AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Engaged?” I echo, astonishment coloring my tone.
Tina grins, holding out her hand to reveal a sparkling engagement ring. “Surprise!” she declares.
Mia’s shock transforms into disbelief. “Daddy, you got engaged? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was going to. That was the surprise I told you about over the phone,” he huffs gruffly, his face twitching with indignation.
Mia steps forward, a mixture of emotions crossing her face. “Well, congratulations. I’m happy for you.”
Zach, Cilian, and I echo the sentiment, offering our congratulations, albeit in stunned confusion. But the atmosphere in the room remains charged. It’s as if a storm has passed, leaving behind a strange calm.
Mia, however, isn’t ready to let the moment pass. “Well, this definitely proves Tina’s point. If you can find love again, then you should at least hear me out.”
There’s a pregnant pause as Mike considers her words. Mia watches him with a hopeful expression, and the rest of us hold our breath, waiting for his response. Then Mike’s gaze softens, and the tension in the room seems to dissipate, replaced by an unspoken understanding.
Finally, Mike sighs, the fight draining out of him. “Fine. Tina, may I have a moment with my daughter? Alone.” His gaze shifts pointedly to Zach, Cilian, and me on his final word.
And after a quick glance to meet Mia’s eye and make sure she’s okay on her own, I follow the others from the room.
27
MIA
With as much time as I spent during this holiday retreat trying to surround myself with men who might support me against my dad’s anger, in the end, I know this is a conversation I need to have with him alone.
Still, as Luke shuffles last out of the room, closing the door behind him, I glance around, anxiety tightening my chest. The air is thick with the smell of ammonia, and the weight of my confession sits heavily on my tongue, a secret I’ve held too long.
Daddy’s eyes meet mine, weary and apprehensive. I take a deep breath, steadying myself for what lies ahead. This is a conversation I couldn’t avoid any longer, no matter how desperately I wish otherwise.
I choose my words carefully, aware that every syllable will carve deeper into our already strained relationship and potentially send him into shock once again. “Daddy, I know this is going to be hard for you to swallow, but there’s something I need to tell you. And I need you to hear me out before you say anything.”
His gaze narrows, and a heavy sigh escapes his lips. “Alright, Mia. I’m listening.”
I draw another breath, feeling the gravity of the words I’m about to release into the room. “On Halloween night, I tried to seduce Luke, Zach, and Cilian in a juvenile effort to get back at you for insisting I grow up and find my path in life. It was stupid and childish, I know, but I slept with them. And I don’t want you to be upset with them because I promise they didn’t once try anything with me until I asked for it.”
His eyes darken, a storm brewing beneath the surface. “They seemed perfectly willing accomplices this evening,” he growls.
“Well… yeah, but you haven’t let me finish. You promised you would listen until the end.”
Grumbling through clenched teeth, Daddy falls silent once again.
“I know it was wrong, Daddy. I know. I should never have explored the temptation because I know how much they mean to you. And I swear, I had no intention of letting things get so out of hand. But somehow, things just… snowballed. I’ve gotten to know them much better—not just physically—”
Daddy groans audibly, his head falling into his hands, and my gut wrenches as I realize there are some details I should probably leave out.
I continue more tentatively, choosing my words with care. “I’ve gotten to know them as the men you love and respect. And in doing so, I’ve discovered something about myself. It was Cilian, actually, who helped me find my direction, my purpose, something that makes me happy and fulfilled—a passion I want to pursue that might actually make you proud.”
His jaw tightens, but he remains silent, waiting for me to continue as he watches me once again.
“I want to start my own business,” I blurt, my words rushing out like a torrent. “I want to bake and decorate cookies for special events.”
Daddy’s eyebrows furrow, confusion replacing some of the anger on his face. “Cookies? Mia, is this a joke?”
“No,” I insist, stepping forward to grasp my dad’s hand. “Don’t you remember all those years we used to bake and decorate cookies for your Christmas parties? Before you hired a chef? That’s what I want to do with my life. People have plenty of occasions now that they like to provide cookies for—engagement parties, for example,” I tease pointedly, giving his hand a squeeze.
But he seems too overcome by the conversation to be able to take a joke.
“Anyway, I decided to make the Christmas cookies for your retreat this year. Once we get back to the party, I can show you what I had in mind.”
