Oceanside

Chapter 44

Odette

"No dad, I already said I didn't meet him down there," I repeated for the hundredth time.

I heard him huff. He was never going to believe me. I told him ten minutes ago about Silas and he immediately jumped to the conclusion that I met him in Louisiana and that's why I left. I thought if I spoke with my parents a few days in between telling them what happened and telling them about Silas this wouldn't happen. I should have known I'd be wrong, especially with my dad.

My dad had always been really overprotective of me. I blamed the fact that I was the only child but it really came down to his military background. He was constantly thinking of the worst-case scenario when it came to me and my safety. I could be walking down the street and he would think of everything that could harm me from kidnapping to simply tripping. I never held it against him because I knew it came from a good place.

"So how long have you two been dating? Is he cute? Does he treat you right?" My mother spoke on the phone, trying to save me from my father's worry.

"A couple months," I said. "Yes he's cute and yes he treats me right. He treats me really good mom."

"That's wonderful sweetie."

"I don't like him."

This time I huffed. "Dad you don't even know him."

"That's the problem. How well do you know this boy?"

I rolled my eyes. "I know him really well."

If only he knew how well I knew Silas. Actually I think that might make it worse.

"He's thirty-one and has lived in this area all his life. I met his parents and they're good people. He's the head of a private security company. Like bodyguard stuff. He was in the military." I said the last part a bit louder, making it stand out in the sentence.

I was using the fake job Silas had told me on our first date. I knew he did it because it was the closet job in human terms he could think of. It turned out to work in my favor.

Just like I thought it made my dad go silent. Because of my dad's background he would see that as a good thing, whether he wanted to or not.

"What branch?" he sounded begrudgingly accepting.

Werewolf dad.

"Um army," I said. I thought it was generic enough.

"I think that's great," my mother spoke when my dad went silent. I almost wanted to tease him a bit for it. Instead I smiled widely. This was a victory in my eyes. "He sounds like a nice man."

"He is mom, really nice." My eyes glanced up to the backdoor in front of me.

It was partly visible from where I was seated. Behind it, and a few feet into the wood, was Silas. I didn't think he was finished with his shift yet so I waited inside.

I heard my dad grumble something then my mother's soft voice reply. I'm sure it was a half complaint. I didn't comment.

"So will he be coming with you on the nineteenth?" My mother asked.

I bit my lip. Silas would be coming with me whether he went to my house or not. We agreed if my parents made a big fuss he would just wait in the hotel room. I wanted him to come with me to meet them but I wasn't sure how things would go with me, let alone us both.

"I want him too. I would like for y'all to meet him."

"But he doesn't want to?" my father asked, finding an opportunity to nitpick at something.