Chapter 3

3

TEAGAN

I t's hard to look away from Tobias, but I have to get Ricky out of here, and fast. I'm so pissed about him showing up at my work when I specifically told him not to, that I can hear my own heartbeat in my ears. Because of that, it takes me a second to process the words that just came out of his stupid mouth.

Did he say…Dad? While looking at Tobias?

Oh no…no no. Hell no. No freaking way. This can't be happening.

"Dad?" I say weakly, looking back at Tobias. The older man gazes deep into my eyes, curses, and strides past me to intercept Ricky before he can get any closer.

I shouldn't eavesdrop…but it's my ex and my customer, right? And Ricky came here to bother me, so it's technically my business.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Tobias forces out the words between his teeth.

Ricky looks baffled. "What do you mean, old man? I'm here to see my girl."

My stomach flips inside of me, a distinct feeling of ickiness hitting me when I hear him refer to me as his girl. I made it as clear as humanly possible that I wasn't interested anymore.

My reaction might be strong, but Tobias' puts mine to shame. I see his hands clench into fists and the way he looms over Ricky like a mountain. "I don't care who you're here to see, Ricky. It's time to go."

My ex shakes his head. "Nah, Dad. She's right there. I just need to have a few words with her."

My eyes flutter closed in horror, and I wish I had something to lean on because I feel like I might hit the ground all of a sudden. How in the heck is the first man to ever really interest me the dad of my ex-boyfriend? What are the chances? How is that even fair?

I wish the ground would just open up and swallow me whole. I hate this. I hate everything.

"I don't know who you think she is to you." Tobias's voice is so rough I can almost feel it across my skin. "But she's not your fucking girl, Ricky. Get the hell out of here."

Ricky shoves his hands in his pockets and rocks back on his heels. When his father did the same motion, it made me weak in the knees. Now it just makes me cringe. "Dad, listen. You're ruining my flow here."

A thread of amusement cuts through Tobias's anger, and he snorts. "Flow?"

"Yeah. Hold on." Ricky jogs back to his car—a sleek but ostentatiously yellow Jaguar—and pulls out a bouquet of flowers. It would be romantic if it was anyone else, but it's so obviously a grocery store bouquet of dyed daisies and carnations that it's almost sad. The bouquet couldn't have been more than $3.99. He brandishes it as he approaches, but Tobias takes one single step in front of him to block his way before Ricky can get near me again.

"See? I brought her flowers. Miss Teagan here just got cold feet about being with a man like me, but I'm here to reassure her that everything is just fiiiine." He smiles that slimy smile that I hate so much, and I want to turn tail and run back into the diner.

I met Ricky for the first time when I ran into a gas station near the diner between shifts, desperate for an energy drink. I dropped the silver can on his foot, my heart dropping to the floor when I saw how expensive those shoes I just scuffed were, but Ricky had just laughed and assured me that he had plenty more sneakers.

He had been…sweet, and the fact that he took interest in me halfway through a double shift with my hair all crazy and food on my apron had charmed me despite myself. It was nice to be wined and dined, to be picked up in his fancy car and have the other girls at work be envious of me, but it didn't take long for me to see just why Ricky was single.

He was obsessive and so pushy. We had only known each other for a few weeks, and there was no way in hell I was going to do more than kiss a guy I barely knew. Ricky had other ideas, though, and him hovering outside the diner and the apartment I shared with Naomi all the time was the final straw. I ghosted him a week ago, only telling him to his face that I was dumping him when he confronted me right here in the parking lot three days ago. I thought humiliating him would have made even rich Ricky get the hint. But of course, here he is at the worst time possible.

At least I know now that Tobias is his father. It would have been awkward for that to come up later. Still…I'm having a horrible time right now, and I just want this uncomfortable meeting to be over with.

It takes a lot of willpower, but I manage to force a reply to Ricky out, even if my voice squeaks just a little. "Ricky, I already told you we're done and I'll call the police next time you show up." I clench my own hands into fists now, but just to stop them from shaking. "Take your sad flowers and leave!"

Tobias looks at me, his eyebrows raising and a look of approval coming into his gaze. Ricky, on the other hand, looks pissed. Embarrassed and pissed. A dangerous combination in men, I've come to learn. Oh, crap. I've just humiliated him in front of his Dad. This might not go very well…

But before Ricky can reply, Tobias stalks over to him, takes the cheap bouquet from his son's hands, and launches it across the parking lot, petals floating down to the asphalt behind it like multicolored snow. Ricky watches it go through the air, his jaw falling open. "Dad, what the hell?—"

"You heard the woman. Get the hell out of here, Ricky."

Ricky looks between me and his father, a suspicious look on his face. "Hey, you still haven't told me why you're even here."

Tobias looks ready to throw his son right after the bouquet, but he resists. "Ricky, why the hell does anyone come to a restaurant? For fucking breakfast. Now get the hell out of here, like I told you, before this scene gets a lot uglier."

My ex clearly doesn't want to leave, his eyes lingering forlornly on me before I see his shoulders sink as he gives in. "Fine. I'll call you, Teagan."

"No the fuck you won't," Tobias barks at his son's back as he retreats, and Ricky jumps nervously. We both watch the yellow Jaguar disappear out of the parking lot, silence falling over us as the car retreats into the city.

Having Ricky here absolutely ruined whatever was happening between Tobias and me, but now that he's gone, it feels even more tense. Now that the truth of Ricky's parentage is out in the light, unpleasant thoughts start to form themselves in my mind. Instinctually, I don't think Tobias has been messing around with me, but the coincidence is so odd that I can't just let the question go unsaid.

"So, um…" I lick my lips, shuffling my feet as I try to find the right way to ask. "Have you been coming here because…?"

I can see that Tobias doesn't get what I'm saying at first, but when the half-spoken question processes, annoyance and frustration are rippling over his features. "If you're about to ask me if I've been coming to see you daily as a spy for my son, the answer is no. I haven't even spoken to him in months. Trust me, I'm not thrilled to know that the two of you have some past connection."

It's silly since I barely know him, but it's like my heart is cracking, hearing him say that. I guess it doesn't matter how strong our connection is because nothing can make the fact that I dated Ricky go away. "We barely dated," I protest quietly. "I don't even like him as a person if I'm being honest. I know he's your son, but…" I shrug one shoulder, feeling self-conscious. "It's fine if you don't want to come in anymore."

"No, it's not that. It's just…fuck!" Tobias drags his hand through his hair, making a frustrated noise in his throat. "This isn't anything I anticipated."

He moves towards me, and for a second, I think he's going to touch me—maybe cup my face in his huge hand—but he stops himself, taking a deep breath. The thing is…I want him to touch me. I want that overwhelming feeling of attraction and lust to go ahead and wipe away all the awkward feelings from Ricky showing up. It would be so easy to just drown in it. Tobias, though, has more self-control than I do, and he keeps his hands at his sides.

"Go back inside," he tells me, sounding so regretful. "We're done for the day."

It's not what I want to hear. At all. "But?—"

"Teagan." There is no room for argument in his tone. "Don't argue with me. Go inside. I will see you tomorrow."

A thread of anxiety inside of me fades away, knowing he'll still be coming into the diner. He might be lying, but for right now, it's enough. I'll get to see him tomorrow, and maybe we can pretend that this whole ordeal didn't happen.

Sad but understanding why it has to be this way, I nod. "Okay. See you tomorrow then."

Before I turn, Tobias reaches out, faster than lightning, and brushes his thumb over my bottom lip before pulling his hand to his side again. "Tomorrow," he rumbles, and in that single word, there is a world of promises.