The Last Song(53)
Her dad continued to watch her in silence, which made her feel even worse. She surveyed the contents of her suitcase before adding the rest of her things.
“I’m not sure I can let you go.”
She knew this was coming, and inwardly she tensed. “Dad…”
He raised his hands. “It’s not for the reason you think. I’d let you go if I could. I’d call your mom right now. But given what happened the other day at the music store…”
With Blaze, she heard herself answer. And the arrest…
Her shoulders sagged. In her anger, she’d forgotten about the stolen goods.
Of course she’d forgotten about them. She hadn’t stolen them in the first place! Her energy suddenly evaporated and she turned around, plopping down on the bed. This wasn’t fair. None of this was fair.
Her dad still hadn’t moved into the room.
“I can try to reach Pete—Officer Johnson—and see if it would be okay. I might not be able to reach him until tomorrow, though, and I don’t want you to get into any more trouble. But if he says it’s okay and you still want to go, I won’t make you stay.”
“Do you promise?”
“Yeah,” he said. “Even though I’d rather you stay, I promise.”
She nodded, pressing her lips together. “Will you come to New York to see me?”
“If I can,” he said.
“What does that mean?”
Before her dad could answer, there was a sudden knocking on the door, loud and insistent. Her dad glanced over his shoulder. “I think that’s probably the boy you were with today.” She wondered how he knew, and reading her expression, he added, “I saw him heading this way when I came in the house to find you. Do you want me to handle it?”
Don’t be mad at him. It’s just the way he is. He can’t help it.
“No,” she said. “I’ll handle it.”
Her dad smiled, and for an instant, she thought he looked older than he had just the day before. As though her request had somehow aged him.
But even so, she didn’t belong here. This was his place, not hers.
The knocking at the door sounded again.
“Hey, Dad?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks,” she said. “I know you really want me to stay, but I can’t.”
“It’s okay, sweetheart.” Though he smiled, the words came out wounded. “I understand.”
She tugged at the seam on her jeans before rising from the bed. As she reached the door, he placed a hand on her back and she paused. Then, steeling herself, she went to the door and pulled it open, noting that Will’s hand was hanging in the air. He seemed surprised that she’d opened it.
She stared at him, wondering how she could have been so stupid to trust him. She should have listened to her instincts.
“Oh, hey…,” he said, lowering his hand. “You’re here. For a second there—”
She slammed the door, only to hear him immediately begin knocking again, his voice pleading.
“C’mon, Ronnie! Wait! I just want to know what happened! Why’d you leave?”
“Go away!” she shouted back.
“What did I do?”
She swung the door open again. “I’m not going to play your game!”
“What game? What are you talking about?”
“I’m not stupid. And I don’t have anything to say to you.”
Again, she slammed the door. Will began pounding on it.
“I’m not leaving until you talk to me!”
Her dad motioned to the door. “Trouble in paradise?”
“It’s not paradise.”
“So it seems,” he said. “Do you want me to take care of it?” he offered again.
The pounding started up again.
“He won’t stay long. It’s better to just ignore him.”
After a moment, he seemed to accept that and motioned to the kitchen. “Are you hungry?”
“No,” she said automatically. Then, putting her hands on her stomach, she changed her mind. “Well, maybe a little.”
“I found another good recipe online. This one has onions, mushrooms, and tomatoes cooked in olive oil, served over pasta, and tossed with Parmesan cheese. Does that sound okay?”
“I don’t think Jonah will like it.”
“He wanted a hot dog.”
“Now there’s a surprise.”
He smiled just as the knocking sounded again. When it continued, he must have seen something in her face because he opened his arms.
Without thinking, Ronnie walked toward him and felt him hold her close. There was something… gentle and forgiving in his embrace, something she’d missed for years. It was all she could do to stop the tears from coming before she pulled back.