, but she couldn’t get lost there. It was temporary. In three minutes, the music would change and they would go back to their table to smile politely and watch the party around them.
Despite the self-pep talk, Tessa closed her eyes and relished her moments close to Zy.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured.
She looked up at him. “About what?”
“Earlier. I don’t like to talk about my dad and Kendra.”
“I understand. Who would? If it helps you, my dad and I are in a rough patch, too. My mom died just before Christmas last year. I knew he didn’t have any idea how to take care of himself, but I never expected him to marry another woman six weeks later. Hallie was born three days after their Vegas wedding. We’ve barely talked since. I’m angry, and his new wife, Kathleen, doesn’t want him to have anything to do with his old life. She even made him sell the house I grew up in because she refused to move in with him because he’d lived there with my mom. He’s never even seen Hallie except in pictures.”
Zy stopped scanning the room. “I had no idea. I’m sorry.”
His expression told her he genuinely meant that.
“Thanks. It’s been rough. I was always a daddy’s girl.”
He brought her a little closer and held her a little tighter. He didn’t say anything more, just dropped a kiss on the top of her head and comforted her in the circle of his strong arms. He was her fortress from the storm of the outside world.
When the music ended, they continued swaying until a dance tune forced them apart. Then he led her back to their table, where they sat without incident for the rest of the evening.
Kendra waved to the room in general as she and her groom departed for their honeymoon. Cutter and Rebecca followed at a discreet distance. After that, guests started calling it a night and filtering out. Dr. Waxman and his wife, a petite, middle-aged brunette with sensible hair, left, as well. The older man clapped Zy on the shoulder on his way out the door. Josiah and Ashley trailed them to ensure their safety.
