“Uncomfortable? Dad, you creeped her the fuck out, sneaking up on her at night. What the hell were you thinking?”
He stammers for a few seconds before letting out a sigh. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. I was desperate. All I wanted was to figure out a way to get to you so I could apologize, so I could try and make things right between us. I never meant to make Becca uncomfortable. I guess I made a mistake.”
I grit my teeth so hard, I’m certain my jaw is going to shatter. “You think that’s all you have to do? Say sorry and we’re all good? You think ‘sorry’ makes up for the way you rejected me, the way you treated me? The way you practically washed your hands of me? Your own son.”
“Of course not,” he says, his tone soft and appeasing. It’s a mind-fuck hearing my dad sound like this, so meek when he speaks to me. I’m so used to hearing him sound confident and assertive. He rules his kitchens like a commander, barking orders and telling anyone off who challenges him. He sounds like a completely different person right now.
“Gage, I know I have a lot to answer for.” This time he sounds like he’s actually pleading. It’s disorienting to hear. “Just please give me a chance to make things right.”
“No.” I say it without even thinking, like a reflex. It’s the only word I have for him.
A long silence follows on his end of the line. He starts to speak, but I stop him.
“Stay the hell away from Becca and her shop. And stay the hell out of my life.”
I hang up, turn around, and walk down the hallway back to where Becca is standing in her kitchen. I freeze when I see the look on her face. Her mouth is agape, clearly shocked at what I’ve said.
I walk over to her and reach for her, but she holds up a hand. “Wait. Why did you go off on your dad like that? You were pretty rough on him.”
I almost laugh. “Becca, he accosted you in the middle of the night.”
Her gaze on me turns pointed. “Gage, that’s not true. Don’t twist the situation. Yeah, when he first approached me, I was nervous, but once he introduced himself and explained what he was doing there, I felt fine.”
I frown, confused about what she’s even talking about. “What are you saying?”
“Maybe you should give your dad a chance to explain himself.”
“What?”
“I know what he did to you was so hurtful. But I honestly think he’s sorry and regrets it. I think he’s changed his mind about you and your TikTok following. He wants you in his life again, Gage.”
For several seconds, all I can do is stammer. I can’t believe Becca is defending him.
“Are you kidding me right now? Are you seriously saying that you’re siding with my dad?”
She squeezes her eyes shut and shakes her head. When she looks at me, her gaze is pleading. “No, of course not, Gage. I’m just saying that your dad made a mistake—just like we all make mistakes.”
“He’s a self-righteous jerk who shamed me for posting videos on TikTok. He thinks that because I pose with my shirt off every once in a while, I’m nothing. He thinks his own son is trash. I thought you of all people understood how much that hurts me, how messed up that is.”
Panic flashes in her eyes as she takes a step toward me. “Gage, of course I understand. There’s no excuse for how he’s treated you. But it’s been over a year since you two fought and you cut him out of your life. Do you think that maybe you’ve punished him enough? At least meet with him and hear what he has to say. Maybe he’s changed. Maybe he’s more understanding. Maybe—”
A bitter laugh falls from my mouth. “Maybeyouthink that because you had one conversation with my dad, you know our relationship better than I do? You think you really know him? You think he’s a good guy? You think you know this whole situation better than me, who’s spent almost my entire life dealing with his bullshit?”
Becca’s expression turns anguished as she looks at me. She shakes her head and grabs my hand, but I yank it away.
“You don’t know a goddamn thing, Becca,” I mutter.
She winces like she’s in pain. “Gage, please don’t say that. I don’t think I know better than you, I swear. I know I’m an outsider in this whole situation. No one knows your relationship with your dad better than you. But sometimes it helps to get an outsider’s point of view in such an emotionally charged situation.”
I shake my head, the frustration inside of me boiling over.
“Gage, your dad looked so broken last night. He’s desperate to have you in his life again.”
I let out another bitter laugh. “You think you know all that from one conversation? Come on, Becca. I thought you were smarter than that.”
She exhales sharply as she looks at me. “Gage, your dad offered to start buying my ice cream and featuring it on his restaurants’ dessert menus in exchange for asking you to reach out to him.”
My jaw falls to the floor. “He what?”
