After 3

Chapter 201.

"What are you doing in here?" I ask Hardin when I enter the bedroom after my shower.

"Sitting on the bed.." he sarcastically remarks.

"Why aren't you out there?"

"I had enough quality time with our guest."

"Will you please stop that? You're being so rude."

He lays back on the bed and I walk over to place my clothes in the hamper.

"What happened while I was in the shower?" I ask him.

"Nothing, we bonded."

"Please tell me you weren't horrible to him." I barely know him, the last thing I want is more tension to arise.

"I wasn't, I mean I wasn't exactly polite but I kept my hands to myself." He closes his eyes.

"I'm going to take him a blanket and apologize for your behavior, as always." I snap and leave the room.

My father is sitting on the floor picking at the holes in his jeans, he looks up at me with a warm smile when he spots me.

"You can sit on the couch." I tell him and place the spare blanket on the arm of the couch.

"I..well I didn't want to get anything on your couch," his expression is full of embarrassment and my heart aches.

"Don't worry about that.. you can take a shower here and I'm sure Hardin has some clothes you can wear for the night."

"I don't want to take advantage," he doesn't look at me.

"It's okay, really. I'll bring out some clothes, go ahead and take a shower. Towels and washcloths are in the cabinet next to the door."

"Thank you, I'm so glad to see you again. I've missed so much and here you are," he half smiles.

"What were you doing there? Outside the tattoo shop?" I'm not ready for a heartwarming talk yet.

"Just walking around the neighborhood, all my friends live there so I do too. I know it's not the best part of town but it's all I got for now."

"Oh, I was just wondering."

"You can ask me anything Tessie, I want to get to know you."

"I'm sorry if Hardin was rude to you, he's.."

"Protective?" He finishes for me.

"Yeah, I guess he is. He comes off very rude sometimes."

"It's okay, I'm a man. I can take it, he's just looking out for you and I don't blame him. He doesn't know me, hell, neither do you. He reminds me of someone I used to know," my father smiles.

"Who?"

"Me, I was just like him. I didn't have respect for anyone who didn't earn it and I ran over anyone who got in my way. I had the same chip on my shoulder that he has, only difference is he has many more tattoos than me." He chuckles and the sound breathes life into memories I had long forgotten.

I laugh along with him until he stands from the floor and shoves his hands into his pockets.

"I'm going to take you up on that shower now."

I inform him that I'll bring him a change of clothes and place them outside the bathroom door. Hardin is still on the bed, eyes closed and knees bent in front of him when I go back into the bedroom.

"He's taking a shower, I told him he could wear some of your clothes."

"Why would you do that?" He sits up.