13. The Space Between Us
“I haven’t responded to him in case you were wondering,” my dad said, clearly trying to console me.
Well, that was good, at least. If my dad had told Ace I was upstairs alone instead of watching a movie with my family, Ace would have been even more furious than he already was.
“Thank you,” I replied meekly. “I’m sorry he’s blowing up your phone. I don’t know what his problem is.”
My dad nodded softly. “I think I might have an idea.” He leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees. “Is there a reason you’re not responding to him?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t know. Just don’t feel like talking to him right now, I guess.”
“That’s okay. You’ve spent every hour of every day together since you were little.
That can be a lot on a person. It’s okay if you need a break from him.”
The idea of getting space from Ace made my body tense up. I never wanted space from him. That was the whole problem. I didn’t function without him.
I chewed my lip. “It’s not that I need a break from him. I just…”
“It’s not that you want a break from him but you’re ~getting~ one anyway, maybe?”
my dad provided.
I shrugged again.
He patted my leg gently over the blanket. “Want and need are two very different things. I never want to be away from your mother but I think she might go a little crazy if I was always by her side.”
“Still, you shouldn’t depend on another person that much.” He paused, shifting with uneasiness. “Did something happen between you two?”
I let out a breathy laugh. “As if mom didn’t already tell you everything.”
There wasn’t a single thing I said to my mom that I wasn’t sure would get back to my dad. They had no secrets.
“Actually, she didn’t. And I didn’t ask. It’s really none of my business. I just want to make sure you’re okay.” He hesitated. “I know Ace can be…difficult sometimes.”
I folded my arms over my chest. “That’s putting it mildly.”
“You wanna tell me about it? I know I’m just some lame dude your mom married but I might be able to help. Offer another perspective.”
“You’re more than just some lame dude,” I responded. I hated that he downgraded his role in my life so casually. “You’re my dad. You know that.”
His lips turned up in a smile that warmed my heart.
“Well, that’s good to hear.” He grabbed my hand and squeezed it gently. “Then, as your dad, I think it’s my duty to make sure there’s not some stupid boy ruining my daughter’s life for no good reason.
“I don’t want to push you to talk about it if you don’t want to, but I think I might have an understanding of what’s going on. Believe it or not, I was very similar to Ace when I was his age.”
I laughed. “What, you were a controlling asshole?”
I instantly regretted my choice of words. My dad didn’t like it when his kids cursed.
“I mean… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”
Thankfully, he just offered me a sympathetic smile. “It’s okay, I get it. You’re going through some shit.”
I grinned. I had never heard him swear before.
“Look, I know that if I’d met your mother when I was as young as you and Ace were when you met,
that might’ve caused some issues.” what his problem I frowned. It felt like he was talking in some kind of code. But that’s how I felt whenever I spoke to anybody anymore; like I was only understanding half of what they were really saying.
“Ace and I aren’t like you and mom. We aren’t in a relationship,” I said.
“Still. You’re very close to him. You said he’s been controlling, and I’m not surprised to hear that.
“Ace and I had a similar upbringing, like most people in this town. The men around here can get, well, I’m not sure how to explain it. But I have noticed he’s been a little overbearing toward you.”
“You have?” I whispered. It felt good to hear that someone else could see it—that I wasn’t just making it all up.
“Yes. Folks from Embermoon might not react to Ace’s behavior because it’s seen as normal. It’s our own strange little culture. But you’re not from around here, so it must be confusing. Am I right?”
I nodded slowly. I was confused a lot. And what made it worse was that it felt like I was the only one.
“Yeah, I guess.”
“Look, Ace cares about you very much. If you tell him he’s being too harsh with you and that he’sto confusing you, he will listen. I promise you, he will try to do better.
“That boy would do anything to make you happy. He doesn’t mean to make you feel like this.”
“So that just excuses his behavior?” I demanded. “He gets to tell me what to do all the time just because he was just brought up that way? Because he’s a man? dad. They had no“I gotta tell you, I don’t think these are the sort of equal rights that women have been fighting for for the last hundred years.”
My dad smiled again. “No, of course not. And if it were anybody else treating you this way, I would tell you to kick them to the curb and never look back.
“But this is Ace we’re talking about. You’ve known each other forever, and he’s going to be a part of I might be able toyour life no matter what. He’s practically a part of our family.
“And as wonderful as it is to have someone like that by your side, it also means you need to work role in my life sothrough these problems rather than ignore them. They’re not going to go away, and neither is he.
“So, he needs to know he’s doing something wrong.
“He’s at the age where men like him start to feel a little…territorial, but that’s not okay. Not with you. ur dad, I think it’sYou’re different from everybody else in this town. Ace needs to be reminded of that.
“So, if you want my advice, I say you have to tell him that. Tell him how he’s making you feel.” an understandingI scrunched up my nose. “I’d rather just keep ignoring him.”
“You can do that too. I’m all for you getting some space. Give Ace a taste of his medicine and make him the one without the information for once.”
I liked the sound of that.
“But I will warn you,” he continued carefully, “ignoring him isn’t going to work for too long. You
know he’s going to hunt you down sooner or later.”
I groaned and stuffed my face in my pillow. “I know. I’m honestly surprised he hasn’t already.”
While I would never admit it to my mom and dad, part of me wasn’t responding to Ace for that exact reason: I wanted him to hunt me down. I wanted him near me again.
The sooner he got here, the sooner I would feel normal again. I was going through Ace withdrawals.
“Well, there’s actually a reason for that,” my dad stated. “Ace is in Canada right now.”
I lifted my head. “What?”
“Ace is in Canada,” he repeated calmly. “He flew there this morning.”
My brow creased. “He flew to Canada? Why?”
“I’m not sure,” my dad said. “All I know is that there are some big changes happening in Ace’s life right now. Which might be another reason why he’s been acting so strangely.”
“What sort of big changes?”
I didn’t know Ace was going through anything. Wouldn’t he tell me if something happened to him?
“I wish I could tell you more, honey. I really do. But I think it’s Ace’s right to tell you when he’s ready.
“I’m not even sure he would be happy I’ve told you he’s in Canada. Maybe we should keep this between us for now.”
I nodded even though I was already planning on giving Ace the third degree the next time I saw him. I just wouldn’t tell him where I got the information. “Why did you tell me?”
“Because I think you have a right to answers. And if I’m being completely honest, I don’t want you to feel like there’s some other reason he’s not here tonight. He’s not rejecting you.”
My defenses immediately went up. “Why would I care if he’s rejecting me? H-he can do whatever hetime just because wants.”
My dad raised a single eyebrow at me. “Are you sure about that?”
I went limp with defeat. “Is it that obvious?”
How was it that even my stepdad could tell I was secretly in love with my best friend? Talk about embarrassing.
He patted my leg once more. “It was bound to happen, sweetheart. The two of you belong together. We all know it.”
I sunk lower into my pillows. Yep, everyone knew it…except for the one person who really mattered.
My dad stood. “Take tonight to avoid him if that’s really what you want. Be by yourself for a little while and take comfort in the fact that he’s in another country, so there is no risk of him coming by.
“But remember that you’re going to have to face the consequences of that decision in the morning.”
He bent down and left a quick kiss on the crown of my head. “Love you, honey. Let me know if you need anything.” He turned and walked out of my room, closing the door behind him.
I sighed, and my eyes trailed over to the drawer of my nightstand. Ace was just one call away. I could end all of this right now. My dad was right, I was going to have to deal with him eventually.
But that seemed like a tomorrow problem, didn’t it?
I grabbed my laptop and hit play on my movie.
when he’s ready.
ong together. We
