Heavy: A Contemporary Romance (27 page)

I think I just fell in love with Max
. From the way Thatch just squeezed my hand, I think he just did, too.

“What did I do?” my dad asked indignantly.

“You did nothing. You always do nothing,” Max replied. Only Max could get away with talking to Brock Huntington like that.

You could tell by the look on his face, my dad was completely unprepared for his script to go in this direction
. He opened his mouth a few times – a well-practiced move to show shock – all the while looking about the room for Bernie. It seemed Bernie had snuck out of the room when no one was looking. Go, go, Bernie.

I
also noticed that Rosy had disappeared as well and had taken Thaddeus with her – thank God.

“Of course, I’m not exactly without fault myself, am I Cali?” Max continued
. “Like everyone else in this room, I thought it was just a wild phase you were going through. I had no idea about your eating disorder.”

“It’s all good, Max
. I feel so much better now that it’s all out in the open and I don’t have to hide it anymore.”

“I’m proud of you, girl,” Max continued
. “Your dad will be too, once he processes the whole thing. I think he might still be on European time right now, so give him a little while to catch up,” he added in a stage whisper. “Now, Tally-girl, stop being such a sourpuss and let’s you and I go into the other room and get me a drink so we can give Cali and Brock a little alone time, eh?”

“But
—” was all she could say before Max had swept her into the hall and toward the dining room.

“I’m going to go check up on Thaddeus, okay?”
Thatch said.

“Okay,” I answered with a nod
. I wanted him to stay, but I also knew my dad struggled with being genuine in front of an ‘audience.’ Myself and Bernie didn’t count.

Talking of Bernie, he’d suddenly appeared in the room again out of nowhere.

“Follow me, Thatch,” Bernie smiled. “I’ll show you where the kitchen is and pretend I’m not checking you out at the same time.” As they both left I could hear him asking Thatch if he could touch his biceps.

With the room cleared, my father and I stood looking at each other for a few seconds before he finally motioned for us to sit down together on the couch.

“That video shocked the bejesus out of me, California,” he finally said in a quiet voice, tucking a loose strand of my hair behind my ear.

“I know it did, Dad
. Sorry.”

“I feel so stupid to have missed all the signs.”

“How could you? You were away most of last year.”

“That’s really no excuse though, is it
? Tallulah was here. She should’ve said something.”

“Is that why you barely said two words to her since you walked in the room?” I asked, lacing my hand through his.

“Yes, sort of. As soon as Bernie showed me the clip, I called here immediately. I was expecting Tally to be as shocked and upset as I was. She was upset all right, but upset that you hadn’t used our publicist. Can you imagine that? She was angrier about that than the fact you had been going through this thing alone. I’ve been such an idiot, Cali. I’ve been married to that woman for fifteen years and today she felt like a complete stranger.”

“I’m sorry, Dad.”

“And there I go doing it again,” he said, pulling me in for a hug. “Making it all about me and my marital problems. You’ve nothing to be sorry about, Cali-girl. What you did yesterday was brave, and wonderful, and eye-opening, and selfless, and a whole heap of other things I can’t voice right now without bursting into tears.”

“Brock Huntington doesn’t cry, silly man,” I chuckled into his chest.

“He might tonight. But don’t you dare tell Bernie. Now, tell me everything. I want to know about your disorder and what I can do to help. I want to talk about your kidnapping, too. I know it’s a subject I avoided in the past, thanks to my wife, but there’s no one to blame but me for the fact I never discussed it with you. Even I saw a change in you after that. I just didn’t want to deal with it and shame on me.”

So
, I told him everything. An hour later, red-eyed and dehydrated from crying, the pair of us finally joined the others in the dining room.

Tallulah and Max sat on one side of the table and Bernie and Thatch opposite them
. Correct that, Bernie was almost sitting in Thatch’s lap.

My
dad took his place at the head of the table and I took the seat next to Thatch.

“Are you making a move on my boyfriend, Bernice?”
I teased.

“Oh
, you better believe it, girlfriend,” he laughed.

Thatch laughed with him before he turned to me.

“Good talk?” he whispered.

“Really good.”

Rose entered the room and set plates of food in front of my dad and me.

“Sorry we screwed up your dinner, Rosy,” I smiled at her apologetically.

“Nonsense, Cali. I kept your plates warm for you. Just good to see you home and happy, even if it’s only for a short visit.”

“Where’s Thaddeus?
” I asked, suddenly concerned.

“He passed out on a couch in the other room about thirty minutes ago,” Thatch chuckled
. “Max completely wore him out.”

“Y
ou’re a very lucky man, Thatcher,” Max interjected. I blushed when I noticed he was looking directly at me and not referring to Thaddeus.

“I know I am, Max.”

“And how do you feel about your daughter riding off into the sunset with a tattoo artist, Brock?” Tallulah slurred.

“Jesus, Max,” my dad laughed
. “How drunk did you get her this time? And, in answer to your question, I’m just happy that she’s happy.”

“I am not drunk!”
Tallulah protested. It would’ve worked better if she hadn’t hiccupped on the last word.

We all smirked and she got up and storm-wobbled out of the room.

“You want her back, Max? Ready to rekindle old flames?” my dad said, rolling his eyes.

“Oh, she’s all yours, buddy
. Though I will admit… she’s a lot friendlier when she’s had a few drinks. Remember that for the future.”

Once my father and his best friend had shamelessly stopped picking on his wife, Dad turned his attention to Thatch.

