I took a pair of jeans from the bed and tucked them into my bag. My dad watched on, seemingly at a loss for words, but when I crossed in front of him to get to my dresser, he shook his head. “You’re going out of town with that boy? I thought you were seeing the Mallick kid.”
I cringed. I supposed dear ole Dad really was in tune with the social activities in town. I’d never told him I’d been “seeing” Ramses, but I guess the pair of us had been really good at fooling everyone. After Christmas break, Ramses and I had gotten into a fake relationship to spy on Royal and the Court, only for me to ultimately get information about my sister and the circumstances surrounding her death from Royal himself. I was about to get more of those answers, something this road trip would do. I pushed my sleeves up. “That’s over.”
“Over.” Dad came around the bed, directing a finger at me. “Because of that.”
I placed my hand over the necklace, the Court ring I knew to be there. It was a sign of what Royal and I were. Though I didn’t want to get into all that with my dad, his accusations were true. I shrugged. “Maybe.”
“Maybe,” he’d parroted again, but this time his eyes were wild. His presence stopped me for a moment, his visible anger filling the room. His nostrils flared. “Out of all the boys in this town, anyone, you’re doing this with him? The kid your sister got wrapped up with?”
So now, his true colors appeared. He’d acted so nonchalant in the past when Royal had been here, like he hadn’t cared.
But of course he did. I saw that now and maybe just because of Royal’s father. I knew Dad worked for him in some type of capacity and maybe a friendship between his boss’s kid and me was fine, but this? Nah, this was too close to home. This was too close to Paige. I moved my jaw. “That’s none of your business.”
“Actually, it is my business. You’re my daughter—”
“And now, you’re taking ownership of that?” This frazzled him, his brow lifting. I huffed. “What happened to the dad who shoved me off on Aunt Celeste. Rosanna? Huh? What happened to him?”
Because he’d done that and to Aunt Celeste more than once. She herself had gone radio silent with me since I got back because she knew I was mad at her too. They’d both screwed me over, deserved each other.
Dad’s perfectly styled hair tousled when he wrestled with it. “I’m not debating this with you. You’re my daughter and you’re going to unpack that bag right now.” I continued to pack, and he pulled the bag. “I mean it, December. Now, quit acting like a child.”
At this point, Hershey was between us, my chocolate Labrador retriever puppy. She was looking like a preteen puppy now more with her size, and she came over to me. I held her. “No offense, Dad, but I’m eighteen. I can do whatever I want and I have before. Now, you can take my stuff, my bag, but I’m still going.”
“But why with him? Why have anything to do with—” He stopped, but not because of anything I did. He just stopped on his own. He dampened his lips. “I’m not okay with this. Please.”
He’d never asked anything of me, at least not like this. He’d never said “please” before. Like it was a request and an option.
My bag slid from his hands. “I just want you to be okay. That’s all I’ve ever wanted. Now, you’re right. I can’t stop you. But I want you to.”
I watched that move across his eyes, eyes that had never failed to judge or discipline me. None of that was there now, only a father asking his daughter something. Because I couldn’t abide by the request, I tugged my bag over, zipping it. “I’ll be back soon.”
My next move was to take Hershey. I packed some stuff for her too. I’d left her behind too much in the past and Royal said it’d be okay. I also had no resources I wanted to ask to take her. I was indebted to my dad’s housekeeper, Rosanna, for a lifetime for not only taking Hershey in when I had no one else, but me as well.
I started to pick my pup up, but Dad approached.
He raised hands. “I can hold on to her. A dog wouldn’t be good on the road.”
He’d said this so nonchalantly, and though I’d seen him bond with Hershey rapidly over the passing months, I’d be hard-pressed to say him wanting to watch over her didn’t come with an ulterior motive. If he had her, I’d have to come back. If he had her, I would come back, and he knew that.
I wetted my lips. “She needs to be feed and watered every day. Played with?” These things were obvious, but he was always gone, always working. I had hesitance I should even be putting out these instructions. I should take my puppy and say to hell with all this.
But then Hershey went over to Dad. She knew him and was letting him take her. He picked her up, rubbing her head. “I know. I had a dog as a boy.”
That surprised me, very surprising about him. I supposed he was a kid once though. I picked up my bag, tossing it over my shoulder. My next move was to pet Hershey, which I did before leaving. I took the stairs in quick time, and Royal stood up the moment I came into the living room. Rosanna was there too, but she held back anything she wanted to say. She simply took Royal’s and her dishes, her smile faint on me before removing herself from the room and the situation. I felt bad I was clearly causing her worry as well, not my intent. I was trying to do something after leaving this room, this town. I needed to know some things.
Those things all remained concealed with the person Rosanna left in this room, Royal when he approached my dad and me. He’d changed out of his suit, in a simple pair of jeans and a T-shirt that formed tight over his biceps and shoulders. We’d stopped at his house for some things too, and he rubbed his hands, staring over my shoulder at my dad. “Mr. Lindquist. Hello, sir.”
Dad appeared at my side with my puppy in his arms. He placed Hershey down, and right away, she padded over to Royal. The large boy instantly dropped to a knee, always a fan of her. He made her do her dog smile when he ran his large hands all over her head and face. Her affection caused him to smile too, and he had such a nice one of those. He really didn’t do that a lot, more pain I saw through his eyes than anything. He’d been through a lot, most of which I probably would never know. He kept a lot of himself away, even now after we’d gotten together.
Dad and I were silent, watching as Royal played with the dog that always saw something in him. Hershey loved him, even before I knew I did.
Dad shoved his hands in his suit pockets. “So, December tells me you’re going on some kind of road trip? You know it’s a school night, Royal.”
Royal rose, and coming to my side, he folded a hand behind my arm. “Yes, sir. I do. Trip shouldn’t take very long. We’re going to Corrington Meadows.”
“Corrington Meadows?”
Dirty blond hair crossed over his eyes with his nod. “Yes. Going to pay our respects. For Paige, you know?”
I physically had to keep my breath from expelling. He hadn’t told me we were going there, and honestly, at first listen, I hadn’t made the connection.
We’re going to pay our respects…
My sister had been found in Corrington Meadows. She’d been found there, and that’s how all this began. All too soon, I felt Royal’s hand brace my arm, tucking me back into him. He was holding me tight, keeping me close…