Page 40 of Fool Moon First Aid

I was all set to make my great escape from this house, to call these two and have them whisk me away, but then my dad drops this bombshell about marrying Elijah.

“You’re considering sticking with the wolves just to spite him,” Mia observes, reading me far too well, “and you want to throw it in his face.”

“When you put it like that, it sounds terrible,” I admit, avoiding their gazes. She’s not wrong though. There’s more to it than just spite, but that’s a big part of it.

“What’s on your mind?” Eloise asks, and I swear she’s trying to gentle parent me.

I shrug, even though they can’t see it. I move back into view of the camera. “How am I supposed to know if what I feel for them is real? Especially after Ethan warned me off last night.” Just thinking about him sends a wave of heat crashing through me, his words a whisper in my ear that still unsettle me.

“I know that look,” Eloise teases, and Mia lets out an exasperated sigh. “How dirty are we talking?”

“Let’s just say he hinted at a whole new level of conversation,” I confess, and the memory alone is enough to make me blush. “And yeah, it led to some pretty intense dreams.”

“Mm-hmm,” Eloise purrs, and even through the phone, I can tell she’s all for this gossip. “That’s my kind of man.”

“There’s more to life than just getting off,” Mia interjects, ever the voice of reason, “but back to your dad—this is serious, Ava.”

“Here we go again,” I grumble, but I know she’s hitting the nail on the head. She’s also like a bulldog—she won’t give up until I give in.

“Ava, listen to me.” Mia leans in, all business now. “Your dad is not who he says he is.”

“He’s still my dad, Mia,” I protest, picking up the phone to look them dead in the eye. “For better or worse, he’s all I have.”

That uneasy feeling in my gut won’t go away. Yeah, he’s my dad, but the older I get, the clearer it becomes that he’s not the hero I once thought he was. A good dad, maybe, but a good man? Jury’s still out.

“Fine,” Mia finally concedes, her tone sharp enough to cut glass. “Go to dinner with him.”

“What?” I’m practically screeching now, caught off guard.

“You heard me,” she retorts, her sass a clear signal she’s done arguing. “When was the last time you actually sat down with him?”

I open my mouth, then close it. When was it? “New Year’s Day,” I recall. “Pork and sauerkraut.”

“Ew.” Eloise grimaces, and I can’t help but laugh.

“That’s my point,” Mia presses. “Sit down with him, but this time, try to see him as just another flawed human being, not your dad.”

“A very flawed man.” Eloise chuckles, her voice wrapping around the words like velvet. I can almost see her grin through the phone, lighting up her face as if she’s hoarding a secret stash of sunshine, but she’s just off screen, fiddling with something in my office.

“You guys are the worst,” I reply, propping my chin in my hands. “Not all of us scored the jackpot with dad material.” I toss a mock glare at Eloise as her face pops back on my phone screen, a hint of envy in my gaze.

Her smile blooms wider, a radiant thing that seems to fill the room with a soft, golden glow. Or maybe that’s just her. “Well, Darcy and Jer are the best dads a girl could hope for,” she boasts, her voice brimming with pride.

“How is our dynamic duo doing?” Mia asks, her voice tinged with a rare excitement that bubbles up at the mention of Eloise’s dads.

That’s the zinger. Before bumping into Ellie and Mia in college, I was blissfully ignorant, thinking my family was picture-perfect. Mom was still on a pedestal, but Dad? Witnessing the unconditional love in Eloise’s family was like flipping on the harsh light of reality, casting long shadows over my once idyllic memories.

“Well…” Eloise beams, her excitement crackling through the phone like a live wire. “I’m driving home this weekend. They have this whole indoor camping retreat cooked up.”

“What?” Mia laughs. “How’s that going to work?”

“Forts,” Eloise declares triumphantly, her smirk almost tangible through the phone. “I’m stoked.”

I can’t help but throw a playful jab her way. “Just don’t spill about your latest app adventures.” Yep, I’m outing her to Mia, because honestly, a little part of me delights in stirring the pot.

“Oh, they know,” she retorts with an air of nonchalance that leaves us both floored. “Love is love, right?”

Mia shakes her head, her laughter mixing with disbelief. “You’re a piece of work.”

---