Pure Belleza | ✔️

(66)

"Can we keep her? Let's just keep her and not let her go back to New York. How about we lock her in her bedroom. She's still young enough to be grounded. Right? We'll just ground her for a few months."

"Dad," I laughed, curled up on the sofa on Sunday afternoon.

Flynn dropped me off last night and I'd spent the night in my bedroom.

Dad must have been wandering past in the morning because I woke up to the sound of him shouting. "Dallas! Dallas, my princess is sleeping in her fucking bed! What the fuck is going on? What year am I in?!"

So dramatic.

Lucas, Milly and Flynn would be here for lunch soon. We were having roast chicken and potatoes. Sort of like an early dinner.

I had to be on a flight home at six. As much as dad was protesting that I ever leave his sight again.

After I'd been honest with Flynn about what happened, I felt a bit lighter. A bit more capable of deserving forgiveness and rebuilding bridges.

I was still terrified of hurting dad. Disappointing him. Putting him through heart ache all over again.

But I missed him. So much. He scooted over on the couch and wrapped his arm around my shoulder.

"Would you listen if I grounded you?"

"Probably not, dad," I winced. "I'm kind of having a good time in New York. I think that's where I need to be right now. You know Amalia's little sister?"

"Mhmm, Bernie?" He put his feet on the coffee table and ignored mom who glared at him. "She's a riot."

"Yeah, well, she's like, amazing at designing. It's mind blowing. I feel like I could introduce her to a few people. I think someone would be interested in working with her."

Dad smiled. "Well, since you want to use your powers for good, I suppose I can deal with that. You have someone in mind?"

"I might know someone that's interested," mom piped up from her love seat on the other side of the coffee table. The sun shone in and she had a direct view of the drive. "Whenever we have larger contestants on the show, we have a designer that comes in and custom designs the dresses and suits. Her work is beautiful. That's what Bernie does, doesn't she?"

"For the most part. I think it's just body shapes that aren't as 'common' or standard in the fashion world. She does a lot of custom designing I think."

"Get her to put together a folder and email it through," mom said, twisting the string of her hoodie— or dad's hoodie— around her finger. She was wearing his cap as well.

"Isn't that your agent?" Dad said and gestured at the television.

It had been on in the background with the volume down. But when I peered up and saw Avery's headshot in the background of the E! news presenter screen, I sat forward and told mom to turn it up.

"Avery Hale of Hale and Link agency was found severely beaten outside of a popular bar in New York in the early hours of the morning. A source said that he was out drinking with a group of friends when he excused himself to use the bathroom. Friends grew concerned when he didn't return and couldn't be found an hour later. The initial police report claimed that he was unconscious behind the bar dumpster and the extent of his injuries hadn't been determined but he is in hospital and in stable condition. Police are questioning potential witnesses and say that there are no suspects in custody at this time."

"Shit," I mumbled and stood up, sliding my cellphone out of my back pocket.

My hands shook as I found Flynn's contact number and dialled.