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His features came sharply into focus as they approached. Softer around the edges and with more wrinkles, but the same self-satisfied aura.And the same green eyes and dark hair as me.Nausea swirled inher gut, forcing up her heart rate and making blood whoosh in her ears.
They came to a standstill in front of him. He didn’t speak, just surveyed them with an air of condescension, though Liv didn’t miss the fact that she merely received a token glance while most of Dave’s appraisal rested on Sam.
She felt Sam shift next to her. “What are you doing here?”
Dave surveyed him coolly. “What do you think?”
Sam let out an exasperated breath. “How the fuck should I know? I’m not psychic.”
Liv gave his arm a squeeze, attempting to convey to him to play it cool.
“I’m here,” Dave said, his voice dripping with superiority, “because neither of you saw fit to answer your own father when he messaged you.”
“For fuck’s sake,” Sam muttered. “Why would we?”
Dave’s brow furrowed into a tight line. “Because, Samuel, I am your father. And I command a little respect.”
Liv couldn’t help the tiny snort of laughter that escaped her lips. Respect? The man deserved zero respect from anyone. The wordsI am your fatherreverberated in her brain, morphing into Darth Vader’s voice.How fitting.
Dave darted his gaze briefly to her, then back to Sam. “When my son is planning to get married, I expect not only my approval to be sought, but to be consulted on the arrangements. What if I’m busy on the date you’ve booked? It’ll have to be rescheduled.”
Liv’s mouth dropped open. All these years, and the audacity of the man still hit like a ten-ton truck. A glance at Sam confirmed that he was mute with shock at that ridiculous statement.
She decided to take over for her brother. “We will do no such thing. You have zero rights here, so check your privilege. You aren’t welcome at Sam’s wedding. Or anywhere near us, for that matter.”
She earned herself a two-second glance that time, before he looked back at Sam, as if his daughter was invisible. “Well?” he said to Sam. “What have you got to say for yourself?”
For fuck’s sake. I’m clearly inaudible as well as invisible.No change there, then.
Sam took a step forward, speaking through gritted teeth. “The same as Liv just said. So stop pretending you can’t hear her, you complete twat.”
Dave’s eyes widened, and he stepped forward so that the two men were only inches apart. “How dare you speak to me like that.”
“I’ll speak to you how the hell I want,” Sam shot back, and Liv realized he was taller and a lot more muscular than their father.
Something flickered in Dave’s eyes, and he shifted back slightly.
Sensing that it was time to retreat, Liv tugged on Sam’s arm. “Come on. We need to get you back to your event.”
Sam stayed put for a second, so she pulled a little harder. He began to shift backward with her. “Piss off, Dave,” he said. “You aren’t welcome at my resort. Or in our town.” He turned to walk with Liv, and neither of them looked back as he put his arm around her to move back into the crowd.
A sense of emptiness filled her chest, replacing the previous spiky feeling. All these years she’d assumed that a showdown with Dave would mean she’d get to say her piece and have him listen. That it might leave her with some sort of closure. But achieving that was impossible when the guy acted as if she didn’t even exist.
Shifting through the throng, they spotted Maya standing with Brodie, the two of them watching with anxious expressions.
Sam ran a hand through his hair. “Fuck. He still gets me so riled up.” He squeezed Liv’s arm. “Are you okay?”
She briefly considered an attempt at explaining how she felt—not riled up, but hollow. However, that would be selfish when Samwas so agitated by their father. She gave him a soft smile. “I’m all right. I’m sorry he was such a dick to you.”
He tugged her in to kiss her forehead as they reached Maya and Brodie. Maya reached out to give her a hug, and then turned to fold herself into Sam’s chest. He held her tightly, closing his eyes and resting his chin on his fiancée’s head as if he was absorbing her essence in order to heal his soul.
Liv watched the two of them wistfully for a second. Then a new, odd feeling overcame her. As if she were the third wheel with her brother and best friend—a sensation she’d never experienced around them before.
Confused, she shifted to the side, and Brodie slid his arm around her shoulders to give her a squeeze. “I hope you don’t mind, but Maya told me that was Dave.”
She shook her head, feeling a little light-headed. “I don’t mind.” Plastering a smile onto her face, she met his eyes. “Has he gone? I don’t want to give him the satisfaction of looking back.”
Brodie craned his neck to peer through the crowd. “Yep. Gone.”
