A Cosmic Kind of Love(97)

“Of course. Good.” He nodded, his gaze darting back to Hallie’s shoes. “I do want to meet your young lady on better terms, but this event doesn’t seem like the right place. I don’t want her thinking I’m trying to prove I’m something I’m not.”

“I get it. We’ll do dinner, just the three of us, some other time. If Hallie is ready to.”

“Right.” My father cleared his throat. “I better get going.”

When I closed the door behind him, I couldn’t help but smile a little.

For a few minutes, my father had seemed like a real person for the first time in as long as I could remember.



* * *





I felt stupid snapping a photo of myself in a tux, but I’d promised Hallie I’d send her one since she was in New Jersey with her dad. I also hadn’t posted to Instagram in a while, so I sent it to Hallie before I posted it to social media. Ignoring the slight chafing feeling I felt as I posted the photo, my mood lifted when I received Hallie’s response.

    Oh my God, you better still be wearing this when I get home.



There was so much to love about her text.

    You get that means we’re having sex while you’re still in that tux?



I laughed and quickly texted back.

    Despite your subtlety, I got it.

Well, you’re not good with hints, and you did tell me to be obvious.

I did. And you were.

Good. Because I cannot say enough how hot I am for you in this tux.

I have to meet my father in five minutes.

So I’m putting the brakes on this conversation. Until tonight.

There will be no conversation tonight. Only me, you, that tux, and multiple orgasms.

Are you with your dad right now?

Ugh, no, he’s in the restroom.

So as soon as he gets back, you’ll stop sexting me?

Oh, you think this is sexting? Cute.

I’m pretty sure this is sexting.

No it’s not, and to prove it to you, I plan on sending salacious text messages to you all night.

That would be highly inappropriate.

Exactly ;)



The beep of a horn drew my head up from my phone, and I realized I was grinning like a moron. I quickly sent her a text that my father had arrived and stuffed my phone into the inside pocket of my tux. Feeling it vibrate against my chest, I smirked, wondering what salacious text message I’d just received.

My father’s driver stood by the passenger door of the town car.

“Ivan.” I nodded in greeting.

“Captain Ortiz.” He gave me a respectful nod before opening the door for me.

“Ivan, how many times do I have to ask you to call me Chris?”

He just gave me a nonanswer of a smile, so I thanked him and slipped inside. My father sat on the opposite bench, facing backward toward me. “For eternity,” he answered for Ivan. “Good man, Ivan. Very professional.”

“I’m not in the air force anymore.” I reminded him.

“You made captain in four years and served your country well. It’s your legal right to be addressed by your rank.”

I sighed but didn’t respond. “So where is your event held?”

“The Lower East Side.”

“Do you have your speech memorized?” There was always a speech at these things.

My father nodded, his gaze sharp on my face. “Ms. Goodman didn’t mind that we did not invite her?”

I frowned at his word choice. “Well, I explained my father wanted me to come as his date, and she agreed she didn’t want to be a third wheel.”

He rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. “Please refrain from calling yourself my date for the rest of the evening.”

“No problem. And yes,” I answered seriously. “Hallie has plans with her own father tonight, so it’s fine.” She’d been extremely understanding, in fact, and agreed this was an important moment between me and my father. I just hoped her dad was just as understanding. It wasn’t the best impression, canceling on our first dinner together.

“How is your book coming along?”

“It’s coming,” I evaded.

“I heard NASA reached out to you about a position in Houston.”

Shocked, I narrowed my gaze. “How did you hear about that?”

My father shrugged. “You know I have eyes and ears everywhere.”

“Isn’t that comforting.”

His lips pinched together at my sarcasm. “Must you be defensive about everything? I only want to know what’s happening in your life.”

He was right. I couldn’t fall back into old habits with him if I wanted us to have a better relationship. That didn’t mean I fully trusted him, however. “I’m thinking about their offer. That’s all I can say right now.”

“I hope Ms. Goodman isn’t the reason you haven’t—”

“Stop.” I said it firmly but gently. “Not tonight. Please.”

My father agreed with a pinch-lipped nod, and we devolved into far less dangerous small talk.

It surprised me to see the media gathered outside the building on the Lower East Side while powerful people and some famous faces walked a short red carpet up to the entrance of the event.