NIC

Jonah McStay was not curious about sticking round for the afterparty. He excused himself, promised to seize the following dinner if Reed would pay for this one, and headed out the door.

“Have a seat,” Reed, who was surprisingly coolheaded, stated as he sat down.

I glanced within the route Harley had departed minutes in the past. A part of me needed to dismiss Reed and rush out after her, however the remainder of me was harm. Possibly even just a little livid.

So, courting Nic Brooks is your approach of rebelling?

Her father had requested that query and she or he hadn’t immediately contradicted it. In these moments, a number of issues clicked for me.

How upset she’d been that evening on the bar, after discovering her father and her school good friend collectively. The best way she, a virgin, had lured me to the stairwell. How aggressive she’d been in getting me to sleep along with her, regardless of her innocence.

Not that I’d wanted all that a lot coercion. However I’d assumed she’d felt the identical on the spot attraction I did. Now I used to be questioning each second of our time collectively.

“She was an adventurous baby,” Reed stated, shaking his head as he stared down at his near-empty drink glass. “I used to be beating the boys off her from a younger age.”

Not precisely what I needed to listen to proper now. However my aim was to clear the air with Reed Baxter. And to assist Harley.

Sure, as confused and harm as I used to be proper now, I nonetheless needed what was greatest for her.

“I can’t converse on your daughter, however I had real emotions for her,” Nic stated. “Have real emotions. Actually, I’ve by no means had this with anybody earlier than.”

These phrases simply may immediate Reed to haul off and punch the daylights out of me. I braced myself for it. However as an alternative, he continued to stare down at his glass, lazily turning it in circles on the desk as he appeared to suppose by means of my phrases.

“I get it,” Reed stated, lastly wanting up at me. “Our conditions are surprisingly the identical.”

I relaxed just a little, now not bracing for a proper hook to my left jaw. Largely, it wouldn’t be a very good search for two rival enterprise homeowners to be duking it out in the midst of a steakhouse. Pleasure Valley was a small part of a big city. Folks talked.

“However she’s my daughter,” Reed stated. “My solely baby. You perceive.”

I did and I didn’t. “I’ve no kids,” I stated. “So I assume I can’t actually get what that’s like. However I do have a university buddy, and I can think about what it will’ve felt prefer to have my mother sleeping with him.”

The thought was simply…terrifying, really. My mother and father had been fortunately married to this present day, so it was an absurd thought. However placing myself again in my early twenties, I might relate to Harley greater than her father.

“It was fallacious,” Reed stated. “And she or he has each proper to by no means forgive me. However I need her to be joyful, it doesn’t matter what. May you assist me out with that?”

My eyes widened as I stared at Reed. I’d by no means thought, in 1,000,000 years, that he would’ve requested for my assist with one thing. Particularly not a very powerful individual in his life.

“I can promise I’ll do what I can,” I stated. “However I’m undecided she desires to be with me in any respect. I’m beginning to suppose she simply did…all this to get again at you.”

Within the lengthy silence that adopted, I wasn’t positive what Reed would say. Possibly I used to be giving him a approach out. However when his expression softened, I knew that wasn’t going to occur.

Above all else, Reed needed what was greatest for his daughter. It was a love for a kid that I abruptly understood. For the primary time in my life, I longed to have a household of my very own. A spouse and not less than one baby that I might defend and look out for. Us in opposition to the world.

“I don’t suppose that’s the case,” Reed stated. “I do know Harley higher than anybody, besides perhaps her mom. She doesn’t give her coronary heart away simply. Plus, she’s been a goofy area cadet for the previous few days, and I assumed it was simply due to the job change. She’s fallen exhausting and quick for you.”

Hope. That’s what rushed by means of my thoughts at his phrases. Our conversations and texts got here again to me. She’d stated so many issues that indicated she was simply as into me as I used to be into her.

Sure, this was extra than simply lust. Greater than attraction. And definitely greater than a grown grownup rebelling in opposition to her father. This was the actual deal.

This was love.

“I’ve to go get her,” I stated. “However I’ll do no matter I can that can assist you.”

As soon as I obtained the whole lot squared away between the 2 of us, that was. At that thought, I pushed my chair again and stood, already ready to hurry towards the door.

“Nic,” Reed stated, his voice stopping me in my tracks.

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