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I took a deep breath and steeled my resolve. “I’m sorry.”
“For what, Dad?”
But he didn’t look confused. His face was blank. He was waiting for me to say it.
Ice trickled down my spine, every muscle in my body tensed, and I had to force my jaw to open, and my tongue to speak.
“I’m in love with the woman you dated.” When the words finally spilled from my lips, something relaxed in Nolo’s shoulders, and he faced me more fully. “I’m in love with Peyton. She came to me for help, and I kept her in my house, and I…fell the fuck in love with her. I hid it from you. I didn’t want you to know, didn’t want to hurt you, to betray you. But I fucking made it worse. I’m sorry.”
Another silence filled the corridor, this time thick and painful with unspoken emotions, as I stood there and waited for my son to tell me how much he hated me.
Nolo’s jaw was working as he clenched his teeth, and just before he looked away from me, I saw a glimmer of unshed tears in his green eyes. Then he let out a shuddering breath and threw his fucking arms around me in a tight, tight hug.
“Fuck, Dad,” he whispered, his voice shaking. “You’re such a fucking dick.”
I hugged him back, warmth bursting out through my chest and overtaking the ice that had been building. “You don’t hate me?”
He grunted, slapped my back, and then leaned away. “Unfortunately, no.”
I couldn’t help the laugh that escaped me, so glad, so fucking glad I hadn’t ruined everything with my boy. “Then you’re as stupid as your old man.”
“Probably,” he snorted, sending me a wry smile before shoving both palms into his eyes, and stepping back. “I am mad at you. For lying, for going behind my back, for…for taking the girl I wanted.”
“Nolo—”
“But, it’s…done.” His hands dropped to his side, and he sent me another shaky smile. “She didn’t want me. And it’s going to be okay. We’ll be okay.”
“I love you,” I told him, hoping he was ten thousand times smarter than me and knew just how much I meant it.
He chuckled and looked away, tears swimming through his eyes again, and he rubbed the back of his neck. “Love you too, Dad,” he mumbled.
I grinned, stepped forward, and crushed him in another hug, making sure to grab his head and mash my palm over his hair just the way he hated it most. “Good.”
Chapter 32
Peyton
Lisa had told me all about how she and Nolan were falling for one other, and if I was entirely honest with myself, I was relieved. Relieved that the two were happy, and that Nolan had moved on. We were never right for each other, and I knew he saw that now. She had initially been worried about my reaction, even though she knew about Rocky, I think she felt it was a bit weird she was dating my ex. But I was so happy for the both of them. They deserved each other, and I thought they would make a great couple.
The door to the room opened and I could see Rocky and his son—both looked happy, and no one was bleeding, so I guessed that whatever talk they had, had gone okay.
Nolan sent me a smile and Lisa got up to join him, “Now you two need a talk, we’ll be in the cafeteria,” she said, as they both headed out.
When I shut the door and looked at Rocky, he had a smile on his face, too. I smiled back, a bit confused, and frankly nervous to pick our conversation back up.
Not gonna lie, I wasn’t sure I didn’t completely imagine what he’d said to me before those doors burst open and interrupted us.
“Hey,” I said quietly, stopping a few paces away.
“Hey, back.” His voice rumbled from his chest, calm and quiet and masculine, and the way he looked at me, the way he smiled softly and held my gaze… It made my heart fill with longing for him.
“So, um…” But he reached forward and grabbed my hand before I could continue, tugging me closer until my body was flush with his. He curled one arm tight around my waist, and the palm of his other hand traced up to cup my cheek.
“So, um,” he said with a widening grin, repeating my words back at me, before leaning down to press a soft, lingering kiss to my forehead. “Move the rest of your shit into my house tomorrow, yeah?”
I blinked, staring straight at the scruff of his chin. “Huh?”
“Or the day after, if you need to rest. I guess I can wait one more day.”
