Page 9 (1/2)

"Before anyone says another word," Jake said, "let’s get inside"

My dad threw hiusted look but turned and headed back upstairs toward the apart on in my chest as Jake and I followed

Dad stood in the ray, was mussed, and he had day-old bristle on his cheeks He looked exhausted

"Your roommate left," Dad’s voice rumbled "We’ll have privacy to talk as soon as he leaves"

I braced for the battle to conationon our lives He’d flown clear across an ocean to have this out without even tellingshut me out for days

I was not a child

"Jake stays"

Dad opened his ue and I held up a hand to stop him

"Jake stays," I insisted

Jake was treated to a look that would fell a ?" I gestured to the kitchen

"Coffee"

"Jake?"

Jake gave me a small smile but shook his head

I brushed past my dad to prepare his coffee "I can’t believe you flew all the way over here I take it Mos"

"You didn’t have to do anything"

"My daughter is in thetwo momentous decisions in her life and she wasn’t even in the same country as I was Of course I needed to do this"

"If you’re here to talk, Dad, then we’ll talk But if you’re here to tellht as well leave now" I shot him a look "Which would be crap because I haven’t seen you in two ?"

I nodded, suddenly feeling like a little girl, trying not to cry Abandoning the coffee, I strode over to hi like Jier than usual and I let him because I knew there was a possibility ere about to have a huge falling-out

When I pulled back, I shot a look over his shoulder at Jake His eyes were downcast

"Jake," I whispered his na Dad to pull away

Dad looked at Jake "You’re not what I want for her She’s strong and she’s brave She deserves to be with a man equal to that"

"Dad--"

"No, Charley, don’t" Jake cut me off When he looked intoand resolute "I ader But I’uy any more than you do, and I’ve not just proood, I’ve promised myself"

"That’s just talk, Jake I’m only interested in actions"

Instantly defensive, I stomped back to the coffee "What do you want hiht crime?"

"Can we do this without your usual slared atat hiht of who I am Just because my parents have decided to rewriteto stick"

"This is nuts" Dad shook his head, his tone calm despite his words "You can’t throay law school for a job that’s dangerous and underpaid And you can’t erase the et over hiainst the counter "Did you honestly think talking toto… what… convince me to think your way?"

"No, I ca on in your life that would suddenly cause you to make these massive decisions, decisions that i about you and Jake; it’s me completely exasperated by your attitude toward your sister and this notion of you beco with i I never thought I could accuse you of"

"That’s because she’s not," Jake argued

Dad ignored hiot this childish, na&iu--you wear a uniforht crime And that makes life worth it--"

"Bullshit," Jake uttered quietly, his features taut with anger

"Jake…" I moved toward him but Dad reached out an arm to stop me

"No," Dad said "I’d love to hear this"

"How dare you stand there and condescend to her," Jake continued, calht think Charley taking le thing you know about her You know her How can you say she’s living in so a cop? Do you want to know the real reason she wants to be a cop? Because it’s who she is She can’t stand by and watch people suffer She can’t witness soht What about your nephew--Ethan? Murdered and no one was brought to justice She knows being a cop isn’t easy, she even knows it can be thankless, but she still wants to do it For her--for Ethan and all the people like hirateful I was Jake had said all I’d been trying to say for years I’d failed to find the words to explain it to my parents, but Jake knew me so well, he’d succeeded where I hadn’t

Dad looked stunned Slowly, he turned to me "This is about Ethan? You never told , Dad sipped his coffee He looked atand lowered it to ask, "Since when do you let Jake fight your battles?"

Grinning, ot to say, it’s nice to have him on my side"

Jake sthen for the first tiain

"Alex certainly would never have faced off withJake carefully I tensed at the aze switched between us, noting the sudden tension "You haven’t told him yet?" he askeda troublemaker?"