Page 47 of Tinder B@ng

“No.” It’s a quick no from her, I think she’s sick of them. “I think they’re going to Emily’s family.” She makes an excuse for them. I don’t really mind, they’d probably just irritate me and her.

“I’ll call them and book an extra room for you. I want to go tomorrow afternoon.”

“Thanks, Dad,” she says. “Could I get my phone back tonight? I just want to let Richard know I’m going with you; we had plans.” Wow, she’s cancelling boyfriend plans for Dad, I guess she can have her phone for that.

“That wasn’t the deal, Tala,” I say. “But yes, you can have your phones when we get home.”

We drag all the shopping and the garment bags upstairs in one trip, because I can’t be asked to go up and down. Shopping with my daughter was exhausting, and seeing Channing has me in knots and I can’t understand why. Maybe it was the smell, but my stomach isn’t right either.

“You shits can go get your phones from my office,” I say, pouring a drink that I plan to enjoy in peace on the balcony. “Let’s not do this again shall we,” I add for good measure.

“Thanks, Dad,” Lycan says, and they rush down the hallway to retrieve their fifth limbs. I’m enjoying the peace and fresh air when I hear the argument break out inside. I learned long ago only to go look if I heard the word ‘blood’ or ‘fire;’ they sort their own shit otherwise.

“I’ll kill him, Tala.” Fallon’s low gruff voice isn’t joking, I can tell. “I warned you.”

“Stop it, Fallon.” Tala’s voice shakes, and my gut knows something is wrong. “It’s not like I thought he was going to marry me. It’s a breakup.”

“He’s a douche. Don’t be sad,” Emily comforts her. And the dad in me wants to find the boy and wring his neck, but the other part is so glad I don’t have to worry about him any longer.

“I’m not sad.” Tala is crying now. “Shh, Dad will hear,” she says as Fallon starts talking. I hear them move themselves and the conversation to one of the bedrooms so I can’t hear. I’m sure she’ll tell me tomorrow; we have a few hours in the car. I’m glad now that I asked her to come. No father wants to see their child hurting.