Page 3 of Silk Sheets

I waited for dads comment, but when it didn’t come, I sat up on my knees and placed my hand down on his leg.

“And you, daddy? Cat got your tongue?” I teased.

His answer was vague as he turned the page, not meeting my eyes. “Long day.”

Daddy was one of the best, if notthebest defense attorney in the country, and because of that, he had attracted the attention of various important people.

The only time I saw him doing anything other than work was, well, when he was asleep, and even then I was certain he dreamed about work.

“Long day of missing me, I’d assume,” an arrogant smile danced on my lips, but he only spared me a glance before continuing to read. “Oh, come on,” my head fell back. “You know you missed me,” my shoulders slumped as I inched closer and my mom chuckled.

A beat passed and he released an exasperated sigh, slightly angling his cheek in my direction and I broke out in a broad smile, leaning over to smack a kiss to his cheek. “Knew it.”

“I filled your car with gas, fixed your bedside lamp and transferred your monthly allowance,” he kept his voice flat, flipping the page as though it was nothing.

Jutting out my bottom lip, I glanced at my mom and she winked in response. Snatching the newspaper from my dad I tossed it on his nightstand before leaping forward. “Thank you!” I shrieked, squeezing him in my arms but he didn’t move.

I knew he glanced at my mother before gently tapping the side of my arm as though affection was a foreign concept to him. “You’re welcome, princess.”

Pulling back I swelled with pride. “Good news though,” I sat upright. “I got ninety-five percent on my last exam.”

“Oh, that’s amazing!” my mother’s eyes lit up. “We’re so proud of you, sweetheart,” she squeezed my hand in hers andmy bright smile wavered when I looked over at my dad. He was already back to reading his newspaper.

Daddy never acknowledged my straight A’s, much less my other honorable achievements. What hedidnotice though, was theBI received once in the eleventh grade. Needless to say, he was pissed.

All I wanted was his approval. To hear him say that he was proud ofme,of my hard work and outstanding results. But… he never did, so I had come to terms with the fact that he never will.

TWO

DAKOTA

Every student present in class the day of the heart attack had been given a week off.

The school decided that it was too much of a traumatizing event to force schooling upon us—to an extent—so they settled for online learning for the time being.

The week passed by in a blur, and we were finally back.

“So, are you going to tell me what happened between you and Asher?” I asked Solace as we exited the campus library.

“There’s nothing to tell,” she merely shrugged, feigning nonchalance and I scoffed.

“Solace, I’m your best friend. I know when you’re lying—”

“Oh, would you look at the time? We’re going to be late again,” she interrupted me, and I checked the time on my wristwatch as she dragged me with her.

“Fine, you can tell me when you’re ready,” I lowered my tone to a teasing whisper as we stepped into class.

“Don’t start with me,” she narrowed her eyes and we headed towards our seats.

“You’re late.”

She and I both froze, turning to the front of the class.Oh, shit.

My jaw nearly dropped—eyes bulging out of my head—when my gaze landed on the man standing with his hands in the pockets of his black slacks.

He was tall, and his white dress shirt was most definitely fighting for its life around those biceps and shoulders.

A few dark brown, wavy strands of hair fell over his forehead, making his hazel eyes pop.