DAMIEN
“Well I guess that wasn’t a total disaster,” I said, shooting a look at Barrett.
Barrett didn’t seem to hear me. That, or he just chose to outright ignore me through his conversation with Vincent, a glass of cider in his hand. I had a feeling he’d spiked the drink with something stronger than the rum Cassie’s Dad had added to his after our talk.
Cassie let out a slow breath. “Yeah. I hope your talk with Dad wasn’t too awkward.”
I huffed a laugh. “It was awkward enough.”
The door closed behind me, and I turned to find Cassie’s father awkwardly kicking gravel at the foot of the stairway.
“I owe you a better apology,” he said, and I shoved my hands into my coat pockets. I didn’t know what he had said, but the way Barrett had acted, I knew it hadn’t been a simple remark. It didn’t matter, though. The last thing Cassie needed was for me and her father to be fighting.
He drew a deep breath and ran his hand over the back of his neck. “When Barrett started talking about you and Cassie, I—”
“I don’t care what you said to him,” I said as I reached the foot of the stairs, and his eyes lifted to me. He blinked, opening and closing his mouth for a moment, seeming shocked at my words. “It’s not important.”
The way he had looked at me, at Barrett... I didn’t blame him for how he felt—could only imagine what he was thinking and feeling. He and her mother were in the dark, oblivious to the truth. Still, it didn’t change the way he’d spoken to my brother, who had done nothing but sacrifice for Cassie time and time again.
We stood in awkward silence, and I contemplated leaving him out here alone, but that only further the divide between Cassie and her family. She didn’t need that.
“I should’ve never gone off like that,” he said, shifting on his feet. “Barrett’s a good guy. I see how happy she is here, and how well you guys treat her. It irritated me at first, seeing her so happy without us. I guess I was… jealous in a way. I shouldn’t have reacted that way. It was wrong of me.”
The trees danced in the winter wind, and I remained silent, watching him, listening to what more he might say.
“Thank you,” he finally said, and I blinked. “I know you don’t understand where I’m coming from as a father, but...”
Agony tore through me, winding and twisting deep in my chest, but I didn’t let it show. I understood how he felt more than he would ever know—to watch your child suffer and be helpless to do anything about it...
His eyes lifted to me. “Thank you so much for being there for her when I couldn’t.”
“I will always be there for her,” I said, meeting his gaze as relief shined in his eyes. “I promise.”
Barrett slapped his hand on his thigh, catching everyone’s attention. “All right, now that the humans are gone.” Barrett’s eyes shifted to Cassie. “No offense, Cas.”
She narrowed her eyes, but her lips curved into a grin as she curled closer to me, and I pulled her in, relishing in the feel of her body against mine.
“I’ll let it slide,” she said.
“It’s time for the gift exchange.” Barrett set his drink on the coffee table. “I think since it’s her first Solstice, Cas should get us started.”
Cassie stiffened in my arms, her eyes widening. “Me?”
“Who’d you get?” he asked, crossing his arms.
She chewed her lip as she stood and headed for the presents, grabbing a small blue box with a bow. “You,” she muttered as she held out the box to him. “It’s nothing special.”
Barrett blinked, clearly taken back by her admission, and his eyes fell to the box. “You gotme?”
She nodded. “Take it before I decide to give you coal instead.”
He cocked a brow. “Coal?”
“You know, coal?”
I huffed a laugh when Barrett continued to frown at her, clearly not aware of the Christmas traditions some mortals shared.
Cassie continued, her words a flurry as her cheeks turned pink when her joke fell on deaf ears. “It’s—it’s... Just open it,” she grumbled, shoving the small box into his hands before hurrying back to me.
