Page 74 of Imperfect Match (Imperfect Match 1)
But dammit—all I wanted for tonight was to have a good time.
Then you should have told her that.
I look at my father, the man who has fucked my life up beyond compare, and shake my head. Then I toss the remainder of my drink back and slam the empty glass on the bar. “It’s been great seeing you, Pop. Thanks for the drink. Now stay the fuck out of my life.”
He grabs my arm, stopping me as I try to walk away. “You think you’re nothing like me, don’t you? You think it’s going to be different with that girl? The one who walked out of here? It won’t. Women are all the same, Reid. They want something, and they’ll do whatever they can to get it. Then you’re stuck trying to be someone you’re not for the rest of your life. Someone you have no desire to be. Face it—like it or not, you’re a Fortino man.”
His hand drops, and I don’t give him another glance. I walk away, desperate to be with the only person in the world who has never made me feel like a Fortino.
I’ll do everything I can to forget I even saw my father’s face.
Twenty-One
Willow
I’m still sobbing into a couch cushion when I hear the knock on my door.
“Go away!” I yell.
“Willow, come on,” shouts Reid. “Let me in.”
“No!”
“Please?”
I sit up and sniff, wiping my eyes with the back of one hand. “Why should I?”
“I want to apologize.”
Rising to my feet, I walk over to the door. But I don’t open it
yet. “For what, exactly?”
Silence.
I look through the peephole at him. He’s fidgeting. “If you don’t even know what you came to apologize for, why should I let you in?”
“I’m sorry I was a jerk at the restaurant. I’m sorry I yelled.” He puts one hand on the door. “Please talk to me, Wills. I need you.”
That tugs at me a little, and reluctantly I open the door. “Fine. Come in.”
He looks relieved. “Thank you.”
I step aside and fold my arms over my chest, because if he hugs me, I’m afraid I’ll be too easy on him.
He goes over to the couch and drops onto it, rubbing his palms on his knees. Then he looks back at me. “Come sit?”
I hesitate for a moment, but then walk over to him. He grabs my wrist and tugs me onto his lap, then locks me into his arms so tightly I can’t get up. After struggling unsuccessfully, I give up and sigh. “Fine. I’ll sit here.”
He rests his forehead on my temple. “Sorry I was a dick. I had a shitty day.”
“I could tell. But you wouldn’t talk about it.”
“Because I didn’t want to ruin our night.”
“Um …”
“Yeah, I know. I ruined it anyway.”
