Page 32 of Beachy Sweetheart
“If you say so,” I mumble.
Dad gives me a half smile. “We’ve been talking more. I think you really scared her when you showed up that day you weren’t supposed to. She said your eyes were so dead she thought she broke you.”
“It wasn’t all her. Or you,” I quickly add the last part. “It was a bunch of stuff all at once.”
“Did it have something to do with the giant bruise on your face? You refused to talk about it.”
“That was a big misunderstanding. It’s all worked out, though. And everything is… peachy. I’m happy.” I know my face must be red because my cheeks are hot again. I need to get this blushing under control.
Dad leans in. “Does it have anything to do with the guy in room 69?”
Shit, of course he knows. We have surveillance. My eyes go wide. “We’re not having sex!” My hands fist. “But… but… I’m an adult and if Iwantto have sex, I will.”
“Hey. Hey. I know. Well, Iassumedyou weren’t having sex, anyway.”
“Really?” I tip my head. “Why?”
“I remember a girl stomping down the stairs grumbling about her first boyfriend being asexual.” Dad shrugs.
I throw my head back and groan. “She didn’t?”
“Oh yeah, I think she was loud on purpose. That’s when your mom and I realized we didn’t need to worry about you knocking up someone in high school. Then you brought a boy home and… we weren’t concerned, but we hoped you stood your ground if you didn’t want something.”
“Idostand my ground, but people don’t get it. Andy does though.”
“You are so red,” Dad chuckles. “As long as he treats you right, that’s all I care about.”
“He’s amazing.” Of course it comes out breathless.
“Good. Good. Any chance I get to meet him?”
“You want to?”
“Absolutely. I don’t think I’ve seen you as happy as you are now. I think this Andy guy has something to do with it. That and less on your plate.” Dad clamps his hand on my shoulder and squeezes. “I’m proud of you and the man you’ve become.”
Dad is always good with praise, but today it hits differently. I plow into him, wrapping my arms around him. “Thank you.”
He lets me hold on to him until I’m ready to let go. “I should clean up before I meet mom for dinner. Maybe we can all have dinner together sometime and I can introduce you both to Andy together?” I’ll need to ask Andy, but he has mentioned wanting to meet my parents.
“Sounds perfect. Go wash up and enjoy yourself.” Dad scrubs a hand over my hair.
“Wait… do you want to join us? If you and mom have been talking, she wouldn’t mind, right? And I can bring Andy. But only if you want to.”
“You know what? That sounds great. Make sure it’s fine with your mom, though.”
I hold up a finger and call mom. She sounds happy on the phone and that feels promising.
“See you soon. We’re meeting at Sandie’s at six.”
“I’ll be there,” dad says.
I rush up to Andy’s room with dad laughing behind me.
“Hey, sweetheart, I wasn’t expecting you tonight.” Andy has a book in his hand and he pushes up a pair of glasses I haven’t seen before when he answers the door.
“Sorry, I should have asked if you were interested first, but would you like to have dinner with me and my parents tonight? We’re going to Sandie’s at six. But if you don’t want to?—”
“I’d love to.” He grins and pulls off the glasses. “Anything I need to know first?”
