Page 44 of Icebreaker
“My dad was hoping I’d follow him into academia, but that was never going to happen. I don’t mind school, but I don’t love it.” Daddy B reached down to select a rock and then sent it skipping down the creek. “My parents swear I’m not adopted, but I think it’s possible they’re lying about it.”
“Yeah?”
“My dad’s a psych professor, remember? I don’t remember if I said my mom taught English. Anyway, they love themselves some school.”
“Oh. My. God. Is your dad Professor Tate?” Daddy B laughed and nodded. “I took Intro to Psych with him.”
“Yeah, he always teaches one session of it because he says it keeps him on his toes.”
“The TA said we were lucky to get in there with him because he usually teaches graduate and upper-level classes. He’s a great teacher.” Daddy B was clearly proud to hear me praise his dad. “How did I not put it together sooner?”
Daddy B shrugged. “That part I don’t know, but yeah, they ended up with this oversized kid—both my parents are kind of short, but I take after my dad’s brothers—who loves hockey and being outside.”
“Your parents aren’t outdoorsy people?”
“I’m pretty sure my folks are allergic to fresh air. They live in the good old PNW and don’t even hike. Well, my mom never does, but my dad makes an exception for the trails near our cabin.”
“Shocking!” I clutched my pearls at his shocking confession. “I bet they don’t even own beanies.”
“And they’d both rather be caught dead than wear socks and Birks.”
“But how do they wear them in the winter?” I was genuinely perplexed.
“They don’t even own Birks… Wild, right?”
“It is. It really, really is.”
“So here they are with this kid who tells them he doesn’t want to go into academia or law school or engineering or whatever but wants to be a cop.”
“Maybe they’re concerned about your safety.”
“Oh, I’m sure that’s part of it. And they are good parents who love me a lot, but they don’t understand why I want to move to Tannenberg and be a deputy up there.”
“Why do you?”
“You remember the area we went to for our hike?” I nodded, and he continued, “It’s our family land, and I’ve always felt most at home there. We spent every summer and most winter breaks up there. Every weekend I could go, I did. As for the deputy part, it’s gonna sound cheesy, but I want to do something that protects the area I love most.”
“I don’t think it’s cheesy. I think it’s sweet.”
“They’d like you.”
“Me?”
“Yeah, you. Maybe we were switched at birth because you’re their kind of people. You like books and learning.” Heat flooded my cheeks. It was true—my dad had gotten tired of hearing about what I’d learned each day, and I’d gotten frustrated that he didn’t want to hear about it. When he had an extra thirty seconds, Dad checked sports scores like a religion.
“You know why else they’d like you?”
I shrugged.
“Because I’ve got really great fucking taste.”
I wasn’t sure if he was serious, but he wasn’t laughing. There was no glint in his eyes, only a deadpan expression and sincerity. The absurdity finally struck me and I just couldn’t control myself. My giggles turned to full-blown belly laughs.
“Are you serious right now? That’s why you think your parents would like me? Because you have great taste?”
“Well, that and you’re sexy as hell…”
“I don’t think your parents would care about that.”
