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“What are you talking about?”
At least she wasn’t in on it.
I shook my head and walked through the kitchen, my molars clenched tight as I worked to wrangle my frustration.
“Dad told Davis to place the order, but leave his name off the ticket, so I didn’t know who I was delivering to. Then, I don’t know…told him to flirt with me, or whatever else. Essentially, get me comfortable enough to want to stay here in Macon.”
I glared at my father and added, “I heard you last night, talking in the garage.”
My mother’s eyes flicked to my dad’s for a brief second before they landed back on me.
“Are you not wanting to stay?”
Fuck, that’s not what I wanted to slip, or for them to hear. It didn’t sound right.
I backpedaled. “No, of course I want to stay, but Dad seems to be worried that I don’t and roped Davis into helping.”
“Rae, honey…” My mom moved to come after me, but tears clogged my eyes as embarrassment flushed my face. I was so angry about the interaction with Davis, about not knowing that he was the client I was delivering to. It all hurt too much, and I couldn’t tell them about any of it because then they’d want to know why.
And why was she coming forme,and not yelling at my dad?
“I’m fine…but I can’t believe he did that and—”
Strong arms wrapped around me, crushing me in a warm hug. My words cut off abruptly, and as another set of large arms wrapped around my back, I realized I didn’t need to say anything more.
My dad’s voice rasped into my hair. “I never meant to hurt you. I only wanted you to be friends. I thought you could use an extra one. I’m so sorry, honey.”
A burning sensation blazed behind my eyes as I worked to hold back tears, but it was useless.
“Don’t give up on us, sweetheart. Just understand that we’re trying, and we love you so much.”
Who were these people? I hadn’t ever felt so loved and protected in my entire life. Where was all this support when I wanted them to come and visit me, or when I had graduated? The hurt I had used to guard my walls where they were concerned started to crack. Ever so slowly.
And for once, I welcomed the break.
* * *
That afternoon,as I was helping at the diner, trying to nurse my wounded ego, Carl popped into view, which reminded me that it wasn’t just my father who seemed to be in on the delivery scam with Davis.
Seeing Carl haul a box of fresh blueberries from the back, I waited for him to set them down and then inclined my head for him to follow.
Following me out, his big, burly presence was like a wall of solid brick as we hedged near the trunk of my car.
“How come you didn’t warn me about that delivery?” I asked evenly, wanting to hear what he had to say before volunteering that my dad had set me up.
His eyes narrowed. “I thought you knew!”
I shook my head vigorously. “No, I had no clue!”
“Sorry, String Bean…I never would have sent you up there without a little warning.”
I had to remind myself that my father wouldn’t have either, if he’d known what sort of past I had with the grump up on the mountain. A few seconds of silence stretched as stray leaves clustered around my car tire, and Carl’s eyes searched the pile of debris.
“Did you see that another order came in from him?”
“Seriously?” The nerve of that man, after he’d told my father that he didn’t want to deal with me, that I was too far gone. A lost cause. He was spoiled enough to assume that I’d just rush back up there and play delivery service? Fat fucking chance.
“Here.” Carl handed me a phone. “This is the employee phone where orders come through; you can respond to his order with a red X and leave a note why you’re not able to fulfill it.” I loved that this man already knew I wasn’t planning on taking his order, and that I didn’t have to explain.
