In my peripheral vision, I saw Kiera curl inward reflexively, like I’d struck her. I instantly wanted to take the word back, tell her it wasn’t true, but fuck…it was true. I did get hit on. I did get propositioned. Just sitting in a fucking plane minding my own goddamn business I got handed a phone number. But it didn’t mean anything. It didn’t mean I was doing anything. I still couldn’t look at Kiera though. I couldn’t witness the pain I’d just caused her.

Anna told her dad to mind his own business, but he ignored her. Leaning forward, his hard brown eyes intense, he pointed his bacon at me and said, “Don’t you think it would be better for Kiera then, if you paused the relationship while you were away…so she doesn’t get hurt by your…admirers?”

Rage, pain, and disbelief exploded in my chest. Doesn’t get hurt by my admirers? Admirers? Girls he assumed I was already fucking. Was that what he really thought of me? And…pause? How the fuck would we pause? How could we somehow “hold” how we felt about each other? How would it not make me sick to touch another woman? How would it not kill me…if Kiera touched another man? There wasn’t a way to pause this. Did he not get the fact that she was my entire reason for being? I could barely focus my thoughts to answer him. “I never…I don’t…”

Closing my eyes, I tried to control the flood of anger, pain, and…rejection. He doesn’t understand because he doesn’t know me. He just sees the surface. I can’t hate him for that. Opening my eyes, I finally looked over at Kiera. Her eyes were moist, brimming with tears about to spill. I’m so sorry for the doubt I just put in your head.

Hating the pain on her face, I stared at her and told her father, “I love your daughter, and I’d never do anything to hurt her.”

Kiera’s mother came to my rescue. Stealing his plate, she roughly said, “Of course you wouldn’t, dear. Martin’s just being an ass.”

Something silently passed between Kiera’s parents, a scolding and a concession. I suddenly wanted out of the room; it felt like the walls were closing in. I’d known that having Kiera’s father like me was a long shot, but what he thought of me…the look on his face, the certainty in his eyes…it was too similar to the condemnation my dad had always felt for me. I was going to lose it, and I’d rather lose it alone…but I didn’t know how to leave without making a scene.

Again, Kiera’s mom saved me. “Should we open presents then?”

Fixing a smile to my face, I instantly stood up. “Sounds wonderful, Mrs. Allen.”