Total pages in book: 33
Estimated words: 30983 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 155(@200wpm)___ 124(@250wpm)___ 103(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 30983 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 155(@200wpm)___ 124(@250wpm)___ 103(@300wpm)
CHAPTER 2
Haylo
What do you say we make the best of it?
Joel’s question lingers in the air between us, but all I can hear are the jubilant cries from my sorority sisters as they reunite with their parents. The pride in the voices of the fathers witnessing the positive changes in their daughters. The wobbly greetings from mothers who have been away from their baby too long.
I’m greeted with none of that.
I’m greeted by Joel.
And while he is admittedly, like, level ten hot, with his thick six-three frame and debonair good looks, Joel is not my father. He’s a stand-in. Here to appease me while my father, no doubt, galivants somewhere around the globe with a woman probably half his age.
Some habits never change.
My sadness collides with anger, filling like a balloon in my throat.
I’ve created happiness for myself at college, especially with the Chi Omega chapter. They’ve become my sisters, my support system. My source of strength and positivity. I wanted so badly to show my father how far I’ve come since those dark years in middle school where I was totally adrift, bereft from the loss of my mother. The absence of my father who couldn’t seem to come down out of the sky long enough to comfort me.
I’ve built a foundation. A refuge. But my dad isn’t here to witness it.
And my anger wins, because I actually allowed myself to get my hopes up. That he would choose me this weekend. This super-important weekend with my found family. But once again, he picked his bachelor lifestyle.
This man, Joel, who is standing in front of me, is probably just like him.
A womanizing liar. Yes, a liar. Hasn’t he already proven that?
“Did you lose a bet with Phil or something?”
One of Joel’s dark eyebrows rises. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, how did you get stuck babysitting the forgotten daughter?”
“You’re not forgotten.”
Wow. Joel’s eyes are the most unique shade of gold, and his scent…it’s like a fresh spruce tree in a winter landscape. A quick glance around tells me my sorority sisters have taken notice of my father’s handsome replacement, some of them sending me wide-eyed looks. Who is that?
Without responding to them, I turn back to Joel. “You’re free to go, Joel. I would rather be alone than be a charity case.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“You don’t deny that I’m a charity case, though.”
“I’m not happy with the way this was handled, either,” he clips, before rolling back his broad shoulders. Gathering himself. “Your father should be here.”
My stupid bottom lip trembles at his unexpected honesty.
I didn’t see that coming.
He seems genuinely…annoyed on my behalf? His gaze is glued to my traitorous lip, the cognac color of his eyes deepening with regret. Helplessness. But I’m nowhere near giving Joel the benefit of the doubt. My trust issues with men run too deep for that.
“How do you know my father?”
“We’re good friends. We work together.”
“You’re a pilot?”
He inclines his head. “Phil helped me get my start piloting commercially. It’s not an easy transition from flying an F-15.”
That explains Joel’s military bearing. I can easily see him in a flight suit. Or in formal, navy-blue dress clothes, his left pec covered in accolades. “It sounds like you owed my father a favor and that favor is me.”
He doesn’t deny it. The snap of his jawline tells me I’m right.
Once again, it’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him to go. Leave. I don’t need a consolation prize. But then I get a better idea. A bad idea, to be sure. But I’m just pissed off and disillusioned enough to engage with it.
My father wants to send his friend to fill in while he bags yet another pilot groupie?
Fine.
But I’m ready to let Phil know he’s hurt me for the last time.
Maybe it’s time to hurt him back…and walk away with my pride.
Guess what, Dad? I’m going to seduce Joel.
Do I have any experience seducing anyone, let alone a man who is easily a decade and a half older than me? Nope. I’ve had a lot of date offers since arriving at the university, but no one has given me butterflies yet. My mother told me to hold out for butterflies.
Joel gives me an almost uncomfortably anxious feeling in my tummy.
He makes me feel tiny and delicate.
There’s a little pulse between my legs that beat faster when he tilted my chin.
A pulse probably isn’t the same thing as butterflies, but that’s a good thing. After all, I’m not planning on pursuing Joel romantically. I’m going to convince him to take me to bed to get back at my father for abandoning me so many times. This is for me. Anyway, there is no way in hell I will ever be serious about a pilot. My distrust of men in that profession is way too profound. For excellent reason, I might add. Just another trauma token from Dad.