Raw [#Wattys2015]

Chapter 21

"Daddy, can you please just do this for me?" I plead, knowing that my efforts are completely useless. Without really even knowing the guy, my dad was already siding with James.

"Sugar, you need ta' face that man. I'm headin' to bed."

He walks away from me, not bothering to even glance back at me to see if I will respond. Feeling defeated and backed against a proverbial wall, I pull my cell out of my pocket and dial James' number. If he is insisting that we talk now, then we are doing it at home, not under my dad's roof. I'm not in control of my emotions, so I know that I will eventually yell and cry, which isn't something I wish for my dad to overhear. He is stressed enough after the load I've dumped onto his shoulders tonight.

Listening to the line ring, I hope that James isn't almost here. Only a few minutes has passed since Maggie told me he was on the way, but if he drove the whole way in the same manner he left the driveway I can imagine he is close by now.

Hearing his voicemail pick up, I angrily smash my finger over the button to end the call. With a hurried pace, I go back to my room to gather the few things Maggie brought for me, knowing that I won't be staying here tonight. Once I've packed everything, I knock in my dad's door to let him know that I'm leaving.

"Yeah?"

I push the door open a few inches, "Daddy, I'm headed back home."

He sits up in his bed. "You avoidin' em?"

I shake my head, "No. I'm going to go home and face him."

"That's my girl. I love ya', Sugar."

A hard knock on the front door startles me, immediately causing my palms to sweat. "Love you too, Daddy. I'll call you tomorrow."

Nervously, with legs that feel as though they're vibrating, I make my way to the front door, forcing a deep breath to escape my mouth before opening it.

"I tried to call you," I blurt as soon as I lock eyes with him. He looks wrecked, wearing basketball shorts, a t-shirt and untied sneakers.

"Let me in." He commands, in an uncharacteristic tone. He sounds uneasy and slightly frantic. Guilt pools in the pity of my stomach. I'm sure that he thinks he is losing me and this conversation will either make or breaks us.

I look down at my feet. "Actually, I think we should go home to talk. You were right, we do need to talk about this and I don't want to do it here. Not around my dad." I swallow down that stupid lump that continues to form in my throat. "I'm uh ... sorry you drove here. I tried to reach you."

His adam's apple bobs, "I didn't grab my phone."

I nod, then hold out my finger. "Just a second." Grabbing my bag, I quickly turn off the lights and lock the door.

As I walk down the few steps leading to my dad's porch, James' hand finds the small of my back. I resist the urge to melt against him and instead focus on walking in a straight line to my car.

His hand grips the side of my lower waist as I turn towards the driver door of my car. "No, you're riding with me."

My eyebrows shoot up, "Why? I can drive."

Leading me by my hip now, he walks me to the passenger side of his truck. "I know you can drive, but right now you're riding with me."

"Do you think I'm going to drive somewhere else?" I look up into his expectant eyes, knowing that I've just voiced his exact thoughts. I can't deny that his thoughts are completely fair, based on the way I've conducted myself in the last twenty-four hours.