Page 117 of Thunder with a Chance of Lovestruck
Drest wasn’t sure how long they sat like that, simply holding each other, and he didn’t care. He’d dreamed of this moment. Of having his child in his life again. He kissed the top of her head. “I’m so sorry, Demi. I should have been there from the start.”
“You’re here now,” she said, sniffling.
Goodfellow entered the room, carrying a box of tissues. He set them on the coffee table and quietly walked away.
Demi laughed through her tears as she reached for one only to wince.
Concern lanced through Drest. “What hurts? How bad is it?”
“I’m okay, I promise,” said Demi. “Just sore. That really took it out of me.”
“The very fact you held on as long as you did, and are as okay as you are right now, shows how powerful you are,” he confessed, meaning every word of it.
She took a deep breath. “I didn’t want to look weak in front of you.”
He smoothed her long hair over her shoulder and kissed her head again. “Demi, I don’t ever want to hear you say something like that again.”
“But Mom has told me so many stories about you,” she confessed. “About how you’re a Hunter for the Nightshade Clan and a homicide detective. I’m guessing you were expecting greatness from your offspring.”
“And that’s exactly what I got,” returned Drest. “I have the perfect daughter. One I hope will trust me enough to be herself around me, not who she thinks I’d want her to be.”
Demi snorted. “You say that now until you realize my idea of fun is reading, painting, drawing, and learning new things.”
He smiled. “All of that sounds perfect. I saw a sketch you did of me. It’s amazing.”
“You found the box I left for you?” she asked, shock and wonder on her face.
He nodded. “Astria did. Thank you for thinking of me, Demi. For making sure I could share in the memories you spent a lifetime making. I looked for all of you every day for thirty-six years.”
A lone tear dripped down her cheek. “Deep down, I think I knew that. I think I sensed you searching for us.”
He wiped away her tear. “You’re so talented. You didn’t get that from me. I can barely make stick figures.”
Demi smiled wide. “Mom is creative. She just doesn’t get many chances to show that. She spends most of her time hunting creepy things—and before tonight, looking for Astria.”
“She purposely goes out in search of supernaturals?” he asked, his gut churning at the idea of his mate being harmed.
Demi put her hand on his forearm. “If you’re about to get worked up over that, I’d like to take this opportunity to warn you that it didn’t go over well when Robin tried to talk her out of it, Dad. Erm, do you mind if I call you Dad? Would you rather I call you by your name?”
Drest touched his daughter’s cheek. “I’m fine with Dad. More than fine. I’m trying to play it cool right now so you think I’m hip and stuff. Not secretly so excited that you call me Dad that I might burst.”
Demi’s laughter filled the room. “Dad, I’m not really sure a lot of people say hip anymore.”
He chuckled. “I suppose not.”
“What happens now?” asked Demi. “Where is it you call home? Will you try to talk Mom into going there? Can I visit?”
Drest hadn’t really thought of any of that. He took a second to do so and felt a strange calm coming over him, as he resolved himself to what he was going to do next with his life. “Are you happy here in Grimm Cove?”
“Yes. Well, today sucked, but other than that, I am,” she said. “I’m working hard to get my degree in art education. I think Mom likes it here too, when she’s here that is. She bought a house on the other side of town. She’s done some work to it but travels so much that it’s been hard for her. Robin tried to have work crews come in and do it all, but she wouldn’t hear of it. He also tried to convince her to live here, at his house. Mom is kind of hardheaded and independent.”
Drest took his daughter’s hand in his. “If it’s okay with your mom, I’d like to stay here in Grimm Cove, with her. But if she doesn’t want to leap into that with me, I’ll still stay here to be close to you both, but I’ll find a place of my own. I’m not going back to Chicago. I’ll put my notice in at the police department tomorrow and the Nightshade Clan can get bent. After what I saw tonight—one of their own, who is high up in the organization, aiding a psychopath and harming my daughter—I owe them nothing. And if they try to make a big deal of it, I’ll bring them to their knees.”
“I’ll help,” said Stratton as he entered the room. “Sorry, I was checking on you both and overheard.”
Astria entered behind him. “I’m totally willing to take them on too.”
“Same,” said Goodfellow as he came in with Rachael by his side. “And you’re welcome here, in my home, Drest. It would make Demi happy to have you close.”
