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As we pull apart, my father autoes to keep his cool better thanout a seat for me to sit down We all take our seats in silence and lass in my direction

“We never got to celebrate your twenty-first birthday together,” he says in explanation “I thought we should celebrate”

I clear ht, Dad…but I actually don’t drink yet” I don’t want topregnant and throw him off So far, this is aard, but not problery

“Oh, okay That’s a sensible decision, really…that’s irl,” Dad stutters He turns to Flynn “Perhaps we can share?”

“I’d like that But just one glass I’ve got to drive back later,” Flynn says a little stiffly I can tell he’s on his best behavior, but also uard He wants to take a backseat and allow me to talk to racious of him He knows that this is important to me And before we try and move forward, I want to speak about the past

“Dad…you knoant to talk about what happened”

Dad nods “Of course, honey It’s not solad when you texted I orried I’d screwed everything up I’ve thought about you both every day for the last six months”

“You have?” Flynn asks suspiciously Dad nods

“Yes I knew that the way I left things was out of order I walked out without giving you guys the chance to tell ot the wedding invitation…well, I realized souys are the real deal…and you clearly love each other I could see it between you from the moment you met, and it scared irl and ap is all that separates you” He pauses “I actually think you’re pretty perfect for each other”

I blush I can’t believe he’s saying so enuine, and I never thought I’d get his blessing in this way I thought heto accept it for iving ht be okay

“Dad…you have no idea what it s”

“I get that I know you’ve waited a long time to have this conversation I still don’t like that you lied to uys have but I think that’s natural I’m just protective of you, pumpkin I’m sure you can understand that”

I nod My father turns to look at Flynn, who has been quietly observing the conversation I think in some ways my father is more nervous to speak to his former best friend He clears his throat

“Flynn…we didn’t end things well between us”

“We didn’t,” Flynn says quietly I get the sense that he’s still got some resentment toward my father He’s had to watch , and it’s in his protective nature to be mad at my Dad for that Of course, he realizes he ize untilup to it Dad takes a deep breath

“You were ot to spend that hter…well, I never expected that you’d fall for each other No one could’ve predicted it…I’m sure you can understand that”

“Sure”

“The shock hat made it so hard for me…in a week, I watched you steal her heart And then I felt like I lost you too in the process All that sneaking around…I kneas happening, and it felt like it was a personal attack on me I felt like you owed me better behavior on your part But I understand now that you were falling in love for the first tio…it makes you reckless It makes you wild And I can alh it hurt s”

“Given ti was new to us too…we didn’t want things to blow up the way that they did”