Page 32 of The Deadbeat DILF
Finally, my family started to walk away and pack their things. I heard Brandon and Gemma mutter to each other, and Dad shook his head at me, and it all hurt like a needle through skin.
It felt like an eternity, but eventually they left. As soon as the front door slammed behind them, I fell onto the couch, feeling like all my energy had been sucked out of my body, and burst into tears.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Robert sat next to me. I was humiliated he’d witnessed all that. He probably thought we were all crazy.
Tears rolled down my face, dripping off my jaw and chin. “I’m sorry—”
Before I could finish the sentence, he pulled me into his arms. He cupped the back of my head, letting me press my face into his work shirt. He was warm and strong, and all I wanted to do was sink into him. “Don’t be sorry. There’s nothing to be sorry for.”
My tears were getting his shirt wet, but he didn’t seem to care.
“These past few days have been a headache,” I said. I’ve made you go through so much drama—”
“It’s not your fault,” he murmured, stroking the hair at the back of my head.
“I’m so embarrassed,” I said, voice was muffled because my head was buried in his chest.
“Don’t be,” he said soothingly. “I know what it’s like to have a dysfunctional family. I understand the fighting, the blaming, the hurt feelings.”
“It’s awful,” I admitted. “I should be old enough for it not to affect me anymore, but every insult stings. They’re my family. They should love me more than anyone else.” I sucked in a wobbly breath. “Sometimes I wonder whether they’re right. Whether I’m…”
He pulled me closer. “They’re not. You’re a kind person, Brooke. I’m sorry they can’t see that.”
I wanted to argue, but I didn’t have the strength, and slowly, my tears stopped. I had a headache, the kind I got after crying.
Robert let go of me. As he was pulling away, I gripped his wrists. No. I didn’t want him to go.
He gave me a small smile and pressed a gentle kiss against my forehead. “I won’t be long. I thought you might like a cup of tea. A tablespoon of honey, right?”
A sniffly laugh escaped me. “Right,” I said, touched he remembered.
“I’ll be right back.”
After he was gone, I looked around at my home. I’d have to clean up the mess eventually, but even the prospect of picking up the beer bottles felt like an impossible undertaking.
“Here we go,” Robert said once he returned with a piping hot cup of tea. He sat down next to me and placed the mug in my hands.
I took a sip and managed a smile. “It’s perfect.”
He mirrored my smile. “I pay attention.” His expression turned serious. “You know, you can talk to me about anything.”
I wiped my eyes and drank my tea, fighting the urge to spill everything to him. I didn’t want him to see how pathetic I really was.
“I wanted to work things out with them,” I whispered, staring into my cup. “I actually planned on making an effort to get along with them tonight.”
Robert glanced around with a frown. “But you saw that they didn’t respect your space.”
“I don’t know why I expected anything different. I guess I’m spoiled with you because you’re so tidy,” I replied with a small smile.
Robert rubbed my back as I kept drinking my tea. “It’s a nice place. The last thing I want to do is ruin your home, especially when you were kind enough to share it with me.”
I set my tea cup down and turned to him. “I’m glad you’re here,” I said quietly.
He touched my hand. “I’m so sorry you had to go through all this. I meant what I said Brooke. You don’t deserve your family’s cruelty.”
My heart ached. Here was someone who sympathized with me, who understood how I was feeling. I felt seen in a way I’d never felt before.
