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“Is it, though?” She wrinkles her nose. “It’s kind of stark.”
“Your dad’s pick?”
“It was the only one around here that has a pool, so it’s really a default pick. I like more country homes. Big porches and rocking chairs.” She shrugs. “I guess I’m old fashioned.”
“You’d love my place.”
“Really?” Her eyes light up.
“We can go there right now,” I suggest, coming to a halt on the sidewalk.
“Maybe later. I want to hear what Van has to say.” She skips up the steps, and I follow.
I barely clear the door before there are two hands on my shoulders pushing me back against the wall. Instinctively I raise a fist, but a cry stops me. Looking to my right, I see Sadie clawing at Van’s shoulders. “Stop it, Van! Stop it right now.”
“His dad has our mom,” the guy shouts. “The police wouldn’t even help me. The dumb ass stood there and just let that old fart drive away.”
“Uncle Coop isn’t that old,” I interject partly because I know this will enrage Van.
“Fuck you,” he snarls on cue.
I cough to cover a laugh. Predictable. The pressure of Van’s hands increases, digging into my upper pecs. I could push him off, but the best card for me to play here is a passive one. Sadie wants us to stop fighting, and if I get bruises on my shoulders maybe I can convince her to play nurse—with her mouth.
Van’s eyes narrow at my lack of response. He senses something is up, but he’s not sure what. Quickly I don a pissed expression. Van squints at me once more before turning back to Sadie. “Doesn’t Dad know the mayor?”
“My dad knows the mayor, too,” I chirp.
“Did I ask?” Van snaps.
“Look, let’s go—”my house,I start to suggest and then I realize my dad needs some time alone with Fischl. He raised me. He sacrificed his life and his love to give me a solid home. The least I owe him is to keep these two out of his hair for a few hours. I capture Sadie’s eyes because my appeal is only going to work with her.
“My dad has never had another woman in his life as long as I’ve known him. He’s never dated, never had a woman over. He’s only loved one woman his entire life, but he lost her. Or he thought he lost her.”
Sadie’s eyes widen. Van scoffs. “Please tell me you’re not buying this bullshit.”
Sadie gnaws on her lower lip. “What does it hurt if we let him have a little time?”
“Are you crazy?” Van throws up his hands. “He kidnapped her!”
I slide away to stand next to Sadie. Her gaze is pinned on me. She wants to believe me. “Because he loves her,” I say.
“That’s the language of abusers,” Van says.
I whip around to the dickhead with my fist up. “What did you call my dad?”
“If the shoe fits.” Van steps forward until his chest is close to mine.
Sadie wedges herself between us. “Stop it, you guys. Let’s just call Dad and he can decide what to do. Those three need to work it out.”
“So we just sit here?”
“Yes,” Sadie and I both say at once.
Van’s face hardens. “Traitor,” he mutters and then stalks off, disappearing up the stairs.
Sadie apologizes. “He’s usually not this way at all. He’s nice and fun.”
“Unlike me?” I joke.
