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“Dad, please,” I choke out. “The invoice for fall semester is duetomorrow,and it’s too late for me to apply for financial aid. If I don’t secure my spot, I’ll get dropped from the program.”
“Don’t be dramatic. I’m sure there’s a grace period.”
I take a deep breath. “Yeah, it’s two weeks. But I won’t have the money in two weeks, any more than I’ve got it now. Dad, please, you promised in front of Grandpa you’d—"
“My priorities have changed. There are no guarantees in life, Augustus. Borrow the money from your mother or brother, if you must. Negotiate a payment plan with the school and then work double the hours at that data entry job of yours to make the payments. You’ve got other options here, so don’t look at me like I’ve drowned your favorite puppy.”
I stare at my beer, trying to corral my racing thoughts. There might be some validity to his suggestion about negotiating a payment plan. I make a panicked mental note to check that out. But nothing else he’s suggested is even remotely possible. My mother and brother have already done enough for me. They’re letting me live in Grandma’s condo rent-free, since her place is only two blocks from campus.
And that data entry job Dad mentioned? It doesn’t exist. That’s what I called the side hustle I’ve been doing to cover living expenses when Grandpa, Dad’s father, asked me at his final birthday party how I’ve been paying my bills during school. And I haven’t even been doing that side hustle lately! Not sincemoving into Grandma’s place. And even if I were still doing it, it was never the kind of moneymaker for me that would offer any kind of a solution here. Not even close. I force myself to look Dad in the eyes. “What happened to make you go back on your promise?”
“It’s more likewhohappened.Cara. She’s got some big dreams and I’ve decided to make ‘em come true for her.” Dad shrugs. “It just so happens the money Cara needs is basically the same amount as your tuition.”
“Figures,” I mumble.
“I’m actually doing you a favor here, Augustus. This will force you to be self-sufficient, as every man should be.”
I’m shaking as rage boils up inside me. Before taking the plunge and going to vet school, I was completely self-sufficient, motherfucker. I took a job as a vet tech after college graduation that paid all my bills, if only barely. When I got admitted to veterinary school, which isn’t easy to do, by the way, it was a huge decision for me, whether to go or not. Should I take on student loans? If so, would I ever be able to pay them off, considering the kind of veterinary practice I dream of having?
Ultimately, it was the unexpected promise Dad made me, right in front of his fucking father, that made the decision for me. At the time, it felt like the answer to my prayers. Like Dad’s Redemption Arc. Why the fuck didn’t I listen to Max back then when he told me Dad couldn’t be trusted, ever?He warned me. But I was so fucking excited to make my lifelong dreams come true, I convinced myself Dad had changed. “Look,” I told Max, “I know Dad’s a scumbag as a general matter; but I choose to believe redemption is possible for anyone. I believe in second chances.” I was an idiot.
“Hey there!” a female voice whisper-shouts.It’s the redhead. She’s here . . . and, fuck my life, she’s speaking toDad. With a bat of her eyelashes, she says, “I’m wondering if you’d do me ahugefavor. This guy I dated briefly, who then had theaudacityto ghost me, just walked in and I’d love to have some smoking-hot man candy on my arm when he sees me.”
Dad laughs. “As you should.”
“What can I say, I’m a petty bitch. You’re the hottest man in the bar, so I’m hoping you’ll agree to play the part of my man candy?”
The hits just keep on coming.This pretty redhead who looksmyage thinks my fifty-something-year-oldfatherwould make a hotter fake boyfriend than me?
“I’d be honored to help you,” Dad says gallantly. “Come here, beautiful. Let’s make this believable.” He pulls her to him, and the next thing I know, they’re whispering intimately, their faces mere inches apart, like they fucked each other’s brains out right before coming to Captain’s.
I look away from the spectacle in disgust with perfect timing to catch a burly, tattooed dude with a crooked nose walking by with that brunette from earlier. As he walks by, the dude’s dark eyes are locked on Dad and the redhead.
“Charlotte?”
Welp, thank goodness for small mercies. At least, she’s not Kelly Gessler.
The redhead—Charlotte—deigns to look from my father to the burly dude. “Oh, hey, Brody.” She motions to Dad. “This is George, my fiancé. Georgie, this is Brody. He works here.”
Dad smiles. “Nice to meet you, Brody.”
The guy stalks away without replying and heads into a back office with the brunette. And that’s it. Dad’s performance is done.
“Where are you going?” Dad says, as the redhead pulls away. He pats the empty stool to his other side. “Let me buy you a drink. I’m Alexander, by the way. And this is my son—”
“Who’s leaving.” Not only is shenotKelly Gessler, she thinks my father is hotter than me? I can’t get out of here fast enough. Without another word, I stride toward the front door like my hair’s on fire. Fuck my father and his promises. Whatever it takes, I’m going to graduate in two years and make all my dreams come true. I don’t knowhowI’m going to do that, in this moment, but I will. And anyone who doesn’t believe that, anyone who doesn’t believe inme—whether they’re my asshole father or some random redhead in a bar who thinks my father is hotter than me—can get the fuck out of my way.Or better yet, they can stay, kneel before me, and suck my big, fat cock.
3
CHARLOTTE
“I’m gonna get you!”
I’m playing cars with my beloved godson, Zach, five years old, on his bedroom floor, while Tessa bathes Zach’s little sister, Claire, down the hall. The family’s husky, Rudy, is here, too. I think his tail is a gas pump in our game, but I’m not sure. It might give our little metal cars magical powers. The only thing I know for sure is that my red car is supposed to chase Zach’s yellow one.Over and over again.
I’m spending the night at Tessa’s gorgeous, sprawling house tonight and feeling the most relaxed I’ve been in weeks. Even though I love Ryan like a brother and thoroughly enjoy his company, it’s been lovely to hang out with Tessa and the kids while he’s away on business. In fact, tonight’s been a perfect balm for my exhausted, paranoid soul.
“You’ll never catch me!” Zachary shouts. He’s trying to sound like a badass, I think, but there’s nothing that adorable kid can do to his tiny, squeaky voice to make it sound anything but darling.
