A Million Kisses in Your Lifetime(123)

“I was waiting for you.”

There goes Mom keeping him quiet.

I pause near my bedroom doorway, almost afraid to get closer. “What’s up?”

Why is he here? It’s a Monday. He should be at work.

“What do you want to do for your birthday?” His smile is hopeful, which worries me.

I don’t know how he wants to spend it, but I want to be with Crew. Maybe not on my actual birthday, but that’s okay. I can spend the next day with him. I want it to just be me and him, doing whatever I want to do.

My entire body flushes hot at the possibilities.

“Oh, I don’t know.” I shrug, hoping I don’t have to come up with an answer at this very moment.

“You said you wanted to go out of town.”

“I’ve changed my mind. I’d rather stay here.”

“You want to have the party here, after all? We can get invites out today.”

I slowly shake my head. “I don’t want to do that either. Not anymore.”

“But it’s your eighteenth birthday.” Daddy frowns. “It’s a special day. We should celebrate.”

He’s pushing me into a corner I won’t be able to get back out of. “Don’t you have to work?”

That’s always his excuse. He’s constantly working, and for once, I want him to be too busy to spend time with me.

“I can take some time off. I own the damn company.” He chuckles. “I wanted it to be a surprise, but I can’t contain it any longer. We’re going on a trip.”

“Who?”

“Me, you and your mother. For your birthday. To Aruba. We leave Christmas day. Your birthday.” He grins, looking pleased with himself.

While my heart falls. “I don’t want to go to Aruba.”

“It’s a beautiful resort, Pumpkin. I got us a family suite with three bedrooms. A private chef. The best they had available, which took some finagling since we planned this so last minute. We’ll be there for a week.”

A week without Crew. Leaving on my birthday. “Does Mother know about this?”

He shakes his head. “I haven’t told her yet. I’m sure she’ll be excited.”

I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but…

“I don’t want to go.”

He frowns. Takes a couple of steps toward me. “Why not? It’ll be fun, Pumpkin. A chance to get away. Get some sun and sit by the ocean. Forget all your troubles and school and snow.”

“I’d rather stay home. I don’t mind the snow. I can see what few friends I have while I’m here, and that’s enough for me.”

“I heard about your teacher. Figueroa?”

I go completely still. I’d forgot all about that. Out of sight, out of mind. “Oh.”

“You didn’t even tell me.”

“I sort of forgot, with everything else that happened.” I’m implying that he’s the reason I forgot, with his demands that I come straight home.

“You used to tell me everything. Now I have to find out from the news that your teacher was arrested for having sex with a minor.” He visibly shudders. “Imagine if he tried that with you?”

I don’t bother telling him he wanted to. He’d just put me under lock and key if he knew that. “I have to go, Daddy.”

“Where are you going? It’s so early. I’m surprised you didn’t sleep in. I know how much you like to.” His smile is gentle, and he’s trying. I can tell. But it’s almost as if he’s trying a little too late.

He spied on me. He’s never trusted me. He saw the photos of me and Crew together and that’s just so…

Embarrassing.

It’s going to take me a while to forgive him for that.

“I’m going to see Crew.” I stand up straighter, practically daring him to tell me I can’t.

His mouth thins into a firm line and he just stares at me for a moment. As if he can’t believe this is what I’ve turned into.

“We’re going on that trip.”

“No.” I shake my head. “You and Mom can go. I’m not.”

“I already paid for your ticket.”

“Well, ask for a refund. I don’t want to go. You can’t make me. I’m going to be eighteen in a few days. An adult.” I lift my chin, hoping he doesn’t see how this confrontation is making me shake.

He looks furious. I don’t do this—defy him. Ever. “You still live under my roof.”

“I’ll go live with someone else then, until I have to go back to school. I don’t really live here anyway.” I try to push past him, but he stops me, his fingers circling around my upper arm, keeping me from escaping.

“Who would you go live with, hmm? That supposed boyfriend of yours?”

I try to jerk out of his hold. “He’s not my boyfriend.”

“You two are just fucking then? Is that what he tells you? He’s only using you. And you’re letting him.”

My father’s eyes lock with mine and I physically recoil, desperate to get away from him. Why is he acting like this? Saying such awful things?

“You changed your iCloud password because you’ve got something to hide,” he continues. “I thought I raised you better than this.”