one sin.

12) Beware Fathers

I wake up still in my truck with Layne still in my lap, resting peacefully with her head against my chest.

There's a knock on my window and I jump. It's Dillion. I move my hand from her ass and roll down my window.

"Strictly platonic?" he smirks. I roll my window up in response.

"Get up," I shake Layne, "Layne."

She awakens slowly a lot less confused than I was to wake up in a car. Noticing she'd spent the whole night in my arms she smiles, "Morning."

"Morning. Get the fuck out my car," I state. She smiles even harder, "Sure thing."

"Could y'all hurry this shit up? I need out the drive way," Dil taps on the window again and Layne sticks her tongue out at him before untangling herself from me and exiting the car. With Layne gone I start my truck and drive home. I check the clock. I'm definitely an hour late for work.

***

"KJ!" Chess catches me serving, having snuck in to work through the back and clocked in unnoticed, "A word?"

I deliver the food to the appropriate table and follow Chess out the back.

"Where were you, Parker? You're at least ninety minutes late! Is that okay for you?" Chess runs a frustrated hand through his hair, "Aren't you going to say anything?"

"I'm sorry, Chess. I got caught up in something last night and woke up late."

"Well... Since you're a pretty solid employee," He sighs, "I'll let you off the hook this time. But promise me this won't happen again."

"It won't happen again. I swear it."

"Good. Now get back to work."

As punishment I'm forced to wash dishes the entire shift, which in all honesty I don't mind, as it gives me time to relax my mind. I wish life was as simple as washing dishes. You've got soapy water, rinse water and sanitize water before you send it through the dish machine. If only there was only three parts to life. Instead there's the whole shit load of parts of life and none of them make sense.

In no rush to get home, I stay an hour to make up for being so tardy this morning, and then finally head home. When I get there, Layne is perched on my stoop, clearly waiting for me. She stands when she notices me and I swing my truck around the back as Layne follows behind me.

I turn and take her in, dressed in overalls and a t-shirt, she's clearly been outside a minute. Maybe even an hour, at the time I should've gotten off.

"Hey, how was your day?"

"What happened last night can't happen again," I say immediately.

Her face flashes with hurt and it shows in her voice, "You don't want me to kiss you anymore?"

"No. I don't."

"Why? Did you not like it?" she pries. Honestly, I had hoped my opening statement would've been enough for her to have just ran off crying by now. But nope.

I hesitate, "That's not it---"

"So then you did like it?"

"I didn't say that!" I snap, "I was impartial to it. But either way it isn't happening again alright?"

"Okay don't get you panties all in a twist. No more kissing. Got it!" she smiles and heads back down to her house.

I watch her get inside safely, then turn to head inside myself.

"Look who finally returned," my dad waits for me at the door, "Car keys. Now."

"I can explain---"