Wallflower by Cookie O'Gorman (best romance ebooks .TXT) 📕

to one since learning of Hermione's adoption.  Though I was thrilled for her, I was just sad I wouldn't get to see her anymore.  "Thank you—for your loyalty, not for the pinch."

She shrugged.  "I'm not sorry."

I was shaking my head when Dad joined us in the hall.

"Hey Viola," he said, "I thought you'd be at the shelter."

"I was just there," I said, "but I came back because there's something I need to do."

He nodded but ran a hand along the back of his neck.  "Alright, but can I see you in my office for a second?  I was hoping we could talk."

"Okay," I said then turned to Estelle.  "Thanks again."

"What are friends for," she said and smiled to my dad.  "You guys have a good chat, and Viola, let me know how it goes with you-know-who."

I rolled my eyes but said, "Of course, I will.  Cross your fingers for me, Estelle."

She laughed.  "Oh, they are all crossed, girl.  Don't you worry."

As we walked to his office, Dad glanced over at me.  "Who was that?  I didn't know you'd made a new friend."

"That's Estelle," I said.

"She seems nice," he remarked.

"She is, and she's been a very good friend to me."

He leaned back against his desk.  "I'm so glad to hear that."

"What'd you want to discuss?" I asked.

Before he could say anything, there was a knock on the door.

"You wanted to see us, Coach."

It was a voice I knew all too well, and I closed my eyes a moment to soak it in.

"Dare, Ty," my dad said, and I could hear a hint of frustration there.  "I'm having a conversation with my daughter.  Can you two please wait outside?"

"Sure thing."

"No," I said and turned to see Dare and Ty standing in the doorway.  "I actually have something to say to you."

Tyson crossed his arms as he grinned.  "What's going on?" he said.  "Did you decide to be brave?"

I nodded.  "Yeah, I guess I did."

"Awesome.  But let me go first, okay, Vi?  This will only take a second."

I gestured for him to go ahead, and to my surprise, he placed a hand on Dare's shoulder.

"Dare, you're my best friend, and I love you," he said in a rush.

"I know, man."  Dare patted him on the back.  "I love you, too."

"No"—Tyson shook his head—"I'm in love with you.  I have been for years.  I was just afraid to say anything because I didn't want it to get weird between us."

I wasn't sure who was more shocked, me, my father, or Dare.

Usually confident and outspoken, it took him a second to find his voice.

"Uh, thanks, Ty," Dare said.  "I had no idea you felt that way.  I'm sorry if I led you on, but…"

Tyson waved all that off.  "No, no, I get that it can't work between us.  You're straight, and I'm…well, I don't really know.  I've liked girls and guys, but that's beside the point.  This isn't about labels."

"Okay," Dare said.  "What is it about then?"

"This is about, Viola," Tyson said.  "She inspired me to confess my true feelings.  And God, it feels good to have that off my chest.  I already feel better."

He looked over to Dare then, a hint of vulnerability coming into his eyes.

"We're still friends, right?" he asked.  "I'm going to need someone I can talk to until I make new friends in Korea."

Dare pulled him into guy hug.  "Of course, we are, Ty.  Believe me if I swung that way, you'd be the first person I hit up."

"Ah, I'm flattered."  Tyson shook his head.  "But it would never work.  And we both know why."

Dare gave him a hard glance, but Tyson threw me a wink.

"I believe you had something to say, Vi," he said.

I'd just opened my mouth—when my dad jumped into the conversation.

"Wait," he said and stepped in front of me.  Dad grabbed both my hands.  "Before you say anything, Viola, there's something you need to know.  I asked Dare to be your friend.  I know I should have never done it.  God, I wish I could take it back.  But I need you to know that I'm sorry, and I never meant to hurt you."

I nodded.  "Thanks, Dad.  But I knew that already."

"You did?"  His eyes widened in surprise.  "But how…"

"Dare told me at the end of the first week," I said.  My father's eyes shot to Dare then came back to me.  "He confessed everything almost from the beginning.  And I was hurt.  That you'd do something like that behind my back."

"I'm so sorry, Vi," he said again.  "I just wanted you to have friends and be happy."

"You wanted me to spend less time at the shelter," I pointed out.

"Yeah, and that."  Dad smiled.  "But I was wrong there, too.  I see now why you were happy there.  I'm so sorry, honey."

"It's okay" I said.  "I've been trying to get back at you for it ever since."

My father took a couple steps back, looking to Dare who nodded in confirmation.

"I even blackmailed Dare into helping me.  I had this dumb idea about getting revenge on you by pretending we were together."  I gulped.  "All those times you walked in on us, the kissing, none of it was real."

Dad sighed in relief.

But Dare suddenly stepped forward.

"Actually," he said, coming over to stand beside me, "it was supposed to be fake, but it was real.  At least for me it was."

His words and the look in Dare's eyes made it harder to breathe.

My father's brow furrowed.  "But how could it be if she blackmailed you?"

"That wasn't really a factor."  Dare grinned down at me, and I furrowed my brow.  Was he still just pretending?  "Flower, tell your dad what you blackmailed