Page 9 of Bring me Back

His mouth opened, and I braced myself, but he didn’t follow through. Dipping his chin, Dad sipped his coffee. “So what’s your plan?”

I frowned. “This is my plan,” I said, looking around the diner.

“Are you staying in Bluehaven?”

I sat back in the booth, upset for the first time. Living the rest of my life in the town that chased me away five years ago wasn’t the dream, no. But I also didn’t have anywhere else to go. We weren’t rich. I couldn’t try every city in the world and test my luck until I found a place that suited me. At least Bluehaven had Dad, Marian, and Torres…

“I’m not sending you away, bug,” Dad told me, sensing my annoyance.

I glared at him, but not on purpose.

“I’m just wondering if you know what you’re doing,” he breathed, putting his cards on the table. “I can foot the bills if you want to go back, in a better neighborhood, bug.”

My lips closed in a line. It was hard to believe a hardware shop in Bluehaven was enough to afford a better place for me in the city. I shook my head. It was neither here nor there.

The reason I came back was just mine. I was tired of my life being a string of reactions. I wanted to take action without being cornered first. This was the path I’d chosen. I was going to see it through.

“I’m good where I’m, Dad.” There. Final. No room for arguments.

The man who raised me looked me dead in the eyes, searching for something, a wince or a sliver of a lie. There was no lie. I hated Bluehaven, but now I hated the city, too.

Dad watched me for a second too long as I busied myself with my fries. Finally, he nodded. “Are you going to help Mrs. Carr today?” he wanted to know.

I nodded. “I have just an hour left here.”

“Ask Marian to let you off early. I’ll give you a ride…”

I shook my head, of course I would not ask that. An hour wasn’t much to keep working, and I just took a half an hour break and a burger. I wasn’t supposed to be more trouble than help.

“You can go, kid,” Marian said from behind me. I turned to look up at her, a tray on her hip. "Just go ahead and tomorrow you can do an extra hour. What do you think?”

When I turned around, Dad was rising to his feet and leaving cash on top of the table. I sighed; I needed more time with the dresses, anyway. I still hadn’t come up with a plan of how to make beautiful Greek inspired costumes with the materials we had. I knew Mrs. Carr wanted magic on the stage, but costume wise she couldn’t pick something more complicated.

Sending a grateful glance toward Marian, I picked my backpack up from behind the counter and followed Dad out.

We drove in silence. The school wasn’t far, and Dad parked behind the building to give me easier access to the theater. I took my bag from the back seat and smiled at him. “Thanks for the ride.”

“No problem. See you at dinner?”

I nodded and swung the door open, stopping only when another car arrived.

I sucked my lip into my mouth. Daniel Miller. I watched his perfect face behind the wheel, dark eyes smoldering like he was on the cover of a romance book rather than a school parking lot. He pulled up two spaces from Dad’s car and his eyes locked onto mine.

I severed the connection, glancing down to my feet and walking toward the back doors just as Dad called. “Miller!”

I gritted my teeth, but I turned to see Dad coming out of his car at the same time Daniel Miller left his. Dad gave the man a half hug like they were old friends. Maybe they were, I couldn’t be sure.

“How’s it going, Preston?” Mr. Miller opened a smile.

“You know my girl, Hallie?” Dad pointed at me, including me in a conversation I had no interest in taking part.

“Helen introduced us.”

“She’s a good kid,” Dad said like I wasn’t there.

I couldn’t stop the scowl. I hated when people talked like I wasn’t there, but since I was quiet, that happened a lot. Daniel’s eyes flashed in my direction and caught my expression. His lip twitched, but said nothing. Soon he was back talking to Dad, but I tuned them out.

God’s honest truth? The man unnerved me.

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