Page 91 of Hard Rock Heat

He snorted. "Because that's not evasive at all." He eyed me glancing at Hope. "No, really. What's up? You lookupset."

"I just have a thing," I said lamely, trying to think up a lie on the spot and coming upempty.

"Right. Athing." He shook his head. "I thought we just finished having a conversation aboutsecrets?"

"This isn't a secret," I said with an uncomfortable pang in my stomach. "I'm just busytonight."

"Should I ask Hope what's got you so upset?" Damonasked.

"No!"

Damon paused, taken aback at my reaction. "I'm coming with you," hesaid.

"No you'renot."

"Why are you're always sostubborn?"

"Look who'stalking."

"I'm not stubborn, I'm an impulsive asshole,remember?"

"How could I everforget?"

"And here I thought youloooovedme?" Damon drawled, teasing. "Are you going to keep secrets from the man youlove?"

I let out an exasperation sigh and ran my hands through my hair, smoothing it down. "You're not going to give up, areyou?"

"Nope."

I cast my eyes down. "Fine. Let'sgo."

Chapter Twenty-Nine

"What the hell happened here?"Damon blurted, taken aback by the state of my father's livingroom.

"This actually isn't half bad," Imurmured.

Traffic was light this time of night. We made it to my dad's house in notime.

When we arrived, I was almost pleasantly surprised. The front door had been locked. There were only a few soda cans strewn around the living room and a handful of take-out containers left on coffee tables. The carpet was full of crumbs, though, and there was a pile of clothing in a corner, as if someone had kicked them out of the way haphazardly. Every curtain was drawn closed to block out light. The air smelled musty and stale, as if the windows hadn't been opened in weeks. The television wasn't on, foronce.

I supposed it could have beenbetter.

"Someone actually lives in this mess?" Damon muttered, looking around withconsternation.

"Dad?" I calledout.

A low sound came from the kitchen. I followed it, stepping over cans and avoided the crumbs crushed into the carpet. Damon trailed behind me, eyeswide.

My dad stood in front of the open fridge. He didn't glance up when I appeared in the kitchendoorway.

"You looking for something to eat?" Iasked.

He nodded shortly, not looking atme.

"I'm sorry," I told him. "It totally slipped my mind today wasWednesday."

He grunted and closed thefridge.