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“She happened to show up somewhere you were at and flirt with you, didn’t she?”

“Well, I…”

Now I’m chuckling. “It’s fine. I’m over it. You didn’t know since I never told you about us. I only went on two dates with her anyway.” Plus, my father doesn’t read the scandal rags like my mother does. She knew about Stephanie, but not my father. “Next time, though, maybe ask if they tried getting into the family through me first.”

“Erm, about that…”

I don’t like that tone in my father’s voice. When I look up from my scotch, I see him shifting in his leather chair, belt buckle straining against his abdomen as he changes positions for the third time in ten minutes.

“You’re not… still dating her, are you?”

“Now, Ira…”

“Fucking hell, Dad.”

“We’re adults, aren’t we? You said so yourself, you only went on two dates with her.”

“Yes, Dad. One of those dates included… you know.”

I didn’t want to say it. I didn’t want to bring it up. Surely everyone knows about “the code.” Between fathers and their masculine children, “the code” includes not talking about having sex with the same woman, even if you know it’s true. For all I know, we have bedded the same woman before. Doesn’t mean we want to know details. In fact, thinking about it makes me want to vomit my scotch. It also makes me angry on my mother’s behalf, even though she’s probably out drowning her love sorrows in some young man’s abs.

We Mathisons have a certain way of taking care of personal problems.

“That’s neither here nor there.”

“If you say so.”

You couldn’t cut the tension with a battleaxe. This is why I dread what my father is going to say next. It can’t be anything good.

“So, about Kathleen…”

Sigh. “We’ve made up if that’s what you’re asking.” I know it is. “She sends her apologies for her outburst the other day. Stephanie shook more than a few things up.”

“Ah.” My father relaxes in his chair as if everything is right again in his insular world. “That’s good to hear. The only thing your mother and I could talk about after that debacle was your tiff with Kathleen.”

It was a bit more than a “tiff,” but I’m not going to bring it up.

“I know your mother has been pushy about you and Kathleen, but she does it with a well-meaning heart. Silas’s girl has a good head on her shoulders and, outburst aside, is more refined than most ladies of her background. Not to mention she’s a looker, ain’t she?”

My lips stay taut as I hold back an exasperated sneer. “I do find her beautiful.”

As if the cosmos heard my cue, my phone buzzes with a text. While my father drinks more brandy, I pull it out and see the chimes are from Katie.

“Hello, lover. How are you today? I’m feeling… restless.”

I hide a smile as I covertly reply that I want more information. Even though I know exactly what she means since it’s been two days since we… made love.

Made love. I can safely say that’s rarely happened in my life. Lovemaking, that is.

“I want you, Ira. I want you to take me.”

Ahem.

“Anyway, enough about love,” my father interrupts. “We’re all damned by it no matter what, so there’s no point discussing it unless there’s real news.” What a fancy way of brushing off the fact he’s dating Stephanie. “I hauled you here to talk about the restorations beginning on Monday…”

He rambles about the crews, the permits we’re still waiting on, and the budget allocation. It’s all stuff I already know, so I covertly text Katie and tell her I can’t wait to see her ass in the air again. Also, I love how forward she’s getting about her desire to submit.

Not only submit. Submit to me.