Best Kept Promise (Best Kept #2)

Chapter 28: Days Without Tyler

Song: Fireworks by You Me At Six

----------------

A small part of me is happy to be home, but another part misses the van already.

But when I see my dad waiting outside of the terminal, I can't help but smile and hug him first off. "It's good to have you back for a bit," he says and squeezes me tight.

I laugh lightly and step back. "I thought Mom was coming too so we could go to lunch."

He shakes his head and grabs my camera bag before we start walking. "She has a few showings today and she couldn't make it. But she said she'll see you before you leave again."

Disappointment settles in my stomach. "It's whatever," I murmur. "But I am starving, so let's go get food please."

"Lunch will be ready at the house," he says. "I figured we'd eat in front of the TV since your mom won't be home."

I glance at my dad. "Really? That's pretty rebellious, even for you."

We walk to the baggage claim and wait for my bags to roll through. "What Mom doesn't know won't hurt. It'll be like when you were little."

My heart aches again. "Yeah, except now you don't have to sit through endless SpongeBob marathons," I joke. "You know I love spending time with you, Dad. Mom's just making it more difficult."

Dad spots my maroon suitcase before I do and he easily lifts it off the belt. He starts walking while pulling it behind him. "You've grown into a bright and beautiful young woman, Maggie," he starts. "She just wants the best life for you."

I shake my head. "She wants me to be like Nora. Sometimes...sometimes I even forget I have an older sister. She's perfect and I'm...imperfect. A defect."

"Absolutely not," he grounds. "You are perfect and I'm not the only one that thinks so."

I breathe a laugh. "If you're talking about Tyler, you're probably right. He's way too good for me."

This time Dad shakes his head and we step onto the elevator. "I don't know what to say about your mother," he says. "But I do know that Tyler's crazy about you. He sees someone who's perfect and so do I."

I smile a little. "You don't think something went wrong?"

"Nothing went wrong, especially with you."

The doors open and we step into the parking garage. The Florida heat is suffocating me already. "Mom doesn't think so and, Dad, I try so hard. I really do. I want to make her proud and I know I have a few years to make up for. But she shuts me out unless somehow my existence benefits her."

"That's not true," he defends. "Your mother loves doing things with and for you."

"What?" I question. "Like stuffing me into dresses? Setting me up with guys that are complete assholes? We haven't done anything by ourselves in years, Dad. It's always about Evie and making sure I one-up Victoria."

This time Dad snorts. "I pray every day that you don't end up like Victoria. Same with Ella. There's nothing right with that family."

"And there's something right with ours?"

Dad finally spots the car and we come to a stop. "You're right with the family," he says. "You're more like me than you are your mother. She grew up in a wealthy family, I didn't. How do you think her parent's felt when she brought me home? I'm not saying you're a bad kid, but you're someone who wants something different." He opens the trunk and lifts my bags inside.