He Sacrificed My Father for His First Love novel · Chapter 7 of 24

Chapter 7: Facts Only

I called the number on the back of his card at nine that night.

He answered on the first ring.

"Carrow."

"Ridgewood Diner on Myrtle Avenue," I said. "Ten minutes."

"I'll be there in twenty."

"Then I'll order without you."

He was there in eleven.

I was in the back booth with a plate of eggs I hadn't touched, and Bea was in the booth behind me with her denim jacket on the seat and a coffee she had no intention of drinking.

"If he looks at you wrong," she had said in the car, "I'll hit him with my purse."

"You don't carry a purse."

"I'll buy one."

Rory slid into the seat across from me.

He had changed out of the navy jacket into a plain gray sweater.

My handprint had faded from his cheek, but there was a small red mark at the corner of his eye.

"I said I'd come," he said.

"You did."

"I'm Rory." He glanced at the booth behind me. "And you brought backup."

"Hi," said Bea, without turning around. "I have a bat in the car."

"Good. I'd have brought one."

"I'm going to eat my pancakes and listen," said Bea. "Pretend I'm furniture."

Rory looked at me.

"She's very good furniture."

I leaned forward.

"Here are the terms."

"Go ahead."

"You tell me everything about your sister. All of it, whatever it costs you. I tell you nothing about what I'm doing."

"Facts only," he said.

"Facts only. No favors. No coffee. And you don't touch me, you don't comfort me and you don't tell me you're sorry."

He thought about that for a second.

"I'm already sorry. I just won't say it again."

"That's a start."

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