Page 37 of Doggy Style

And run straight into my parents.

Fuck.

A look of disappointment registers on my father’s face. I pause for a moment, not sure if I should reach out my hand to shake his or attempt a hug.

“Preston,” he says stiffly, his body language completely closed off. Guess neither of those options is viable.

“Sir, I didn’t think you would be here.”

“Your mother wanted to come.”

My mom looks beautiful as always, although there’s maybe just a little more silver in her hair than the last time I saw her. I feel a twinge of guilt; I really should visit more often, but I’ve been busting ass to get Doggy Style ready in time for the grand opening. I make a mental note to at least call her more often. She hugs me close, and I hug her back just as tight. “Well, this is a wonderful surprise. And who is this lovely lady?” She turns to Yessi, eyes full of questions but I know my mother is far too polite to ask.

“This is Yessi. She runs a dog rescue in Southern California.”

Yessi extends out her hand for my mother to shake, but instead, my mother gives her an embrace just as tight as the one she just gave me. I watch as Yessi awkwardly returns the hug.

My dad eyes Yessi hard, focusing on her tattoos. “Is she your girlfriend or just another one of the girls you use and discard?”

Damn, why does he have to be such a dick? I grab Yessi’s hand and notice that her cheeks are red, although I can’t tell if she’s embarrassed or angry. This isn’t at all how I pictured having the ‘defining the relationship’ talk with her, but I’m not going to let my dad drive the conversation. “We recently started dating, and I’m crazy about her. She’s smart and compassionate and isn’t afraid to stand up to me.”

Yessi smiles and squeezes my hand. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Evans. You must be very proud of Preston. His new store is beautiful and will definitely be a success, especially since he just made the decision to no longer sell puppies and only showcase rescue dogs in his store. He’ll be saving so many lives.”

My mom brightens up. “Oh Preston, that’s wonderful!”

My father, however, remains stoic. “Nice to meet you, Yessi. You seem like a smart young lady, so let me give you a tip about my son—don’t believe a word he says. He’s probably just using you for publicity like he used Kira.”

I clench my fist. “You don’t have a clue what you’re talking about, Dad.”

I have to get out of here.

“Bye, Mom.”

“Bye, sweetheart,” she replies, her large gray eyes full of sadness.

I walk out of the expo and head toward the beach.