Page 7 of I'll Keep Her Safe

Even if there are more pressing issues right now, like finding somewhere to live.

I’ve found a few places online that I’m hoping to check out tomorrow, but I’ll be honest, I’m anxious at the thought of moving in with someone I don’t know. Or worse—moving in with someone questionable, because my time is up and I don’t have a choice. My stomach fills with acid at the thought.

“Hey,” Bailey sing-songs as she sashays into the room. She’s carrying two sodas and hands me one with a grin.

“Thanks,” I mumble, cracking open the can. I sip the fizzy liquid, the bubbles tickling my nose, while Bailey side-steps the cookbooks piled on the floor beside the dresser, then finds a spot on the bed and settles in. With a sigh, I close my laptop, which was open to a listing in New Jersey. I figured if worst came to worst, I could commute to the city. It’s probably all I can afford, anyway.

The thought makes me want to sob.

“I have good news.” Now she’s doing a little shimmy with her shoulders in addition to the sing-song voice, and despite the dire situation, I laugh into a sip of soda. Her eyes gleam with excitement as she announces, “I’ve found you somewhere to live.”

My heart jumps hopefully. “For real? Where?” Out of the two of us, Bailey is the social butterfly. She knows loads of people, so I’m not surprised she’s found me somewhere. She probably has a friend with a spare room, maybe in a cute loft in Soho or something. Wouldn’t that be the dream?

She holds her breath for dramatic effect, then finally declares, “You can stay with my dad in Brooklyn.”

I lower my soda, puzzled. “I’m sorry, did you say yourdad?”

“Yes.” She beams. “I just got off the phone with him, and he said it was fine.”

An image of the tall, broad-shouldered man flashes into my mind before I can stop it. I know it’s weird because he’s my friend’s father, but I’ve always found Mr. Mathers attractive.

Actually, that’s an understatement.

I remember the first time I laid eyes on him, at Bailey's 21st birthday party early last year. Kurt was sick that night and tried to guilt-trip me into not going. We had a huge fight, but I wasn’t going to miss my best friend’s birthday. I put on my favorite dress and dragged myself out to the bar in the East Village, only to be greeted by a man I’d never be able to forget. Sure, I had a boyfriend, but things were so bad at that point I felt reckless and desperate. I just needed a break from thinking about Kurt, from being around his emotional manipulation, from constantly feeling like shit. Besides, having a boyfriend didn’t mean I couldn’t look.

And look, I did.

At forty-two, Mr. Mathers is young to have a daughter Bailey’s age, and looks nothing like any dad I’ve ever met. Everything about him is ruggedly masculine, from his short beard and dark brown hair, the temples dusted with gray, to his piercing amber eyes. As far as I know, he spends all day in some job where he works with his hands outdoors, which explains his impressively large biceps. Then there’s the leather jacket he sometimes wears, and the tattoos that cover almost every inch of his skin, giving him that classic bad-boy vibe.

So, yeah. He’s my friend’s dad, but the fact remains: Mr. Mathers isundeniablyhot.

Of course, I could never tell Bailey that.

She and her father have a complicated history. He wasn’t even in her life until she was twelve, but Bailey has forgiven him for whatever happened in their past. I’m not sure I would have been so quick to forgive my dad if he missed half my life, but I guess that’s Bailey’s decision. Now she talks all the time about what a great dad he is, and from what she’s told me, it seems as though he would do anything for his daughter.

Including, for reasons I don’t quite understand, letmelive with him.

“Not to sound ungrateful…” I set my soda down on my nightstand. “But why, exactly, would I stay at your dad’s place?”

“Well, I have a room there.” Bailey says this like,duh, it’s a no-brainer. “And he’s going to be super busy with work over the summer anyway, so he’ll hardly be around.”

I rub my face. “What does he do again? I know it’s something outdoors, but…”

“He owns a landscaping company.”

“Right.” I momentarily ponder the idea, then shake it off. How weird would it be if I moved in with my friend’s father? I hardly know the man. “Thanks for the offer, B, but I don’t think—”

“He doesn’t mind,” she insists. “And it’s the least I can do since I’m leaving you high and dry.”

Sheisleaving me in a tight spot, I’ll agree to that, but it wouldn’t beherdoing this, it would be her dad. How could I possibly ask him to do that?

“I don’t know…”

“Please.” Bailey sets her drink down and turns to me, taking my hands as she looks at me desperately. “I already feel bad enough about leaving right when we were going to launch the business. I don’t want you taking a random room from some shady guy on Craigslist because we’re kicking you out.”

I think back to the listings and grimace. A lot of them did look shady, it’s true.

But could I really move in with Bailey’sfather? My face heats with embarrassment at the thought. I’m supposed to be striking out on my own. I’m certainly old enough. What would he think of me if I moved into Bailey’s room instead?

---