Page 63 of Devoured

"I'm okay, Tyler,” she said.

"That's what you said yesterday too. So I don't believe you."

Tyler loved asking to be punched. I let go of Penny’s hand and stood up. I couldn’t listen to any more of this conversation. Penny’s father already hated me. Punching this kid again wasn’t going to help my case. "Does anyone want some coffee or something to eat?"

No one said anything.

Good.I’d get the full story directly from Penny about why she went to Tyler’s yesterday. Until then, I needed a minute alone anyway. "I'll be right back." I raked my fingers through my hair as I walked out the door without looking back.

But I heard footsteps behind me.

I turned around, expecting Tyler to be there pushing my buttons again. But it was Penny’s father. And he did not look happy.

Chapter 16

Sunday

“I think the two of us need to go get that coffee,” Penny’s father said.

“Um. Yes, sir.”

He shook his head like he was annoyed with my existence and walked past me.

I still needed a minute to calm down from Tyler popping up like that stupid whack-a-mole game. I really didn’t feel like being reprimanded by a complete stranger right now. But I wanted Penny’s father to like me. This was important.

I hurried after him. But all I could think to talk about was the weather. And I had a feeling that wasn’t what he wanted to discuss.

We stepped onto the elevator without a word.

The doors slid closed and we both still said nothing.

I cleared my throat. But neither of us offered a topic. Why was this so awkward? I wondered if it was because yesterday I’d thought it would be kind of sexy if Penny called me Daddy while I punished her. I’d definitely decided against that now. I didn’t want her to think of her father while I fucked her.

I cleared my throat again. “So…fly Eagles fly?” That’s what everyone said around here.

“Oh, you’re an Eagles fan, James?”

That was a reasonable assumption after what I’d just said. But I was really just trying to start a conversation.Anyconversation. Why was this so fucking awkward? “No, a Giants fan actually.”

“Hmph.” He stepped off the elevator.

I had a feeling that was the final nail in my coffin. We silently made our way to the cafeteria and stepped into the long line.

“So you got that shiner fighting that other kid, huh?”

I’m a grown ass man.Tyler was the only kid. But I bit my tongue. “Penny’s worth defending.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Defending? What happened?”

I probably shouldn’t have said that. “I don’t want to get in between you and your daughter. It’s better if you ask her directly. But I meant what I said. I’ll always defend her.”

His eyes finally softened. Just a bit. “Good, good,” he said.

When we reached the front of the line, he pulled out his wallet for the coffees.

And I let him pay. Because I was supposed to be a poor college student.

“I will admit,” he said. “I wish we had Odin Beckman.”

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