Page 12 of Finding Him

“Shit,” Drew groans. “Don’t tell her mother that. Carrie will blame me for getting her into that by taking her to the beach when she was a kid.”

“I have a feeling Nita might tell her. She’s pretty good. And she’s proud of herself. She doesn’t go out alone, though.”

Drew sighs. “She’s good, huh?”

“Yeah,” I say with a smile, but it doesn’t last. Now that I have Drew on the phone, I have to tell him. Kaeo is right. “And you were right about her growing up.”

Drew doesn’t answer. Maybe he heard something in my voice.

“We’ve been seeing a lot of each other with me teaching her how to surf.”

“Why do I get the feeling I’m missing something here?” Drew asks.

“Because I’m trying to figure out the best way to tell you that I’m dating your daughter.”

“Dating? Nita and you? Way, fuck, you’re twice her age.”

I rub my hands over my face. “I know. Believe me. I know. I tried to keep away.” I didn’t even last twenty-four hours after seeing her again, but Drew doesn’t need to know that. “She’s pretty great.”

“I know that. Don’t you think I know that? Fuck….” he says again. “I don’t know what to do with this. I want to punch you in the face. She’s a sweet girl. A little quiet and shy.”

“I’m not taking advantage of her sweet nature. I want to protect it.”

“You should have protected her by keeping all the other assholes away, not because you wanted to be that asshole who got her.”

Direct hit.

“We’ll be there this weekend. That’s why I was calling you. I wanted to see my old friend. Now I think I want to break your face.”

“I’ll give you one free punch. I probably deserve it, so I’ll take it, but it won’t keep me from Nita. She’s mine.”

The only answer is a dead phone line. Drew just hung up on me. Shit. I need to warn Nita.

Chapter 8

Nita

When I get into my car after class and turn on my phone, it starts pinging. I have two missed calls from Dad, one from Mom, and two from Way. I connect my phone to Bluetooth so I can call them all back as I drive back to Way’s.

Before I even leave the parking lot, my phone’s ringing again. It’s Dad.

“Hey, Dad,” I say as the call connects.

I’m looking forward to seeing my parents, but it will be weird to actually have to stay in the dorms while they’re here. I’m going to have to tell them about me and Way. It’ll be better if I do it. If Way does it, he’ll probably speak to my father like he speaks to me. I love it when he tells me that I’m his. Dad, not so much, especially not in the first conversation.

“What the fuck are you thinking dating a man twice your age?” he demands.

I smile despite being in trouble. “I see you got a hold of Way.”

“Nita, this isn’t funny. He’s my age, for Christ’s sake.”

“He’s your age, but he’s not you. He’s the opposite of you in a lot of ways.”

“Is that what makes him so attractive?”

I sigh. “Dad, didn’t you warn me about boys my age when I moved out here?”

“Of course. College boys are selfish dickheads.”