Even though I’d figured the truth, the words hurt. The finality of it. The proof of what I’d been suspecting. I took a deep breath, tried to will back the tears. The last thing I wanted was for him to see how much he’d hurt me. “So you were going to, what, just use me?”

He frowned. He actually looked confused. “Use you? You pay yourself, don’t you?”

I looked at my father, the man I’d wanted to emulate ever since I was little.

“Why’d you show me how to fix cars if you never wanted me to do it?” Yeah, the tears were winning, and they clogged my throat.

He shrugged. “It was cheaper than a babysitter. I had work to do, and I couldn’t just leave you at home.”

Wow. Holy fuck.

I tossed the paper towel in the barrel trash can, then threw up my hands. “I’m out. Find yourself a new Girl Friday.”

“What the fuck’s a Girl Friday?” he shouted. “Pumpkin, I don’t know what’s gotten into you.”

It wasn’t Huck Manning, that was for sure. My pussy clenched with a need for him. I remembered how he’d held me earlier in the darkness. How he’d kissed me in the bar’s parking lot. How he’d made me come all over his face.

He’d saved a baby from a bad situation. He gave and gave while people like my dad thought shit about him.

Maybe I had too.

“I’ll make it clearer for you. I quit.”

I cut down the space between one of the cars and the wall. My dad stepped into my path, blocking my exit. I looked up at him, tipped my chin, defiant.

“What are you going to do?” he asked as if I was nothing without him. Like I would be out on the street if I didn’t stick around.

“Run my own shop.” I’d said it. Said my dream aloud. It was time to make it happen.

He laughed, set his hands on his hips. “Right.”

Disbelief laced that one word. He had zero faith. He didn’t believe in me or anything I did.

“A stupid decision just like you buying Manning the other night. What is it, that time of the month?”

God, my father was an asshole! What had Huck told me? That my father had some explaining to do?

The only story I knew was that Huck hadn’t wanted me and then came home with a baby. A baby I’d thought he’d made after tossing me aside.

But that wasn’t true. I knew now that Huck hadn’t broken up with me and moved on. If I took Claire out of the picture, it was much clearer.

What was the truth? We’d been in love, made plans. I’d given him my virginity, which he’d said made me his. Then he’d come to the house. Broke up with me. My dad had been there. Observing it all.

“What did you do?” I asked. “All those years ago. With Huck Manning.”