“Ah…” I stretched up, tilting my head to the side so that I could move in under his cap. I kissed him. “It went as expected.”

His hands immediately landed on my hips, a sure sign that the quick kiss had affected him, even standing in front of my parents’ house. “Want to tell me about it?”

“Over dinner?” I stepped back, and he caught my hand. “I’m going to take you to Chuy’s—”

“Avery?”

Cam stiffened, his grip on my hand tightening as I turned toward the sound of my dad’s voice. He was halfway across the porch, coming straight for us.

“If he says something ignorant, I cannot promise I will not lay him out right here, right now,” Cam warned in a low voice.

I squeezed his hand. “Hopefully that won’t become an issue.”

“Just saying,” he muttered.

We waited for my dad to reach us. He took in Cam and where our hands were joined.

“This is Cameron Hamilton,” I introduced, because it seemed rude not to. “Cam, this is my father.”

Cam extended his free hand, but his jaw was tight and his eyes were an icy blue. “Hi.”

My father shook his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

Cam said nothing.

“What’s up, Dad?” I asked.

His eyes met mine for a second and then flickered away. Up close like this, in the harsh sunlight of the Texas sun, I saw how much my father had aged. In that moment, I realized that what had happened had taken its toll on him. He, unlike my mom, hadn’t covered it through numerous procedures and makeup.

My dad took a deep breath and then said, “You know what I’ve missed most of all? I miss watching you dance.”

Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Over dinner, I filled Cam in on the conversation I had with my parents. I thought he might launch his steak knife into a wall when I told him about my mom’s attitude.

“Really,” I said. “I’m not surprised. She’s always been… cold and it just got worse over the years.”

Cam’s jaw flexed. “You’re nicer than me.”

I shrugged. He wouldn’t think that if he was party to my internal dialogue. “I’m glad I talked to them. And Dad? The whole dance thing was his way of showing some level of regret. At least he got what I was saying, you know?”

He nodded. “So how do you feel about it?”

Good question. I sat back. “I don’t really feel anything. I mean, like I said, I’m glad I did it, but I don’t know. It’s like having to go to the dentist. You don’t want to do, but you know you have to, and afterward, you’re just glad you did it.”

Reaching over the table, he spread his hand over mine. “You still want to see Molly tomorrow?”