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“No, on yours.”
“On mine?” I let out a humorless laugh. “No, it’s not on my terms.”
“What do you want, Gabriel?”
“Nothing.”
“I don’t think that’s true.”
He was pushing, something he never did. It was so shocking that I almost gave in.
“You’ll never do it.”
“Try me.”
“No.”
“Gabriel.” His voice was firm and he stepped forward. My eyes went wide. This was a voice he’d only ever used on Simone. There were a lot of things he’d only done for her.
“I need a dad!” I finally snapped. “I need . . . someone. But clearly, you’re not here!”
Atticus stepped back like I’d hit him. “I . . . That’s what you want?”
“Of course it is! Do you think I love seeing you give Simone advice and never me? Do you think I’ve loved not having any kind of parent in my adult life?”
He took it all in. He could tell me all the things he’d done for me, and he’d be right. He could remind me that he wasn’t my dad, and he’d also be right.
He did neither of those things.
“Okay. Then that’s what you get.”
“What?”
“You’re right.” He let out another long breath and put his hands on his hips. “I’ve kept my distance, and obviously I was wrong to do that.”
I could only blink in shock. This had been the one thing I’d needed for years. I’d tamped down the disappointment of not having it and accepted my fate.
I never once considered that he would change.
My anger popped like a bubble.
“But you’re not gonna like what I’m about to tell you.”
“What are you gonna tell me?”
“That you’re making a big mistake.”
“A big mistake? No, I’m not.”
“You don’t want to go back to San Francisco.”
I froze. My skin crawled. I’d wanted this fatherly advice, but I didn’t expect him to be so right.
“I have to.”
“Why? Because of Alice?”
A shocked noise escaped me. “How the fuck did you know that?”
