parking spot. I climb out of Callie’s Mustang. My Jag is just a little two-seater, so we had to bring her car tonight. Winter hurries over to me and threads her fingers with mine while we wait for Callie to finish rapid-firing texting to her mom.
“Jenna got a new car. Can you believe it?” Winter says absently, trying and failing to steer the conversation away from whatever Callie is grumbling about.
“That’s nice,” I say, also not doing a good job on giving Callie her privacy.
“Oh God,” Callie groans. “Mom is nuclear right now.”
I hug Callie from the side. “Don’t let any of this rain on your happy day, okay?”
“I’m not worried about me,” she murmurs.
I’m tense as we enter the restaurant. The server guides us to where Jackie and Tony are sitting. Tony’s features harden when he realizes Winter’s arm is looped through mine. Jackie is practically spitting venom.
“Sweetheart,” Jackie says, patting the vacant seat beside her. Callie walks over and sits beside her mother. They launch into a conversation about Callie’s dress.
Winter shifts on her feet. I could take the seat beside Tony so she sits next to Callie. I’d do that for her. But before I can sit, she plops down beside her father. The relief in his eyes is enough to have some of the ice melting off me. I hate him and what he did to me—what he did to my sweet Winter—but at the end of the day, he’s still her father. And the expression on his face is one I know all too well. He loves her more than words could ever express.
I sit down beside her and grip her thigh under the table before leaning in. “You’re doing great, beautiful.”
She turns and flashes me a thankful smile. Jackie’s glare is on the two of us no matter how hard Callie tries to distract her. Tony’s eyes are just for his daughter as he attempts to engage.
“You looked amazing up there,” he tells her. “I’m so proud of you.”
She tenses and a strained smile spreads across her face. “Thanks.” Her voice takes on that hoarse quality right before she cries. It makes me want to drag her back to the safety of my home.
Tony frowns at her expression. I forget he knows her just as well. He reaches over and takes her hand. “Winter, I’m so sorry.”
“Tony,” Jackie snaps. “We talked about this.”
Callie clutches her mom’s bicep. “Mom,” she warns.
Tony ignores his wife to focus on Winter. “Please forgive me,” he rasps out. “I was wrong.”
Winter bows her head and swipes a tear away with the heel of her hand. “D-Dad.” Her voice cracks and I squeeze her thigh to let her know I am still here for her.
He somehow manages to pull her to him for a hug. To my surprise, she goes willingly. I know this fight with her father has been eating away at her for months. If this is what she needs to be happy, I’ll support her every step of the way.
“No,” Jackie screeches. “I told you I will not stand for the way she spoke to me!”
“That’s enough,” I growl in warning.
She sneers at me. “I don’t have to listen to you, thank God. But him,” she snaps. “He has to listen to me because he’s my husband!”
“Listen to yourself, Jackie,” I bite out. “You’re making a scene and embarrassing our daughter.”
Ignoring me, she turns her wrath on Tony. “You can’t have us both. Not when your daughter is a whore and—”
“Jackie!” Both Tony and I bellow at once.
“She is,” Jackie screeches. “She wanted to fuck my husband when she was just a little girl!”
Tony releases Winter to turn on Jackie. A vein sticks out of his neck as he thrums with fury. “That’s enough.”
“I won’t stand for this,” she bellows. “Like I told you before, it’s either me or—”
“Her,” he growls. “I choose her. I let you fuck with my head before, but I’m tired of it, Jackie. I’m tired of you. You’re an emotional vampire and I’m sick as hell of you feeding from me.”
Callie and I share a weighted look. Jackie, completely oblivious that the whole goddamn town is watching this war at our table, gapes at him.
“I guess it’s a bad time to tell you I fucked your boss,” she spits out at him before standing and storming away.
Callie gapes at me, indecision warring in her eyes. I nod at her. Jackie’s her mom and I know she wants to check on her. She