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She was safe. Thank you, God.
“You need to stop making decisions on impulse,” he said, his words muffled by her hair. “Because every time you do, it makes things worse. What part of stealing your teacher’s car seemed like a good idea last night? Or flying to Boston without stopping to talk to me first?”
“I don’t know.” She buried her face against his t-shirt. “It all seems like a blur. I can’t remember making those decisions. By the time my thoughts started working it was like I’d al
ready made them and I was in the middle of a horror story where things keep getting worse.”
“That’s exactly what this is like,” he said. “One of those movies where the heroine goes into the haunted house even though everybody tells her not to.”
“I’m the heroine, aren’t I?” she asked, sighing. “The one that’s too stupid to live.”
“Well you’re still alive. So that’s something.” He hugged her a little tighter. “But you’re also in big trouble, kid.”
“I know. And I’m never leaving the house again anyway, so you can ground me all you like.”
“You’ll be leaving it to apologize to your teacher. And to go for a meeting with your principal.”
She tipped her head up to look at him, her eyes wide. “Have they kicked me out?”
“I don’t know,” he told her. “Do you think they should?”
“I would if I was them. I’m nothing but trouble.” She looked so young as she stared up at him, the light catching her face. He wished he could freeze time, or even better turn it back. To those years when he could always keep her safe. “I bet mom’s turning in her grave right now.”
“Your mom would be worried about you. The way I am.” Nate sighed. “And Ally’s pretty distraught as well.” Just saying her name made his stomach contract.
Riley winced. “Oh God, she must hate me.”
“She doesn’t hate you, she’s concerned. And embarrassed that you saw…” he cleared his throat. “What you saw. She asked me to give you a message, to tell you she’s sorry for not answering your call.”
“It’s not her who should be sorry.” Riley shook her head. “I’m so ashamed. You must all hate me. I’m sorry, Dad. Sorry for everything. And I know I’ve said it before and messed up again, but this time I mean it.” She circled her arms around him again, hugging him tight. “I’m sorry I messed up your night with Ally.”
“You didn’t mess anything up. I did. I’m sorry you had to see us there. It won’t happen again.”
She looked up, her eyes shiny with tears. “I knew there was something going on between you. All those long looks and silences whenever I walked into the room. I’m not a kid, Dad. I know sexual tension when I see it.”
He stifled a groan. Just what he needed. Another member of his family he really didn’t want to have this conversation with. “There was nothing going on, not really.”
Riley grimaced. “Whatever it was, I never want to see that again. Keep it behind closed doors, thank you very much.”
Nate’s stomach gave a loud rumble. Riley stepped back and looked at him with mock-horror. “When was the last time you ate?” she asked him.
“Kirsten made me a sandwich. How about you?”
“No idea. I wasn’t hungry when I got here.” She frowned. “I am now though.”
“Kirsten said she’d bring something back later,” Nate said. “But maybe we should head out and get some dinner now.”
Riley nodded. “I’d like that,” she said, giving him another hug.
For the first time all day Nate felt his headache begin to ease off. Yes, Riley was in big trouble, and yes, she was going to be punished, but right now he wanted to hold his little girl and protect her from the world.
And the mess they’d all caused in the past twenty-four hours? He had no idea how to handle it. He’d let his daughter down so badly, again, and he hated himself for it.
When was he going to get this parenting thing right?
26
It was almost midnight when her phone rang. Ally had been sitting alone in the big beach house for hours, her body sinking into the soft leather sofa, her leg propped up on the matching footstool.
