“I’m sorry…” He bit his lip as he focused on something over her shoulder. “For making you sad.”
“Hey,” she said, guiding his face back to hers. “We made each other sad. That’s what people in relationships do sometimes, Gunnar. It goes with the territory.”
He nodded, but didn’t look convinced.
“Come on, you think we won’t fight from here on out?” She laughed, slapping his chest. “Two hot heads like us? I’d say that’s a given.” She wanted to make him smile, but more than anything, she wanted to erase those faint lines of worry bracketing his beautiful hazel eyes.
“But you won’t leave me again?” he asked, breaking her heart with the question. “Even if we do fight, you promise you won’t leave me again?”
She fought the tears as she hugged him hard and promised, “I won’t leave you again.”
***
Gunnar walked through Gianna’s door and stopped dead in his tracks. His oldest daughter sprawled out on the couch… making out with a boy.
“What the hell’s going on here?” he demanded.
“Dad!” Keegan scrambled back on the couch as the boy jumped up, raking his hands through his hair as he grabbed his running shoes from the floor.
“Gunnar,” Gianna said, curling her hand around his bicep. “Calm down.”
“Calm down?” He turned to glare at her. “Did you not just see what I saw? This horny little bastard with his hands all over our daughter, his tongue half-way down her goddamn throat!” He turned his fury on Keegan. “What’s he even doing here? I didn’t hear you ask permission to have friends over tonight.”
“I was going to,” Keegan said, shooting a pleading look in her mother’s direction. “But I knew you guys wouldn’t be cool with me having a boy over when you weren’t here.” She glanced at the digital readout on the TV box. “I didn’t realize how late it was. Nick was supposed to be gone by the time you got back.”
“Nick?” Gunnar’s eyes narrowed as the kid blushed at the mention of his name. “You’re Wes and Sage’s son?” Wes had mentioned to Gunnar that he thought his son may have a thing for Keegan, but he didn’t think anything of it. Until now.
“Yes, sir.” Nick looked at the floor, shoving his hands in his pocket.
Gunnar was torn. The father in him wanted to tear the kid a new one, but the teenage boy he’d once been wanted to cut him some slack. “Why don’t you and I have a word outside?”
Nick swallowed, looking even more terrified as Keegan groaned. “Dad, why can’t you just let it go? It’s no big deal. It’s not like you walked in on us—”
“Enough out of you,” Gunnar said, pointing at her before she could put any more gut-churning images in his head. “I’ll deal with you later.”
“You think you can just walk in here and take over?” Keegan asked, jumping up. “It’s not even your house! Even when we did live with you, you didn’t care what we did. So, why all of a sudden are you so determined to act like a father?”
Gunnar knew she was lashing out because he’d embarrassed her in front of herfriend, but that didn’t excuse her behavior. “Well guess what? I am here now and you’re going to have to get used to that ’cause I’m not going anywhere.”
“Great,” she murmered, rolling her eyes.
“Nick.” Gunnar opened the door while Gianna stepped back, raising an eyebrow in question. He inclined his head toward Keegan, indicating she should have a little chat with their daughter about where stupid decisions could lead if teenagers weren’t careful. “Outside?”
“Um, sure.” He looked over his shoulder. “See you tomorrow at school, Keegan.”
She mouthed “Sorry” and closed her eyes, looking dejected.
They stepped out on the porch and Gunnar grabbed the railing, leaning over it slightly as he took a deep breath. “Look, kid,” he said finally when it looked like Nick was about ready to jump out of his skin. “I haven’t forgot what it was like to be a teenager. Lord knows I was no angel.” He sat on the railing and crossed his arms, staring at Nick. “But here’s the deal. I’m Keegan’s father. That means it’s my job to protect her from guys who just want to take advantage of her.”
“Sir, it’s not like that,” Nick said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I really like her. Like, a lot.”
Gunnar didn’t know Nick’s family well, but Wes and Sage seemed like good people, so he wanted to give the kid the benefit of the doubt. “You’re young, though I suspect not as young as my daughter. Am I right?”
“I’m seventeen,” he said, clearing his throat.
“Seventeen,” Gunnar repeated. “I know in the big scheme of things two years seems like nothing, but at your age, two years may as well be ten. You’re probably into things Keegan just isn’t ready for.”
“And I’d never pressure her into anything,” he said, raising his hands. “I swear I wouldn’t.”
