I choke on my bottle of water. “Oh my god, dad!” I start laughing uncomfortably. “We haven’t… that is... We haven’t had sex yet.”
My dad’s eyes widen, looking surprised. He exhales and gives me a crooked smile, now looking both relieved and pleased.
“That was awkward,” I mutter to myself.
“You can talk to me about anything, Summer, you should know that,” he says quietly, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.
“Thanks, dad.”
“Xander mentioned how you reacted to seeing his mother,” he says after a moment.
Now it’s my turn to shift uncomfortably. “Yeah, I mean, I spent my whole life listening to mum blame her for you not being around. So it’s kind of wired into me to feel weird around her. Mum hated her, and I guess I kind of feel like I’m betraying her by even considering being friendly with Daria.”
Dad sighs, looking tired. “She was wrong to put that on you, just as I was wrong for messing up in the first place.”
“I’ll try, okay? I don’t want Xander to not be able to have his own mother over because of my grudge. And if it wasn’t for her I wouldn’t even have Xander, and he’s the best brother I could've ever wished for. So I guess everything happened for a reason,” I tell him. I don’t want dad feeling guilty over the past anymore. I love my mother, but she’s gone, and I have a new life now. A new family. I will never forget her, or her memory, but I can’t keep holding on to the hate she tried to instil within me.
“Your mother might have had her faults, but she raised a good girl,” he says, looking proud.
I blush a little at the compliment. “Thanks, dad.”
“We better get back to work,” he says, standing up.
“How did you get into the underground fighting thing? I mean, you run it, right?” I ask him as we walk out.
“I’m one of the organizers, yes. I used to fight myself, Summer. It kind of just went from there,” he says.
“Who taught Reid to fight?”
“As kids, Reid and his brothers did karate, they're all black belts. Two years ago, he found a trainer and I helped him, too. Xander, Dash, Ryan… They can all take care of themselves. We teach a few of the younger boys, too. Harlen and his friends,” he says.
“I’ve met Harlen,” I say, remembering the guy from the bar.
Dad chuckles. “Yeah, he told me about that. He was a little smitten with you, I think.”
I stay at the shop until closing, peering out the window when I hear a rumble of motorcycles. Four men stop in front of the shop, and get off their bikes. Dad sees them and grins, instantly unlocking the door and walking out to greet them. After a few masculine displays of affection, I can hear them chatting and laughing while I grab my jacket and switch all the lights off in the store.
“Dad, can you lock the door?” I call out. Dad grins and walks over, locking up. Then he puts his arm around me and walks with me to the bikers.
“This is my daughter, Summer. Summer, these are my friends, Red, Dax, Bade and Henry,” he says, gesturing to each one as he says their name.
“Hello,” I say shyly, offering them a smile. A few grunts of hello ensue.
“She’s beautiful,” the one named Dax says, grinning. He looks to be in his mid-twenties, with hazel eyes. His dark hair is shoulder length and has a slight wave to it, and he’s wearing a blue bandana on his head.
“I know. Now keep your eyes to yourself,” dad mock growls. The men laugh good naturedly. They're all wearing the same cuts, so I assume they're a part of a MC.
“I’m gonna head home, dad,” I say, giving him a hug. I smile and wave to the bikers before getting into my car.
As I drive home I decide to drop by Reid’s and say hello. He has an hour before he starts at the bar, and I know he’s been training all day. He must be exhausted. His fight is tomorrow night, and I think I’m more nervous than he is. I knock on the door, rolling my eyes when Ryan opens it wearing nothing but a pair of boxer shorts.
“Expecting someone else?” I ask dryly, leaning on the wall.
Ryan grins, then looks a little uncomfortable.
“Oh, god, what am I interrupting?” I cover my face with my hands.
“Nothing yet,” he says, smirking.
“Reid?”
“Not home yet, should be here any second, though.”
“So, you aren’t going to invite me in?” I say, my body shaking with laughter.
Ryan scowls and hesitantly opens the door. “Tag by himself?”
“Hired a new girl, so it’s less strain now,” he says, closing the door behind me. I can hear giggling as soon as I enter the living area, and gape when I see not one, but two women sitting there. I send Ryan a look that says ‘you sly dog, you’.