Page 69 of British Daddy to Go

Sean looks surprised. “No. I came because someone told me you were in trouble. I thought maybe it was you, or that you sent someone to alert me.”

“How could I have done that? Who contacted you?”

He shrugs. “I haven’t a clue. I got a text saying I needed to go to you right away, so I did. Got in a week’s worth of cardio doing it, too!”

“Can I see the text?”

Sean digs around on the floor to find his phone among the hastily tossed clothing. When he finally finds it, he hands it to me.

“The passcode is 1973,” he shares.

“Your birth year?”

Sean nods. “Do you have a passcode?”

I can’t help but laugh. “My mother wouldn’t let me put one on my phone. It was easier for her to keep track of me that way. And now, I don’t even have a phone.”

“Right,” he says. “We’ll get you one first thing tomorrow. I don’t want to leave our apartment again tonight. I’m thinking delivery is in order, for sure.”

I tell him I love that idea and scroll through his phone to find the mysterious texter. When I do, I recognize the number immediately.

“It was Jenna!” I gasp. “She texted you. How did she know I was in trouble?”

“She’s your best friend; I’m sure she figured out pretty quickly that something was wrong.”

“I never go this long without talking to her, so she probably knew I was in trouble. I have to call her!”

Sean gestures at his phone. “Please do, and tell her how grateful I am that she led me to you!”

I’m about to hit call when a different call comes in. The caller ID reads “Dad.”

I try to hand the phone back, but Sean shakes his head. “Actually, I need to talk to you about that. My parents are here in New York for three more weeks. I’ve been bloody miserable since they got here the morning we got into that awful fight, so I owe it to them to turn their vacation around. Would you like to meet them? We can hang out with them for the rest of their time in the States.”

“You want me to meet your parents?”

Sean blushes slightly. “I do. Don’t take this the wrong way, but I very much would not like to meet your parents. I’m worried they’d kill me for stealing their daughter away.”

I laugh because he’s right. “You don’t have to meet my parents. Maybe someday, but definitely not for the next year or so. They really might drag you into a dungeon, too.”

I’m glad we can laugh about it, though I’m still very aware of how awful the situation is.

“I’d love to meet your parents, Sean,” I say, turning the conversation back to where it had started.

“You would?”

“Of course!”

“Good! I’ll tell them to expect us for dinner tomorrow night, then. Thank you!” He kisses my forehead. “You talk to Jenna first, though. That’s much more important!”

I take his phone back and dial Jenna’s number. She picks up on the first ring and cries when she hears my voice.

“I’m so glad you’re okay!” she screams.

“I am, thanks to you. Thank you for texting Sean!”

We continue to talk for an hour while Sean plays with my hair. I tell her everything, from the punishment to my new living arrangement, and she promises to visit when the dust settles.

I thank her a few thousand times more before hanging up. Jenna has always been the best friend I could ask for, and she took it the extra mile.

If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be with the love of my life, cuddling in bed right now.

I owe her everything, literally. I hope she knows how much I love her.

It’s almost as much as I love Sean.