“That my dad is just as good at misleading others as you are.”
“Explain,” Fenris and Mom said simultaneously as he righted me.
“It’s how you both word things, Fenris. It’s never a yes or no. A person has to hear what you aren’t saying to know what you are saying.”
Mom’s eyes flickered to black when she looked at Dad.
“And what were you saying just now, Jason?”
“A hug can be more than a simple hug. Simple hugs are appropriate for public; the other kinds are not.”
I could feel Mom’s anger.
“Children, I think it’s time for you to visit with Fenris’s father. Jason and I need to have a long discussion, and I won’t upset Eliana on such an important day.”
“Important day?” I echoed, confused.
“Baby, you finally trusted us enough to introduce one of your friends. I see how important today is even if you don’t. Your father does, too. That’s part of why he and I need to have a frank discussion. But I really want you to bring Fenris back. Maybe we could have dinner tonight?”
“Maybe,” I hedged.
“Nicolette, love, their clothes aren’t finished washing. Our conversation can wait until after we visit with Eliana and Fenris.”
They locked eyes, and I was surprised at the amount of determination I saw in Dad’s gaze before Mom reluctantly nodded.
“Good,” Fenris said, rubbing his hands. “Your dad and I are going to see who can eat the most pancakes.”
Mom laughed.
“Jason, the boy’s a werewolf. He will out-eat you any day.”
“Which is precisely what I want to witness.”
Chapter Twenty
An hour later, my clothes were tumbling in the dryer with Fenris’s as the wolf in question leaned back in his chair with a grin.
“I can’t believe you ate all of that,” Dad said for the second time. “Sixteen full-sized pancakes.”
“He could eat twice that if you allowed it,” Mom said before taking a dainty bite of the pancake she’d been working on. I’d tried to do the same, but it didn’t taste right to me. Not that they made bad pancakes; it just wasn’t what I was hungry for.
“Allow me to clean up,” Fenris said, standing. “It’s the least I can do for feeding me.”
Mom’s phone buzzed on the table. She glanced at the screen and frowned.
“Adira wants to know if you’re here. She said that you’re not attending classes anymore.”
I opened my mouth to begin a reasonable explanation for my father’s benefit, but Fenris beat me to it.
“Adira made a sex room at the Academy and wanted Eliana to spend her time in there with me. She’s still stuck on force-feeding your daughter.”
Dad’s color drained away then returned with a full flush.
“Private school was supposed to be better for her. How is that better?” he asked. Anger rolled off of him.
“I think I’m going to go check our clothes,” I said, escaping the table and pulling Fenris from the kitchen.
“Not a helpful answer,” I whispered as I tugged him down the hall.
“But an honest one.”
I huffed an annoyed sigh and grabbed our things from the dryer. The lingering dampness was better than when we’d arrived. Plus, nothing smelled like fish. Fenris followed me to the guest bedroom and changed in the bathroom while I used the main bedroom.
Mom and Dad were still having a heated conversation in hushed tones when we reemerged.
“I think it’s time for us to head to Fenris’s place,” I said.
“What do you want me to tell Adira?” Mom asked.
“Tell her we were here. But please, don’t mention where we’re going. We’d rather avoid her if we can.”
“Completely understandable. Let me know if she causes you any trouble.”
I gave them both hugs, and Dad shook Fenris’s hand. Mom stayed away from him, which relieved me. She knew it, too, because I got a text from her as we pulled out of the driveway.
Mom: My lack of farewell to Fenris reflects nothing but my love for you and my deference to your relationship with him. Enjoy him, Eliana!
Mom: I also told Adira to go fornicate herself before I admitted that you were here.
Mom: I can use fornicate, right?
I groaned and rubbed a hand over my face.
“What’s wrong?” Fenris asked.
“My mom’s attempts not to swear are just as bad as her swearing. But I love her for trying.”
He chuckled.
“They’re both amazing parents, Eliana. Thank you for allowing me to meet them.”
“It wasn’t like you gave me much of a choice.”
“If you hadn’t wanted that, you would have stopped me. You always do when I push too far. But I’m glad you didn’t, and I got to meet the people who helped shape who you are. I have to admit your dad wasn’t what I expected.”
“How so?”
“When he first arrived, you said he had hollow cheeks and a dull look in his eyes when your mom’s attention wasn’t on him. I was expecting something a lot less animated. But your dad talked to me the whole time, regardless of your mom’s attention, like a normal person.”
“Mom makes sure he eats and takes care of himself. Without her around, he’d be a lot less animated. Trust me.”
Rather than dwelling on any of that, I replied to Mom’s text.
Me: Thank you for breakfast and your effort not to swear. I love you both. Please don’t be too hard on Dad when you talk. Remember, this world is very new to him and a huge change from what he knows and believes.
Mom: I promise your father is safe with me, Eliana. Always. And thank Fenris for encouraging him to eat so much. We need you both to come over more often for meals.
Frowning slightly at the evidence to support my claim to Fenris, I dropped my phone in my purse.
“What’s the plan for meeting your dad?” I asked. “What will it take to convince him that we’re together?”
“I’ll tell you that if you tell me what your mom meant by ‘Eliana is worried about your immunity to the mindless infatuation that often results after we feed.’”
“You remembered that word for word? That’s borderline obsessive.”
“It’s observant. Just like I observed how you had allowed the subject to change then and are trying to change it now. Unconditional honesty, Eliana.”
“I’m really starting to hate that phrase.”
“Honesty shouldn’t be that hard. Not with me.”
“It is when I know you’re just going to give me dumb reassurances like, ‘I’ll be fine’ and ‘we already proved that theory wrong’ because both are wishful thinking, not fact.”
“Are we about to get into our first couple fight?” Fenris asked, his grin growing. “Hold on. Let me pull over so I’m ready for the making up part that’s going to follow.”
I reached over and grabbed the wheel.
“No to all of that,” I said with warning.
He grinned at me and pried my hand from the wheel to twine his fingers through mine.