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“Hey, Dad, you remember Van?” Brinley motions to me.
I hold out my hand. “Nice to see you again, sir.”
“Call me Liam.” He blows out a breath as though it kills him to say that. “How the hell did you convince Brinley to take the plunge?”
“I didn’t. I took her snowmobiling, then to the Polar Plunge. She was excited to do it. No convincing involved.”
Liam’s eyes bulge out. “I’m shocked. I thought maybe that little daredevil side of you died a long time ago.”
“You and Mom should do it, Dad. It’s thrilling. Bitter cold, but they have hot tubs to jump in after to warm you—”
He raises his hands. “I’m over here being cordial because your mother put on a chastity belt until I make nice with Van. Save me the hot tub talk. I need to have a word with him, so go somewhere.” He waves for Brinley to leave.
My balls scrunch up inside as I say a little prayer he doesn’t injure them.
“Be nice, Dad,” she says through gritted teeth.
“I’m the dad, I’m not supposed to be nice.” Liam motions with his head to a vacant booth in the corner and I follow. I sip my beer and he does the same. “You’re really becoming BuzzWheel famous around here. Back in my day, people didn’t want to be on there, but they keep bragging about you. You’d think you know the writer or something.”
I shake my head. “No, sir.”
He gives me a look.
“No, Liam, I don’t know anyone who writes for that app. I didn’t even know it existed until Brinley told me.”
“Do you always room with women?”
Man, he’s a straight shooter.
“No.” I laugh. “I’m usually with a large group of guys.”
His forehead scrunches. “What does that mean? Are you bisexual?” Maybe I should’ve phrased it differently.
“I’m in the military.”
He blinks, clearly surprised. “Oh, you’re a veteran?”
I nod.
“Thank you for your service.”
“Welcome.” I’m not sure how specific I should get with him. Brinley and I never discussed if anyone else should know I’m leaving in a few weeks to go back to Kodiak, so I keep my mouth shut about it.
“Last time we talked, you said you weren’t going to try to get in my daughter’s pants, but here she is throwing you a birthday party and kissing you when you come in. She’s sitting in your lap by the bonfire, and you take her to do a Polar Plunge. I’m not an idiot, I know the two of you are sleeping together.”
I don’t say anything right away because he’s right. I told him I wouldn’t, and I did. I’ve already betrayed his trust. “I’m sorry, it just happened. But honestly, if I could turn back time, I’d do it all over again. She’s amazing. And I know I’m undeserving of her, but… she’s impossible to resist.”
His eyebrows rise, and he finishes his drink, staring at me and not saying anything. The longer he doesn’t say anything, the more I worry. Then he puts his hand out between us, and I shake it before he changes his mind.
“You sound way too much like myself when I was younger to give you any more grief. But… you know she’s a widow?”
I nod.
“I do see the changes in her. You’re pulling out the girl she was before she learned life can be brutally unfair. Her mother and I would like to thank you for that.”
Damn, this conversation took a different turn than I thought it would. “It’s not me. Only she has control of that.”
“But she’s trusting you enough to be vulnerable and show you the real her and that’s what matters. Her mom had her guard up when I decided to try my fate with her. They can be hard nuts to crack.”