“Tell me all about this competition you’re in. Bernie only made me aware of it a few days ago, and it seems I have a lot of catching up to do if I’m to keep up with all the happenings in my daughter’s life.”

And
, just like that, Thatch was welcomed as a new member into the Huntington dysfunctional family.

Thatch

“Hey
, little man, time to wake up,” I said opening the door to lift Thaddeus out of the car. I couldn’t afford to miss another day of work and we’d left California - the state and the girl - early this morning.

“Are we home, Daddy?” he asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes
. All the excitement and irregular sleeping patterns over the last two days had my kid exhausted.

“We sure are
. Let’s go see Pop-Pop, okay?”

“Yay!”
He was immediately more alert.

“There are going to be lots of people at the front of the shop
. I don’t want you to get scared or anything, all right, little man?”

“Is it because you’re a
ninja athlete, Daddy?”

“Yeah, kiddo
. They’re going to be taking our picture and I want you to close your eyes and keep your head next to my chest so the lights from the cameras don’t hurt your eyes, okay?”

“Okay, Daddy.”

I threw my bag over my shoulder and then picked up my son and held him close, bracing myself for the onslaught as I rounded the corner.

“Thatch, did you know Cali had a
n eating disorder?”

“
Are you and California Huntington dating now?”

“Is it true she’s carrying your child?”

“What happened when you met Brock?”

“What was it like becoming a father at sixteen?’

“Thaddeus! Thaddeus! Look over here!”

“Does Cali have a drug problem?”

“Are you ready for the finals on Saturday?”

“Is Cali moving to Vegas?”

“Will Cali be cheering you on this weekend?”

I pushed my way through the small mob of tabloid reporters, squinting against the flash of camera lights
. I opened the door and my father took Thaddeus out of my arms.

I turned, standing half in and half out of the shop do
orway.

“California Huntington has retained the services of
publicist Ruby Maddox. All statements about… well anything… will be coming from her. I have a living to make and a competition to train for. Any chance you could give me and my son a little space, guys?” Without waiting for a response, I went into the shop, closing the door behind me.

“If it’s any consolation,” my dad grimaced, “There were twice as many out there yesterday.”

“Those men are weally excited about
Ultimate Ninja Athlete
, Daddy,” Thaddeus said as my dad set him on his feet.

“I know, aren’t they?” I exclaimed with exaggerated enthusiasm that made him giggle
. “Head upstairs, little man. I have to get ready for work, okay?”

“You have an appointment in about thirty minutes, son
,” my dad added.

“Got it.”

Luckily, I’d scheduled just a few appointments the week leading up to the finals. Only two of my clients had been put out by my impromptu trip to Los Angeles.

“Welcome home,
Casanova
,” Rufus called from his station at the back; obviously relishing the fact he finally had the opportunity to throw the name I often teased
him
with back in my face.

Thankfully, with a client in his chair, he had the tact not to press me for any details
that could be shared with the mob outside.

“All right, settle down, big guy,” I smiled in reply
. “Pay attention to what you’re doing there and stop gawking at me like that. You know I don’t swing that way, honey.”

I heard both Rufus and his client laughing as I went into the washroom to clean up a bit before my appointment.

Four hours later, I was putting some finishing touches on a detailed tattoo of the Manhattan skyline that wrapped around the top of my client’s arm. He was a showcaser of mine, which meant he wore a lot of my work, so I didn’t need to ask to know he was happy with the end result.

“I think that might have been the best carving I’ve ever seen you do, kiddo,” Rufus said after my client had paid and left
. “It seems that being in love agrees with you,” he smirked.

His customer had left about twenty minutes earlier and there was no one waiting at the moment
. My next appointment was not until four and we had the shop to ourselves for a few minutes.

“Shut up,
Ruf,” I scolded. “It’s not love yet.”

“
Yet
being the key word there, kiddo. As soon as that girl walked into this shop looking for you with her pretty white dress, gorgeous red hair, and those killer come-to-bed eyes, I knew there was something big going on.”

“Is the ever-cynical Rufus a closet romantic?” I teased
. “And what do you mean
come-to-bed
eyes, asshole?”

“
Ooo… jealously is such a good look on you, kiddo. I hope you think of me every time you see that tattoo I did on her hip,” he chuckled.

“Trust me,
jackass, you’re the last thing on my mind when I’m with her,” I laughed.

“By the way,” I added after Rufus had fake-punched me in the arm, “Why is it so quiet in here?”

“Bell let me set the phones to voicemail. He told the new girl to start when things outside quiet down a bit. Seemed pointless to put yet another person through all this drama.”

“How are you and Mo-Mo holding
up?”

“Mo took the day off
since he’s fed up with all the attention. He’s got too much going on with family stuff to want to deal with all this. He’ll be back after the weekend.”

“
Shit. I hate that it’s affected him. What about you?”

“Damn, son, you even have to ask
? Do you have any idea the kind of pussy I get when they know I work with
the
Thatch Reston? I’m loving the attention,” Rufus laughed.

I rolled my eyes at him
. “Of course, you are,” I sighed.

“So, is she moving to Vegas then?” he asked.

“That’s the plan, jackass.”

“I have to say I’m impressed
. I never thought you had it in you to get involved with someone with her background and notoriety. Not that I’m saying I believe any of what’s said, I just mean someone that comes with a trail of photographers in their wake.”

I gave a dry laugh
. “I didn’t think I had it in me either. I guess time will tell if I’m doing the right thing or not.”