Page 120 of Structure of Love

“Yuppers.”

I thought it cute she used the same term Logan did. He rarely ever said okay. It was always alrighty, yuppers, or okeedokalee. Siblings really did rub off on each other. Well, sometimes. My own brother being the glaring exception.

A pounding on my door startled me. Who the hell was treating my very nice door like a cheating husband? Getting up, I moved toward it, sensing Logan immediately stand up and shadow me. Depending on what was going on out there, I mightneed backup. I didn’t think it was Mom again. For one thing, we had an agreement on how to move forward. For another, the pounding sounded heavier than she could manage.

Let’s face it, if there was going to be a brawl, Logan was definitely the better fighter.

I checked my Ring camera, startled all over again to see my own father standing there. While I watched, he pounded on the door again, face growing ruddy with anger.

I hadn’t seen this man face-to-face in years. Literally years—almost six, to be precise. He’d gotten leaner, his skin leathery and hardened from too much sun exposure, his hair now so light in color and thin it stood in stark contrast against his skin.

The years hadn’t been kind to him, but then, he was the one who chose working himself to death over dealing with his own family.

“My father,” I said to Logan as I placed a hand on the doorknob.

He blew out a breath and nodded, clearly bracing himself for impact.

I drew in patience from somewhere before opening the door, but didn’t step back, as frankly? I wasn’t sure I was going to invite him in. “What brings you here?”

He glowered at me with slate grey eyes he’d passed down to Cooper. Genetics didn’t lie, I guessed. “I told you to apologize to your mother and instead you take off with Cooper?”

“I’m astounded. You’re actually paying attention to your family for once. Unfortunately for you, I’ve decided I’m no longer playing along with your dynamics.”

His brows furrowed into a straight line. I’d rarely seen him this angry. “What the hell does that mean?”

I ticked things off on my fingers. “I will no longer apologize just to keep the peace, I will not go along with the responsibilities and obligations that should never have beenmine to shoulder, and I won’t be Cooper’s stand-in father because his own sperm donor can’t be bothered.”

Something I said made him flinch. “You’re not his father!”

“I absolutely agree. But your wife has treated me like a pseudohusband and father for years. I’m tired of it.”

“She just…she just needed help! Don’t condemn her—”

“Then why didn’t you help her? Every other man I know of in your occupation has a certain rotation—a month on, a month off, or three months on, three months off. But you’ve never done that. You were justgone. Do you realize I haven’t seen your face in six years? Not even when I graduated as a double major did you bother showing up.”

His gaze faltered a little before it sprang back up. “So because I didn’t come to your graduation, you’re mad?”

“I love how you cherry-picked that one line and ignored the rest. Listen, asshole, you have no business here demanding apologies when you should be on your knees and begging for forgiveness. You don’t deserve either of your children. Until you’ve faced that, owned up to it, and are ready to make amends, you’re not welcome on my doorstep.”

“At least call your mother. She keeps crying!”

I shut the door right in his face. I was sure it still upset her, having to face the many mistakes she’d made with us, and that couldn’t be easy or comfortable. However, I wasn’t going to bend and return to bad habits just to stop those tears. That was what he didn’t seem to realize. I no longer cared if my mother was crying or throwing a tantrum. I chose not to care, in fact.

Him, though? He could rot in hell.

I turned to find not only Logan standing behind me, but also Cooper. Cooper seemed conflicted, staring out the window at our father’s car driving away.

“That was Dad?”

“Yeah.”

“Huh. I barely recognized him. I might not have if I’d passed him on the street.”

Wasn’t that a sad state of affairs, right there? A child barely recognizing his own father.

Erin peeked around the corner, giving a low whistle. “Wow, your dad’s as screwed up as mine. I’m so sorry.”

I grimaced a smile. “Yeah. That’s about the long and short of it. Let’s resume dinner and forget he was here.”