There’s a knock on my office door, and I look up from my desk to see a man I don’t recognize. “Can I help you?”
Sometimes parents of students want to speak with me, but normally it’s done over email. As the man comes into my office, there’s a hint of recognition, but I can’t place it.
“You’re Reese Davis?” he asks, and I nod, standing from my desk.
“I am, and you are?”
“Walter Miller.”
It takes me a second to realize that’s why he looked so familiar. Heidi has his eyes. She hasn't said much about her family, but I know that she’s an only child, and once she turned eighteen her mom sent her on her way. I don’t know anything about her father, but seeing this man standing before me, it has to be who this is.
“We live in the same neighborhood. I’m number nineteen.” He adjusts the cuffs on his shirt as he looks around my office.
“But that’s not why you’re here, is it?” There is no reason for this man that claims to live in my neighborhood, but is clearly related to Heidi, to be in my office. “What is it I can do for you?”
“I’m here to offer a warning.” He seems annoyed. “One I wish I’d been given.”
“Let’s hear it then, so you can be on your way.” I might not know much about Heidi’s dad, but she was kicked out and living in that rat motel all alone. Anyone that would put her in that position is a piece of shit. Especially if he can afford to live in my neighborhood.
“She’ll trap you.” He presses his lips together tightly when I don’t respond. “Her mother did it to me, and she’ll do it to you.”
Anger flares inside of me like an inferno, and I have the sudden urge to beat the shit out of this asshole. “Are you done now?” It takes everything inside of me to pretend to be ambivalent to him and not lunge at his face.
“I’ve got a family…and a reputation to maintain. She was a mistake, and when she turned eighteen, she was supposed to disappear.”
“I’m going to give you the chance to walk out of my office right this second. Because if you say one more word about Heidi, I’ll make sure you have to crawl through that door.”
Now he’s the one with anger in his eyes. Good.
“I’ve spent my life trying to keep that mistake—”
“Call her a mistake one more fucking time!” I shout, and it echoes down the hallway. “I dare you.” My jaw clenches tight as I stay rooted to the spot. If I get close to him, I’ll rip his throat out.
He blanches and swallows hard. “Clearly you aren’t aware of the whole story.”
“I don’t need the whole story. I know that you have not been the father you should have been because no father, no matter what their child did, would treat them how you are now. I know that no decent parent would allow someone as sweet and kind and gentle as Heidi to end up in a rundown motel without a penny to her name having to resort to desperate measures so she could eat.”
He blinks at me, and then color rises to his cheeks. “She was provided for,” he says, but as he speaks the words, I can see the doubt cloud his face.
“You don’t know shit about her or her situation.” I take a step toward him, and the coward moves back. He bumps against my bookshelf as I get closer. “She is everything anyone would wish their daughter to be. She’s honest and brave and kind, obviously no thanks to you. She’s everything I’ve wished for come true, and I’m lucky enough that she lets me be in her life. I love her, and I’m going to do everything in my life to repair the damage you and her mother have done to her heart.”
There’s a gasp from the doorway of my office, and we both turn to see Heidi standing here watching us. Her mouth is open, but her eyes are red like she’s been crying. Forgetting about her father cowering in the corner, I go to her and pull her into my arms.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” I look into her eyes, but she swallows and shakes her head.
“I’ll tell you in a second.” She moves to the side, trying to go around me to her father, and I let her. I won’t be the thing that stands between them even if I wish I could. “I don’t want this.”
She holds out a folded piece of paper to him, and he presses his lips into a thin line as he takes it from her. “I didn’t know she didn’t give you any of the money I sent. I—” He stops speaking and swallows hard like he has no idea what to say. “I just wanted to protect my family.”
Heidi nods and steps back as I pull her against my side. “I don’t want your money or anything to do with your family. I just want to live my life in peace.” She wraps her arm around my waist, and I feel complete in her warmth. “I don’t want anything to do with you or my mom ever again.”
“If you ever look her way again, I’ll make it so you don’t have the ability to see. Do we understand each other?” I raise an eyebrow, and he nods, but I wait until he agrees out loud.
“Yes.” He keeps his eyes on me as he straightens and then adjusts his tie. “We’ve been wanting to move out of the neighborhood anyway.”
“I expect to see the sign in your yard by the end of the week.”
He nods sharply and then exits my office without a backwards glance. I wait until I hear his footsteps fade to turn and face Heidi.
“Why are you crying?” I hold her face in my hands as she gives me a watery smile.
“Did you mean what you said?” she sniffles.
“Of course I did.” I blink at her in shock. “I love you, and I’ll do anything to protect you. Isn’t it obvious?”
“Oh my god, Reese.” She throws her arms around me, and I kiss her cheeks. “I love you too.”
“I know, baby.” My lips move across her jaw until they find hers, and the kiss is slow and sweet. It’s a long moment before I pull back and look down at her once more. “Tell me why you were crying when you got here.”
“I’ve been put on suspension from the school.” When she says it, she tucks her chin so I can’t see her face. “One of the dancers from the club told on us for being there together, and they’ve suspended me from the university while they investigate. They’re probably going to fire you. I’m so sorry, Reese. So so sorry.”
All of it comes out in a rush, and I smile softly at her. “Fuck them,” I say, and then her eyes snap up to mine. “I’ll quit. I only took this job as a favor. I don’t need the money or the work. If it comes down to you or them, I choose you.” I kiss her gently and then smile once more. “I’ll always choose you.”
“How did I get so lucky to find someone like you in a strip club?”
I can’t help but laugh as I shake my head. “Let’s go home.” Pulling her into my arms, I inhale her scent, and a weight I didn’t know was there is lifted off of me. She loves me, I love her, and we’re in this together.
Now I just have to figure out how to get the ring in my pocket on her finger before the night is over.