Page 75 of The Convict Gets His Girl

He chuckled and leaned back, pushing his fork to the side on the mostly empty plate as the weight of the conversation settled in his gut like lead. "I wonder how you're going to survive her going off to college in two years."

She rolled her eyes and swallowed. "God, don't remind me."

He grinned and took a sip of his Dr. Pepper, the flavor bursting on his tongue. After a few moments, he asked, "What if she wants nothing to do with me?"

The vulnerability in his voice made Dot pause as she refilled their drinks, her soft hand still stained with paint coming to rest on Chase's shoulder for just a moment, making him realize that she might've heard this entire conversation.

He winced, but didn't really mind it. She was a neighbor of his parents, and in their inner circle. It wasn't Dot he was worried about rejecting him so much as the rest of the town. Either way, by coming to the diner like this—together, hand-in-hand—the truth was now out there, and he wasn't sure how they'd treat him with this new knowledge. Dot's silent gesture of support spoke volumes in this small town where everyone knew everyone's business.

Jewel reached across the table, her hand covering his. "We'll face?—"

Her phone buzzed in her pocket, and she let go of his hand to pull it out. Her face twisted in a grimace, and she turned the phone so he could see an incoming video chat from Destini. "Looks like we said the word face too much. That or her ears were burning."

He nodded, eager to hear her voice. "Answer it."

He went around the table to sit in the chair beside her as she swiped on the phone, careful to stay out of sight as the image of Destini's bright face came into focus.

"Hey, sweetie, what are you doing? Are you at lunch at school? Are you alright?" Jewel asked.

Destini nodded, turning away to look at something going on beside her, and he got his first in real time look at his daughter. His breath caught in his throat at how beautiful and vibrant she was.

Destini's face flickered with something—annoyance, perhaps, or guardedness—as she turned back to the camera. Her casual tone held an undercurrent of something Chase couldn't quite read. "I'm fine. Just wanted to check in about something."

Chase held his breath, watching her profile. She looked so much like Jewel, but those eyes—those were definitely his.

"What's up?" Jewel asked, her tone deliberately casual.

"I got an email from the lab saying the test results were delivered. Did you get the mail yet?"

Jewel hesitated, her fingers playing with her straw as she slowly nodded and glanced at Chase, her eyes showing her worry. "Yes, I did. I was going to?—"

"Wait, are you with someone? Who's there?" Destini scanned the background of the diner, her gaze sharp and intelligent.

Chase looked at Jewel and nodded, despite the emotions rolling in his stomach. He reached for his drink, taking a fortifying sip as Jewel turned the camera slightly so they were both in frame.

"This is Chase… your father," Jewel said softly.

Destini's face froze, her eyes darting between Jewel and Chase. The background noise of the school cafeteria faded into a distant hum as silence stretched between them.

"My... father?" she said, each word careful and measured. Her fingers gripped her phone so tightly her knuckles went white.

Chase felt his heart hammering against his ribs. He wanted to say something profound, something that would bridge the years of absence, but words seemed inadequate.

"Destini, I am your father," he managed, his voice rough with emotion but the faint tone of Darth Vader still echoed faintly.

Destini's eyes widened. "Was that aStar Warsreference?"

His cheeks flamed as his body overheated. "Yeah, wasn't sure if you'd catch that. You're pretty sharp, aren't you?"

Destini arched a brow. "Top of my class."

Her gaze narrowed, studying him with an intensity that made him feel simultaneously exposed and judged. "You look different from the photos online."

Jewel's hand found Chase's under the table, squeezing it, a silent signal of support.

"I—don't know what photos are online, but I've changed a lot," Chase said simply.

For a moment, silence stretched between them. Chase could hear the faint sounds of cafeteria chatter, a distant laugh, the scrape of chairs. Dot, still nearby, pretended to wipe down the counter but was clearly listening.

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