Page 17

I laughed as I pulled away from him. “Let’s go home, Dad.”
He took my hand, and we walked out of the park. “I’m really sorry, Dad. I never meant to hurt you, and if I could take back the events of yesterday, I would.”
“I know you’re sorry, Julia,” he said.
We climbed into the Range Rover and headed home.
“Go upstairs and get into some dry clothes. We’ll go to lunch and stop by the store to get a new phone since you broke yours.”
“I’ll pay for it. I’m sorry. It was all my fault.”
“It’s okay, princess. Do you know how many phones your mom has broken because of me?”
I laughed at him as we headed upstairs to change our wet clothes. As soon as I changed into some dry clothes, I knocked on his door, and he told me to come in.
“Are you ready, Dad?”
He sat down at the end of the bed and patted for me to come sit next to him.
“I have one question, Julia, and please don’t be embarrassed by it. I need to know that Brody used a condom.”
Oh God, I wanted to die when I heard those words come from my father. I knew it took everything he had to ask that.
“Yes, Dad. We used a condom. If it makes you feel any better, it wasn’t a good experience, and I consider it one of my regrets.”
I saw his eyes fill with tears. He put his arm around me, and I put my head on his shoulder.
“Oh, sweetheart, it’ll be one of the best experiences of your life when you’re one hundred percent ready. I promise you,” he whispered as he kissed me. “Now, let’s go get some lunch. Where do you want to go?”
“The Shake Shack.” I smiled. “They have the best burgers in the world!”
My dad looked at me, shook his head, and sighed. “All right, if you insist on a lunch full of grease. You certainly are your mother’s daughter.”
“Nah, I’m just kidding, Dad. I know how much you hate that place.” I laughed. “Let’s go to that restaurant where we get those delicious salads.”
“Now, you’re talking.” He smiled as we both got up from the bed.
The first thing we did was stop at the store to get my new phone. My dad brought my other one with him so they could transfer all my contacts and pictures. As soon as I got my new phone, we walked arm and arm down the streets of New York to the restaurant. When we arrived, we were promptly seated, and I couldn’t help but notice the table of women sitting across from our booth. They watched as my father strutted across the restaurant and sat down. Their staring continued throughout our lunch. I told my dad that I needed to use the restroom and would be right back. I watched as their eyes diverted to me when I walked by, and they looked me up and down. After I used the restroom, I walked over, sat down across from my dad, and looked at the women at the table across from us.
“Hi, do I know you?” I asked with a wide smile.
“Julia, stop,” my dad said.
I got up and walked over to the table, asking the women if I knew them. “Are you sure we haven’t met before? What about him over there?” I asked as I pointed to my dad, who gave me an evil look.
“No. I don’t believe we’ve met,” one of the women spoke up.
“Really?” I said as I put my hand on my hip and looked at each of them. “See, I thought maybe we knew each other by the way you were staring at me and my father since the moment we entered the restaurant. So, since we don’t know each other, then I’m going to assume that you won’t be looking our way anymore. Am I correct?”
The women looked at each other in embarrassment and then looked at me and nodded their heads. “Enjoy the rest of your lunch, ladies.” I smiled as I sat down.
“Julia Rose, what the hell?”
“Daddy, please. They wouldn’t stop staring, so I thought maybe we had met before, and I just didn’t remember.”
We got up from the booth, and as I walked in front of my father, I heard him apologizing to the women at the table. We stepped outside, and my dad hooked his arm around my neck.
“You just wait until I catch some boys staring at you,” he said in a sinister voice.