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“I think that’s a juxtaposition.” Dad’s brow furrows as he looks at Thorin. “How exactly does one join a gang in a church of all places?”
“Not a literal gang,” Nana Noel laughs. “The children are quite fond of Thorin on Wednesday’s when he comes to volunteer. They glued Cheerios to his face.”
Dad rolls his eyes. “Weren’t you warned not to let them do that? Once they get away with something, they’ll keep trying.”
Thorin clears his throat, his cheeks a rosy tinge of embarrassment. “I wanted to be liked so I folded easily under peer pressure.”
“I’m pretty sure they don’t allow girls in,” I explain with fake indignation as Dad chuckles. “I was never granted permission to join the church gang.”
The corner of Dad’s lips twitch. “Don’t take it personally. Your mother was never in a church gang either. You’re too bright of a star to be joining anything nefarious with a bunch of six and seven year old boys.”
Nana Noel shakes her head in exasperation. “Your father was in the church gang,” she announces with a scandal-like voice.
“I can neither confirm nor deny,” Dad smirks.
The rest of dinner is light and joyful. Somehow I went from hating mandatory family dinners the first Sunday of every month to thinking I could love coming together like this and telling funny stories and laughing with one another. The idea is so foreign yet obtainable it causes a large smile to spread across my face.
I love this.
The family vibe now encompassing us is helping heal my doubts about my father the longer we sit around the table. Who knew the man I thought to be unfeeling would have been just as scared as I am about finding our way back to each other?
My gaze slides around to everyone’s elated faces, watching as they all interact. I could get used to this becoming my new normal. And with Thorin’s declaration that he sees himself with me a year from now, it feels like the world is finally set to rights.
And I fall a little more in love with the man sitting beside me who’s trying to fix my broken heart. I never would have thought Thorin would be the reason my father and I are able to laugh and heal, but then again I never expected Thorin to waltz back into my life. Maybe this is an omen of good things to come instead of a forewarning of a disaster heading our way.
21
“I should have known no good deed comes without the other shoe dropping.” - Bex
I feel everyone’s eyes drilling into me as I make my way towards my office. It’s taking everything I have in me not to pull my cardigan over my head and make a mad dash like a crazed woman to the safety of my inner sanctum across the bullpen.
Why is everyone staring?
As soon as I walk by a group of coworkers, they immediately begin to whisper in hushed voices as I spy Detrick’s desk empty, although all his monitors are on. The door to my office is slightly ajar, which means he’s probably doing something in there. Hopefully he knows what’s going on with everyone.
However, when I push open my door, I come to a slight halt as I stare at not only Detrick, but my father and King sitting in my office. Detrick moves swiftly, closing the door behind me as I’m ushered towards my desk to set my things down.
My brow furrows as I look at all of them. “What’s wrong?” Clearly something is if they’re all here in my office first thing on a Tuesday. Oh shit. “Is it Thorin?” I reach for my phone, my hands shaking. I talked to him this morning when I woke up, but maybe there was an accident on the way to work?
“No, it’s not Thorin,” King says, gaining my attention. “This is about you.”
Dad presses his lips together tightly. “We’ve already done damage control,” he adds, which only brings the wariness back immediately. “Do you remember an article that came out over the weekend regarding your personal life?”
“Yeah, Jessica talked to some reporter who was hounding me for an interview I wouldn’t give her,” I say slowly. “She told everyone I was a gold digger and that I was being paid to help Thorin.” Which isn’t a lie, but not anything people need to know about. “How would she even know I’m helping him? I signed a contract not to discuss it.”
“Probably because she knows how I operate,” King sighs. “This ordeal isn’t meant to touch you in the way it has. No one anticipated Jessica coming out of the woodwork trying to gain Thorin’s attention no matter how many times he’s turned her down. Hastings Center, Ward Enterprises, and Ravenscroft Hotel brand have released statements that you are in a relationship with Thorin which has nothing to do with revamping his image.”
Oh. “I mean, I guess that’s okay.” I slowly sink down into my seat. Did I want the public to know I’m dating Thorin? No. I prefer to keep my private life securely tucked away from the pariahs who are out to gain any sort of gossip. I also didn’t want to have my name splashed in scarlett across all the gossip rags and news outlets again. Although I know everyone is doing damage control, I suppose if the worst that comes from this is outing my relationship, it could be a lot worse.
However, when King shifts in his seat I realize somethingisworse.
“You’re all beginning to freak me out. What else is there? Someone spit it out already,” I demand.
Detrick is the one to break the news to me. “I’ve been fielding calls all morning. Actually since yesterday. But I looped your father in because I knew how much damage this was going to do to you and we need him to be on our side for this.”
“I explained to Detrick that you and I were mending bridges and whatever you needed would be yours,” Dad quickly tacks on.
“What have you been fielding calls about?” Someone needs to spit it out already before I begin pulling out my hair.
