Page 92 of Sweetheart

Dropping my voice, I picked up the phone.

"Are you on your way?" I asked.

"No," Charlotte said, "and I think you need to calm down."

"Okay, one, this isn't a freaking Taylor Swift song, and two, did you or did you not hear me say that Dad's about to do major bodily harm to my boyfriend?"

I heard her laugher through the phone and frowned.

"This is so not funny."

"Come on, Scar. You have to admitthe whole situation is hilarious," she said.

"I'll remind you of that when Dad is serving 15-25 years for voluntary manslaughter," I whispered.

"You really need to lay off the true crime shows."

Sighing, I shook my head. "Seriously, what should I do? Dad hates Sam."

"He doesn't hate him," Charlotte said.

"You didn't see the scowl he's wearing, Lotte."

"I bet it's the same one he put on for Bo. That's just how Dad shows he loves us."

"I know, but…"

Charlotte waited patiently while I gathered my thoughts.

"I don't know why, but I want them to like each other," I said softly.

"I know why," she said. "Dad is one of the people you love most in the whole world—along with me, of course.And whether you want to admit it or not, I think Sam might be one of those people too."

I released a heavy sigh. "You and I both know this isn't real."

She was smiling. Icould tell even through the phone.

"You just texted me in a panic over Dad un-alivingyour fake boyfriend," she said. "Feels pretty real to me."

"I should go and make sure they're okay," I said, shaking my head. "Thanks."

"No problem," she said. "Love you, sis."

"Love you."

I pocketed my phone then moved towards the kitchen.Charlotte and I had talked longer than I thought. But I didn't hear anything that should cause alarm. No screams or plates shattering. That had to be a good sign, right?

When I got closer, I heard…

No, it couldn't be.

But as I finally made it inside, I saw Sam and my dadsitting just where I'd left them. The only difference was the death-glare was absent. Oh, and they were both laughing. Like full-on, grip your sides laughter. Was this even the same kitchen?

"Hey," I said as I took aseat at the table. "What did I miss?"

"Nothing," Sam said with a grin, "your Dad was just telling me about the time that you tried to make chocolate cake."

My cheeks heated. "I don't see what's so funny about that."

---