“No, it’s not that.It’sjust...Idon’t know.Itsounds likeJoAnnhas a lot of sway over him.”
“Shedoes.Mydad never would’ve shut me out ofChristmasif it wasn’t for her.ButIthink all of that is because they just got married, and she’s trying to look out for her girls.Theyall still live at home, you know.Asmy dad said, she just needs time to feel secure in their relationship.”
Helet out a deep breath and looked out the window before meeting her gaze again. “Maybejust be careful with hoping that things are going to go back to the way they were with you and your dad before he metJoAnn.”
“Well, of course, they won’t all be the same.Hehas more people than just me in his life now.Butthat also doesn’t mean things are going to keep going the way they were thisChristmas.”
“Younever know.Imean he did it once.”Heclosed his eyes for a moment, knowing he shouldn’t have said that.Buthe could feel the heat rising in him that her dad had treated her the way that he had, and he really didn’t want him to have the chance to do it again. “Ijust don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“Parker.”Shewas blinking rapidly now. “Idon’t know why you aren’t being happy about this with me.Everythingis going to work out just fine!Mydad always has my back.He’lllook out for me.”
“Excepthedidn’tlook out for you.Evenif this was allJoAnn’schoice, your dad didn’t say no.Hechose a wife and daughters who had only been his family for less than a year, and ignored the daughter he’s had for twenty-six years.”
Parkerwanted to throttle the guy.Itwas awful that he would makeKellifeel the way that she had, especially when there was so much he could’ve done so that she wouldn’t have had to go through all that.Itwas so frustrating that he hadn’t.Whilethey’d been on the retreat, he’d seen just how badly she’d been hurt by what her dad did, and he wished he could protect her from every bit of pain.
“Youdon’t even know him.”
“Ijust don’t get why you are giving him another chance.Whathe did was…”Unforgivablewas how he wanted to end the sentence.Buthe was her dad, so instead, he just shook his head, looked down at the carpet, and said, “Terrible.”
Kelliwas quiet long enough that he looked up.Shewas standing next to his desk, one hand on her hip, and she was looking at him with her eyes narrowed.Itwas a look he’d never seen on her before.
Finally, she said, “Soyou thinkIshould just cut him out of my life.Theonly familyI’vehad for thirteen years.Thelink to the possibility of becoming more of a family with my new stepmom and my new stepsisters.”
“Kelli,I—“
“Youdon’t cut someone out of your life just because they made a mistake.”Hervoice gave him chills down his back, and he suddenly knew she wasn’t talking about her dad anymore.
Assoon as he thought about it from her point of view, he realized how what he said could’ve been taken so wrong.Especiallyif she was imagining herself as the one making a mistake.Buthe would never do that to her.
“No,Kelli,Ididn’t mean it like that.It’sjust that he’s your dad, so family should come first for him.”Hewas scrambling, trying to come up with a way to explain it to her after he had probably done irreparable damage.
Hisphone, still sitting on the desk where he’d left it, lit up with a message, and both of their eyes were automatically drawn to it.ButthenKelli’seyebrows drew together, a confused and hurt look on her face.Shestared at it until the screen went dark again, then she looked at him. “Youhave a job offer?”
Oh, no.Hegot to the desk in three strides and picked up his phone.Themessage was fromJosh, and although the lock screen didn’t show the full message, it showed enough.
JOSH:Iget that this job is your backup plan if things go south atZentCube(I’mguessing this is about a girl?), butIstill plan to work hard to entice you to accept...
Hestared at it, and of all the thoughts that could’ve gone through his head first,Stephanie’slist made it to the front.Oneof the items that annoyed her was that he let his notifications show on his lock screen.Maybehe should’ve taken that particular critique more seriously.
“Iwasn’t looking for a job.JoshandIworked together beforeZentCubeand we became friends.Sowhen his company was looking for a brand manager, he recommended me.”
“Andyou decided that you’d like to stay atZentCube, but you didn’t tellJosh’scompany no.You’reholding on to the job offer, because you’re afraid that things won’t work out between us, and you don’t want to work at the same place as me if they don’t.”
Itsounded so much harsher when she said it, but she’d spelled it out exactly.Hecouldn’t think of a single thing to say that wouldn’t make things worse.Hepled with his eyes that she would understand that it wasn’t as bad as it sounded—he had just been scared.Scaredthat he wasn’t good enough, and scared that he wouldn’t be able to tell when he wasn’t, so he wouldn’t be able to fix things in time.
“You’vegot a backup plan so that ifImake a mistake, you can easily cut me out of your life.”
Herwords hit him like a blast, nearly knocking him backward. “That’snot it.”Hereached his hand out halfway to her, but she didn’t close the distance with hers.Herhand didn’t so much as twitch, so he dropped his arm.
“Youare so wrong about my dad.He’sa good guy, but you’ve decided he isn’t without even meeting him first.”
Heran his hands over his face.Therewere times when he was able to dismissStephanie’swhole list as just something created out of her special brand of rudeness.Butother times—most of the time—he felt like she’d been spot-on.Hecould picture her in the room right now, standing with a hand on her hip, an eyebrow cocked, telling him all the ways in which he’d messed up during this one single conversation.
“Parker,”Kellisaid, her voice softer now.Shestepped right up to him and this time she was the one who reached out her hand.Hereached forward, almost mechanically, like his mind hadn’t decided what to do yet but his body responded anyway, and he letKellihold his hand. “Ireally like you.Alot.Acrazy amount.Ifthe two of us are going to work out, you need to trust me more.Beon my side.”
Hesucked in a deep breath, closing his eyes.Thefirst thing onStephanie’slist was that he hadn’t put her as his number one priority.Kellisaying that he hadn’t been on her side felt like the same thing.Itfelt like evidence thatStephaniehad been right about him all along.Hewasn’t anywhere near good enough forKelli.
Eventhough he didn’t want to see what his words were going to do toKelli, he made himself open his eyes and look at her. “Idon’t think the two of us are going to work out.”
