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I nodded quickly. “I’m fine. They’re nice.”
He snorted. “Sure, honey. Despite what Dad said about tomorrow, I’m going to make sure the family in the other room knows the mayor thing is not happening. At least for me. That should send them on their way, if Em’s reveal wasn’t enough. If Dad and Theo want to make some big official announcement at home tomorrow, that’s their deal.”
I nodded as if my heart wasn’t racing at the thought of being in the spotlight with him, even for just a few moments.
“Might as well make Theo’s year, though he was ready to tap dance his way over me in any case.” Clint shook his head with a wry smile. “Crazy to think the kid who got busted for throwing water balloons in the teachers’ lounge in high school is now gunning to be mayor.”
I bit my lip. “Maybe I should go check on Charise and the others in the bedroom first.” The kitten was blocked in with pillows on the bed and more on the floor, so she didn’t fall and get hurt. We were taking turns checking on her, but it had been a bit.
Jackson Galaxy would never be impressed with our cat introductions, but we tried hard. Chaos just seemed to follow us everywhere.
Clint’s expression softened. “If you need a break, go ahead.”
He might need you.
I forced myself to smile as Em and her father came back to the table and Melodie finished cleaning up. “I want to be here for you.”
“Kat, can I have a word?” My father came to a stop behind my chair. “I’ll be brief, I promise.”
Clint nodded at me that it was okay, so I followed my dad into the relative peace and quiet of the hallway.
“I’m sorry I told that story,” I began. “Not sorry I told it,” I amended, “but sorry I didn’t say it in a less awkward way. No reason to air our dirty laundry here.”
He waved that off. “Clint is important to you. He deserves to know the parts of your past you feel comfortable sharing with him. I like that you called me out for it.”
I frowned. “You do?”
“For so long, you used your lack of filter for armor. You always tried to hold people at arm’s length. I’m sure that was all my fault. But I don’t want you to push away your happiness because your old man royally messed you up.”
Yeah, I didn’t have much to say to that one.
“Clint told me he loves you.”
“He did?” I reached up to rub my throat, hoping I could help the right words to find their way out. “I mean, I know he does, I feel it, but he told you?”
“It’s pretty easy to see. He always seeks you out in every room he comes into. He’s always touching you.” When I ducked my head, my father laughed. “Not like that. In a caring way. It’s nice to see.” He huffed out a breath as he tucked his hands into his pockets. “I never met any of your boyfriends. I wasn’t sure you had any. Or if they were girlfriends.”
“No, they were definitely boys. Not that I had many that lasted long. Clint’s already the longest and it’s been such a short time. It’s all gone so fast.” I fisted my hands in the front pocket of my hoodie. “I hurt Magnus. I didn’t mean to, but I’m so clueless about all of this. I didn’t want to hurt him, I swear.”
“None of us know what we’re doing, sweetie.”
My head jerked up at the endearment. Over the years, my father had rarely used them with me. With his girlfriends, he’d always tossed them around like party favors.
“It’s not just me?”
“It’s definitely not just you.” He pulled me in for a hug. “I’m glad you’ve found family. I never did a very good job at giving that to you, but I’m not giving up. This Christmas, you won’t have to wonder where I am. We’ll spend it together. That’s a promise.” He kissed my forehead. “Happy Thanksgiving,” he murmured before he headed to the hall tree to grab his jacket and cap. With a salute, he slipped out the door.
All I could do was stare after him.
“Kitty?”
I swallowed hard at Magnus’s soft question. I shifted to look at him, twisting my fingers together in my front pocket. “Hi.”
“Hi.” He shifted from foot to foot. “I shouldn’t have come here without making sure you’d be okay with it. I mean to New York. My grand gesture just…sucked.”
I let out a weak laugh. “I shouldn’t have missed that sending someone a sex toy means you might…want to have sex with them. Ugh.” I pulled out my hands and covered my face. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to talk about this with you without wanting to hide.”
He laughed and some of the tension in my shoulders ebbed away.Some.“I know you had no idea. I don’t blame you. Actually, I blame those fucking romance novels.”
