Page 34

“A Seal.”

“Impressive.”

“Eh,” I muttered, trying not to think about Lincoln and his green eyes. Lincoln asking me to be his.

“Maybe there’s an explanation? Of why he…”

“Ghosted?”

“Is that what it’s called now?” he asked as his lips twitched.

“Karma has a really big mouth,” I mumbled as I leaned against the kitchen counter. She was totally going to drive my drunk ass home tonight! “If there is, why hasn’t he called, Dad?”

“Well…” He reached for two shot glasses, setting them on the counter. “Did I ever tell you how glad I was I only had girls?”

“That’s not true,” I scoffed with a smile.

I watched my dad scratch his chin and sigh. “It is! Boys, sure, you have someone to keep your name going for another generation… but they grow up to be men.”

“Right,” I said slowly, not following where he was taking it.

“And some, no, that’s not true, a lot of us, the majority of us are extremely slow.” He shook his head. His gaze moved outside, and I didn’t need to look at the direction to know he was looking at my mom. “Especially when it comes to matters of the heart.” His lips twitched, and his eyes connected with mine. “I almost lost my chance with your mom.”

“Really?” My sisters and I had heard countless stories of our parents and when they’d dated, but this was something new.

“Yeah. I was so stupid.” He shook his head. “Dumb as a bag of rocks, honey. I can’t tell you enough how stupid your old man was. Thankfully, though, your mom gave me a chance.”

“Hmm….” I sighed.

“All I’m saying is, don’t shut the door on this guy just yet.”

“Really?”

“Really.” He served two shots and looked at me. “Need training wheels?”

“Not since I turned twenty-one,” I sassed, and he coughed a chuckle away. He handed me a shot glass and lifted his own.

“This won’t solve the problem,” he added, trying to parent. I smiled.

“I know that. Two shots max,” I promised, and he nodded.

“Chin-chin, mija.” Our glasses clinked, and we took our drinks.

“If he shows up, give him a chance to explain.”

“I don’t think he will.”

“You never know. Karma said he…”

“What?”

“He asked you to be his girl.” My dad watched me for a moment. I breathed in and out slowly. Damn Karma! “A man like that, in the military, older, settled, they don’t say shit like that unless they mean it, mija.”

“Dad, if he magically appears on my doorstep, I’ll listen to what he has to say.”

“Promise?” he asked, already pouring us another drink.

“I promise.”