Read Online Awkwardly Ever After by Marni Bates - Free Book Online

well . . . even the most heartfelt apology can be too little too late.
    Although from where I was standing, I didn’t see much of an apology going on. There had been no protestations of love from Dylan and Mackenzie’s father. He seemed to think that if he acted like nothing had ever happened, his children would fall in line.
    Apparently he didn’t know the first thing about either one of them.
    â€œI want to talk to him,” Mackenzie decided at last; then she repeated her words as if she needed extra convincing.
    Logan slipped his hand into hers in a silent show of support and I found myself absurdly jealous of that small action. Not because I wanted to be holding hands with Logan, but because I wanted the freedom to do the same for the person I knew was hurting.
    Even if he was pretending that the entire scene was nothing out of the ordinary.
    â€œOkay.” Dylan nodded slowly before he turned to Logan. “You’re staying here with her.”
    It wasn’t a question; it was an order.
    â€œYeah, I’m staying.”
    â€œHey, isn’t that my call?” Mackenzie pointed out, probably in an attempt to lighten the mood a little. Dylan was having none of it.
    â€œNo, it isn’t. Not when you want to bring . . . him into the house. As for the rest of you—” Dylan briefly looked at each of us, although I doubt he noticed that Izzie’s shoulders had hunched as if that would make her less intrusive during this incredibly personal moment, or how Spencer was already reaching into his pocket and pulling out his car keys. And if he had any thoughts about me . . . well, none of them showed. “You’ll make sure they get home safely.”
    That was aimed at Spencer. Once again Dylan wasn’t really making a request.
    â€œI can see myself home,” Izzie said quickly. “And give Mel a ride too. So why don’t I just call my mom and—”
    â€œYou afraid to ride in a car with me, Isosceles?”
    â€œThat’s a triangle.” Izzie shoved her glasses higher up her nose and glared back at him. “And no, I’m not.”
    Spencer grinned. “Excellent. Then why don’t you go grab your stuff from the living room while I—”
    But before Spencer had a chance to finish that sentence, Dylan had tugged open the door. I half expected his dad would have left. Based on everything I had just overheard, the guy had a reputation for bailing when things got rough. No reason for him to start sticking around now.
    He was standing right where we had left him, though. Actually, he had moved a few inches to the right so that he could lean against the porch railing, but I hardly thought that little detail was significant.
    He didn’t appear to be going anywhere.
    I couldn’t resist turning to Mackenzie to see how she was handling all of this. It sounded like this was the first time she’d seen her dad in years. And this probably wasn’t the way she had imagined their reunion playing out. Given Mackenzie’s love of history, she probably would have wanted more time to formulate her plan of attack. Time to create an intricate web of excuses should she need to fall back and re-strategize.
    At least she had her boyfriend by her side.
    Logan wasted no time stepping forward, as if placing his body between Mackenzie and her father could somehow protect her emotions.
    â€œHi . . . Dad.”
    Dylan flinched as if hearing those words emerge from his sister’s throat had somehow registered as a slap across the face. The kind that would leave a handprint afterward.
    â€œThere’s my girl! How’s my little Mack-Attack?”
    Mackenzie ignored the question entirely. Probably because she didn’t want to snarl that he’d lost the right to use all nicknames when she was back in elementary school.
    â€œYou should have called.”
    Spencer cleared his throat lightly and edged his way to the door. “Thanks for