I feel a cold ball of dread settle in my gut. “What? How? I just saw him a little bit ago.”
“I was trespassing and skinny-dipping at Judy’s. She tried to call you, but you were busy, and apparently they routed the call to my dad.”
My eyes slide shut and my head tips back as I groan. “Well, that’s about the worst thing I’ve ever heard. I missed you skinny dipping, and your dad found out about us.”
“Yeah. He left me without saying much. I need to go talk to him, but I wanted you to know.”
“Thanks. I think maybe we should talk to him together. He and I had a nice moment earlier today.”
Fuck. Just when I thought we were making some headway too.
“I have no idea how he’s going to react,” Mia says. “He and I have never had a falling out like this.”
Of course, she’s been the perfect daughter. That doesn’t surprise me.
I hear a knock on my front door. Frowning, I head in that direction. Very few people come clear out here, and even fewer do it without invitation. Maybe it’s one of my brothers. Maybe they found out that Scott found out. Maybe Scott’s down at the Come Again getting drunk and ranting about what an asshole I am.
I am carrying the phone with me as I pull the door open.
I am surprised for two seconds and then I blow out a breath. “Well, I think I know how he’s going to react,” I tell Mia.
“We need to talk,” Scott Hansen says from my front porch.
“Dad? Is that you?” Mia calls through the phone. “Dad, please don’t do anything to David! I started the whole thing. I went after him! I seduced him!”
“Mia,” I cut her off. “Don’t take this the wrong way, okay?”
“Take what the wrong way?”
I hang up on her.
“Why couldn’t you tell me?” Scott asks.
I step back and motion for him to come in. He shakes his head. “This will be quick. Why did you feel like you couldn’t tell me?”
“It started out as just a flirtation. I didn’t think anything would happen. So I didn’t think it was worth getting you riled up about your daughter seeing a guy you didn’t like.”
Scott frowns. “I’ve never not liked you.”
I tuck my hands into the pockets of the lounge pants I pulled on. “But we’ve just now established that. I didn’t know that.”
“Fair enough.” He takes a breath. “You thought it was just a flirtation. But when it got more serious, you still didn’t want to tell me? Does Peyton know?”
“Only because she figured it out. We didn’t tell her. We didn’t tell anyone. Everyone just…figured it out.”
Scott shakes his head. “Except the cop.”
“To be fair, we tried extra hard to keep it from you.”
“Because you thought I wouldn’t approve?”
I nod. “And I know you’re probably not happy?—”
“That’s why I’m here,” he interrupts. “I’m hurt that I’m the last one to know. But I am here because I need you to hear me say something.”
I brace myself. “Okay.” I’m going to have to tell Scott that it only matters a little what he thinks and feels. That I’m in love with his daughter and I intend to stay that way for the rest of my life. But I can hear him out first.
“I’m very happy for my daughter to date you,” Scott says. “You are a good man. You are an excellent officer. You’re a wonderful son. You’re fantastic brother. You are an important part of our community.”
