Page 106 of Return Policy

Papa Bear

Great

Me

Can I bring a friend for dinner?

Papa Bear

Of course, the more the merrier. Who is it?

I stare down at the phone and swallow hard.

Me

Elijah. Mark and Cole both have to work so he’s going to be all alone

I hold my breath for the full five minutes it takes for him to reply.

Papa Bear

Okay, Diane and I are volunteering at the shelter. We’ll be back in a couple hours. See you then

Drive safe. Love you, Sophie Bear

Me

Love you, Papa Bear

I place my phone on my lap and wring my hands together. “I should tell you something before we get there.”

Elijah’s curious gaze flicks to mine before returning to the road. “Okay…?”

“My dad might not be thrilled we’re dating.” I gnaw on my lip. “I told him we werejustfriends.”

“You toldmewe were just friends too,” Elijah jokes. “Maybe he saw through that bullshit as easily as I did.”

“Elijah, be serious.”

“We’re adults, Sunflower,” Elijah says, smiling and entirely unaffected. “I think he’ll move on.”

“Yeah… well, it’s just… There’s a reason he doesn’t want us to date.”

“What?” Elijah’s face morphs into a look of confusion, and I exhale a shaky breath.

“You know how our families know each other?”

“Yes?”

“So… the day after I met you actually, Cole arrested my brother for assaulting a police officer.”

I glance over to gauge Elijah’s reaction as his eyebrows shoot to his hairline in surprise. “Really?”

“Yeah… Cole was taunting Jake because of some shit that happened in high school, and I don’t know… Jake just lost it, I guess, and accidentally elbowed Cole, so he arrested him.”

“Wow.” Elijah readjusts his grip on the steering wheel.

“Yeah.” I shift uncomfortably in my seat. “I know it’s a crazy coincidence… and Jake said Cole had been drinking that day.”

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