Wow, getting ahead of ourselves, are we?
I scoff and find myself posting my own life update. I could have used any picture of Angie and me from last night, but I wanted to go in a different direction. It takes me a few minutes, but it’s okay since I’m waiting for her. I want to choose the right words, knowing both our families will see this, and when I hit post, I’m proud of the status. I’m proud of the girl who’s mine. I’m about to text Angie and get a time update, but then my dad calls.
Here we go, round two, I think as I answer, “Hey, Dad. What’s up?”
“Nothing much. What are you off doing?”
“Waiting for Angie to meet me for lunch.”
“Awesome. You got a second?”
“For you, always,” I answer, leaning back in the seat. “Calling to yell at me?”
Dad laughs. “I don’t have anything to yell at you for,” he says, and I nod. “I’m actually calling to tell you how proud I am of you for holding your composure when you were talking to Benji.”
“He call and tell you that?”
“No, Lucy did. She was highly impressed and said she thought you would lose it at any moment, but you were very level-headed. Very different from the boy she knew who got into fights on the ice at every turn.”
I make a face. “In my defense, I was fighting for Evan.”
“I know,” he agrees. “But nonetheless, she was very complimentary about you.”
“No surprise. I’m a charming dude, even when I’m being yelled at,” I laugh, and he laughs along with me. “Truthfully, I get it. He loves his daughter.”
“Absolutely. But you deserve respect too, Owen, which is what I told them.”
“I appreciate that, Dad,” I answer, my heart swelling. “But I’m not too worried about it. Angie has a lot going on right now. I don’t want to add her dad’s craziness to it.”
“Everything okay?”
I explain what happened and how she’s trying to figure things out.
“Have you approached this guy yet? What kind of man picks on women?”
My fists clench. “Not yet because Angie is hell-bent on keeping me away. I haven’t even seen the dude yet, but she’s worried her roommate, who is her boss, will make it so she doesn’t get the job when she’s done with school. So, without asking me not to, she’s keeping me away.”
“I would have already found out where he works and gone to confront him there.”
“I think he’s a college student.”
“Hm. I’m sure you can find him.”
I snort. “Pretty sure Mom would disagree with you.”
“Oh, for sure. But still, I would do the same for any of you.”
“Not if it meant losing our jobs or something.”
“Eh, maybe,” he says. Though, I do feel he would ruin someone for us, no matter what. I have that same desire, and the only thing holding me back is Angie. Her job is extremely important to her, and she has worked so hard for it. I don’t want to ruin that for her.
“But because she feels they need some space since London is a bitch and isn’t listening to her but they still have to work together, she wants to find somewhere else to live. But she can’t really afford much since she’s interning and not getting paid. She’s relying just on her scholarship money. God forbid I try to pay for her. She’d lose it.”
He laughs. “Independent, I see?”
“So independent.”
“Are Lucy and Benji broke? Pretty sure Lucy just scored decorating Aiden and Shelli’s nursery, and she’s not cheap.”
I snort. “Angie wants to do it on her own,” I say, instead of going into details. “Which is why I offered my place.” I’m met with silence. “Dad, come on. You lived with Mom before you two were married, and we all know I’ve been having sex for a while.”
“I could have lived many lifetimes without ever hearing that comment,” he teases, and I laugh. “But yes, all that is true. But you’ve never lived with a girl before. Much less a girlfriend.”
“No, but it’s fine. I like Angie, we—”
“Vibe? Yes, I’ve heard this sentiment,” Dad teases more, and man, I miss him. “But my point is, you’re young, you’re living with friends, and you’re a rookie. Enjoy life. Don’t tie yourself down.”
I pause, making a face. “Funny you say that when both your daughters were married and pregnant in their early twenties.”
“They’re girls.”
“So?” I ask, my face twisting even more. “I don’t think that’s fair. So, you’re saying because I’m a man, I need to sow my wild oats?”
He laughs. “I mean, yeah. Don’t tie yourself down. Girls love love and being in a relationship—”
“And I do too,” I admit, cutting him off. “You do realize this is your fault.”
Dad scoffs. “Me? What the hell did I do?”
“Dad, for real?” I ask, almost shocked he doesn’t know. “I watched you be in love with Mom, married, and just plain happy. It wasn’t like my friends’ parents’ marriages. Y’all’s marriage is like watching a romantic comedy twenty-four seven.”