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Almost relief.
“I knew the right boy would come along for you, Rachel. You just have to be patient with these things-”
“Dad?” I interrupt him. “It’s not a boy from college, and no, I won’t be moving upstate with you, I’m sorry. Sorry, it’s short notice and just… Just sorry is all,” I end up whispering, trailing off.
“Honey, it’s alright,” he says consoling me, putting his arm around me, making me feel worse by the second.
“If you wanna try living on your own, I’ll do everything I can to help. Although, your timing does suck,” he jokes.
“You might have told me sooner, saved us all some headaches,” he says, wagging a finger at me and kissing the top of my head.
“So who is it?” he asks, turning to see who’s huge silhouette’s blocking the daylight through the screen door.
“You?” he whispers hoarsely, disbelief in his voice.
“You?” he says again, stepping closer toward the door, his head at an angle as he looks back at me briefly, figuring it all out in a second but not wanting to believe any of it could be remotely possible.
Conor being Conor, doesn’t wait for an invite. He steps inside and looking past my dad to make sure I’m alright, he tells him to his face.
“David. Rachel was with me today and all of last night. I didn’t know she was your daughter, that’s the truth.”
Dad spins around, looking at me like I knew he would.
Hurt, confused. Not even wanting to hear what he knows is true deep down now that he’s seen Conor in the flesh, seen the look in my eyes.
“How-?” he starts to ask, and it’s my turn to speak.
“I found Conor’s dog yesterday, Dad. Valentine. The dog you think’s a wolf, he must’ve got out again and come here, followed me home once I left.”
Dad’s eyes narrow, his hands curling into fists but his back starts to sag like he can’t even keep himself upright.
“I didn’t even know you and Conor knew each other, Dad. It just happened, but I know I love him. I’m gonna move in with him. Be with him,” I add, giving a little smile to Conor as his eyes fix on me, the look of pride and love in his eyes making me feel stronger by the second.
“It’s a lot to take in, David. But I want to help you, I don’t want you to go upstate, work for some two-bit foreign design company,” he says sincerely.
He takes a step closer, his hand out to clasp my dad’s shoulder, but it’s too late.
Dad’s already swung out at him, a full right hook to the face, making me scream out loud.
I rush over to Conor, but his hands up to stop me.
“I guess I deserve that much,” Conor says, running his hand across his jaw, unhurt.
My dad’s nursing his crumpled hand, tears in his eyes as I decide to get some ice for him instead of Conor.
“David, please. Take a seat. We need to talk, need to get through this like adults,” Conor says, his deep, professional tone the voice of reason.
I get dad some ice in a towel and some coffee for them both, leaving them to talk things through while I go deal with the movers who I can see have found out just how friendly the neighborhood wolf really is.
Valentine’s in the back of Conor’s car, the window down and his leash attached to an anchor point.
“That oughta hold you for a while,” I tell him, kissing his nose before he licks my face, barking loudly in agreement, his huge tongue wagging with excitement at seeing Conor and me together again.
“Guess we can get back to work,” the movers say, apologizing for overreacting.
“Maybe just come back tomorrow?” I suggest, telling them I’ll make sure they get the full rate for both days.
“Bit of a change of plans anyway,” I explain. “My stuff will be staying here after all.”
They don’t seem to mind, neither does animal control when they get there and I explain the situation and I don’t mind waiting a while so dad and Conor can talk.
He’s not slapping Conor on the back once they come out to the car, but at least dad’s not trying to hit him either.
“They left already?” Dad asks, sniffling, still looking a little emotional.
“Uh, yeah, I told them to come back tomorrow,”
“Oh,” he says, looking at his feet.
“I’ll take care of it,” he adds, looking up. “I’ll take care of everything on this end, Rachel.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Conor
“Just tell me, please?” she begs, pawing at me from one side as I feel Valentine doing the same from the other.
It’s the first time I’ve had Valentine in my bed ever, and I can already tell it’s just how it’s gonna be from now on.
He didn’t wait until I got downstairs like usual. As soon as he heard us talking, he pushed his way into our room and up onto our bed, licking our faces good morning.
