Rob’s jaw is tight, and Dad looks like he wishes he had his gun. His face is red and I’m pretty sure he’s not breathing. But after a long, tense minute, Dad takes a deep breath and extends his arm toward Rob.
“It’s good to meet you, son.” I breathe a relieved sigh until Dad adds, “Keep in mind that I run this town. If you hurt my daughter, I’ll have your butt in a sling so fast you won’t know what hit you.”
“I wouldn’t expect anything less,” Rob answers, shaking his hand.
Chapter 34
Rob
In the last two weeks, we’ve had sex on the beach at two in the morning five times, made love in various seats of the Lumina or T-Bird a dozen, and even fucked on Adri’s desk after school once, but we still haven’t gone public.
It’s partly her—she’s still waiting to hear from the school board— but more me. I have no idea how to start this conversation with Sherm. Not that it would be an actual conversation.
We’re all adjusting, each coming to grips with our new lives in our own way. As for me, I haven’t totally given up the hope that I’ll someday be able to bring my family home, but it feels less urgent. The part of my old life I’m struggling the hardest to let go of is Sherm. The shell has started to crack. He doesn’t shy away from looking at me, and when he does, the terror is gone from his gaze, but I still don’t have him back. Being with Adri feels like betraying him at the most fundamental level. I’m not ready to let go of the hope that someday Sherm will forgive me, but the more reasons I pile on for him to hate me, the less likely that becomes.
Lee is the only one who knows about me and Adri, and she’s kept our secret. But today’s the day. I’ve invited Adri to dinner, and we’re going to tell the rest of them together.
I stand in the sandy driveway next to the Lumina and watch her drive up. She slides out of the T-Bird, and I take her hand and pull her to me. “Hey.”
“He’s going to be fine with it, Rob,” she says, sensing my apprehension.
“You don’t know that. He’s in love with you, Adri, and I feel like he’s just starting to get past thinking I’m a monster.”
She squeezes my hand, and her gaze is all heartfelt compassion. “You’re not a monster, Rob. Sherm still loves you. I know it. He’s been traumatized, but I think seeing your softer side might help him.”
I give her a cynical smile. “I didn’t hear you say he wasn’t in love with you.”
She shrugs and her mouth pulls into a pouty little smile that I want to lick in the worst way. “What can I say? I’m irresistible to the Delgado men.”
“Oh, Christ,” I groan and she looks at me funny. “It’s just Grant. The kid’s an oversexed, hormone-riddled twenty-one-year-old. If Sherm and I haven’t been able to resist you, I don’t even want to think about what he’s going to do.”
She taps her lips with a finger. “Now that you mention it, he did kind of make the moves when he was helping with the carnival booth.”
I feel my eyes widen.
She arches her eyebrows at me and gives me a sexy smirk. “Maybe I want all three of you.”
“Uh-uh, sister,” I say pulling her into my arms and kissing her. “You’re all mine.”
“Stop it!”
Sherm’s yell from the edge of the bluff sends both of us spinning that direction.
He and Burn charge toward us and he grabs Adri’s hand, pulling her away from me. “Let her go!”
Adri grasps his shoulder. “It’s okay, Sherm.”
“No!” he screams, tearing out of her grasp. He drops Burn’s leash and shoves me with both hands. “You don’t touch her.”
Something twists painfully in my gut when I realize my every fear is coming true. Any bridges we were starting to build just collapsed. “I would never hurt her, champ. Promise.”
He holds my gaze and what I see there isn’t fear. It’s fury. “You don’t touch her,” he repeats.
Burn settles at Sherm’s feet and growls at me.
Lee and Crash appear on the porch. “Everything okay?” she asks.
Sherm takes Adri’s hands and pulls her so the T-Bird is between them and me, and that just about says it all.
Adri turns and leans against the car and I hear her low, soothing voice, but I can’t hear what she’s saying