I sent him a bright smile, but Thaddeus Kent was no pushover. He sat forward in his chair, leaning his elbows on the table, and narrowed his gaze. "Sounds like you've given this some thought," he said.
"I have."
Dad tilted his head. "When did you come up with your plan?"
"A few days ago," I said.
"But you chose to tell me now because..."
Mainly, I thought it would give him less chance to think about it and therefore less time to worry.
"Because I knew you'd say yes," I said.
Dad scoffed.
"You're the best, coolest dad ever, and I knew you'd want to protect your niece."
His face began to soften.
"But mostly because you know how much I love Ror. And you understand how helpless I'll feel if I don't at least try and look out for her," I said. "Dad, this summer hasn't been what I expected."
He sighed. "I know it's been hard, Frey."
It had, I thought. Yet, in other ways, it was surprisingly wonderful.
Tolliver's face appeared in my mind.
Shaking the image away, I tried to stay in the moment and not think about how he was coming back tomorrow night.
"I'm still sad that you had to give up the tour," Dad went on.
"Then let me go," I said.
"I'm uncomfortable with you driving eight or nine hours by yourself."
As if in answer, my phone pinged.
I looked down, read the message, and smiled, holding the screen up so he could see.
"Viola just said she's coming too," I said. "She asked me to swing by and pick her up from college on the way."
My father grunted.
"That means I'd only be driving alone about 40 minutes."
A beat passed.
"Be the cool dad I know you are," I said.
"I don't know that I'm this cool," he mumbled. "Your mother?—"
"—is busy with Stacia preparing for the wedding."
"But I?—"
"—will be working, as usual. You'll hardly even realize I'm gone."
I crossed my arms.
