“I can find it.” She leans forward and presses her lips to mine. I pull her closer, not ready to give her up yet. She’s looking all fresh faced and excited with her hair up in a ponytail and her backpack slung over her shoulders. She says something against my lips, and I sit back so I can see her face.

Thanks for the ride, she signs.

You’re very welcome. God, she’s so pretty.

She grins and blushes. Thanks for the one last night, too.

I go hard immediately. Be careful, I warn.

Or what? she teases.

I jerk her to me with a quick tug to her scarf, and she laughs. I can feel the quake of her stomach against my hip. I f**king love you so much, I say. I can’t seem to stop telling her.

She rolls her eyes, kisses me quickly and says, I just love it when you get all romantic. I love you, too.

I spin her toward her building and tap her on the ass. I have something I need to take care of this morning. Something really important. She waves at me as she walks away, her fingers barely moving. Then she holds up the I love you sign, and I know my name is written right below it.

I stop at home so that I can shower and change. I want to look nice when I go to her father. I need to explain to him, man-to-man, why Emily isn’t going to be staying at her apartment, or at least not until Trip’s gone. That mark on her neck is inexcusable. It’s like he was trying to brand her, even though she’s mine. And I simply can’t tolerate that. What would have happened if I hadn’t shown up when I did?

Paul is just getting up when I come out of the bathroom. “Glad to see you’re back to normal,” he says, smiling at me over a cup of coffee.

I tell Paul about what happened at the party with the model, about Emily’s father, and about what Trip did just before I got to Emily’s apartment last night.

He shakes his head. “That’s f**ked up,” he says. “What are you going to do?”

I heave a sigh. “I think I have to go and talk to her father. Today.”

He nods. It’s slow but still a nod. He’s hesitant, and I don’t understand why.

“What?” I ask.

“He’s not going to approve no matter what you do. He wants a certain life for her.”

“Emily can’t read,” I blurt out.

Paul spits into his coffee. “What?” he sputters.

“She can read,” I correct. “She knows what letters are and how to spell words, but she has dyslexia. Reading is really, really hard for her. That’s why her father wants her to marry. That’s why he doesn’t want her to have an education and thinks she should just marry some rich douchebag. He doesn’t think she’s worth any more than that.”

“Ouch,” he says. That’s what Paul says when he wants to mull over a tender topic.

“You won’t tell her I told you about not being able to read, will you? She hides it really well.”

He inhales deeply. “I already knew. I’ve seen her read to Hayley.” He looks into my face. “Is that why you spoke to her?” I went eight years without saying a word. And she made me want to talk again.

I nod. “She couldn’t read what I wrote down.”

“You talked to her all along didn’t you?” He smiles, but it’s only a half-smile.

“Pretty much from the day that I met her,” I admit. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.” I feel bad now. I went years without speaking. “You guys all made it really easy for me to retreat and not speak since you all learned to sign.”

“You’re f**king deaf, dumbass. What else were we going to do?”

A lot of deaf families never learn sign language. “I’m sorry,” I repeat. “It was easier being quiet.”

“She doesn’t make anything easy for you, does she?”

“What? She makes everything easy for me. I didn’t even choose to talk. It just happened.” I smile. She turns me inside out. “I love her so f**king much.”

“I know you want to be a man about this, but her father’s going to fight you the whole way.”

“I know.” I wish that wasn’t the case. “But I feel like I need to be open with him.”

“You’re going to get a fat f**king headache from banging your head against that wall.”

“She had to wear a scarf to school today to cover up her neck.”

“Fucker,” Paul swears.

Sam walks into the kitchen in boxer shorts and a T-shirt, scratching his belly. “Morning,” he says as he goes to the coffeepot.

Something is going on with Sam and Pete, Paul signs behind his back. You know about it?

What? I ask

They’ve been hanging out with Bone.

Why? My movements are exaggerated. I’m suddenly pissed.

They deny it. But I hear things. He shrugs. Just wanted to see if you knew anything about it.

I don’t know anything about it. I’ve been a little preoccupied. Sorry. Want me to look into it?

He shakes his head. I’ll do it.

Sam turns to face us. “You guys were talking about my ass, weren’t you?” He grins. “I know it’s awesome, but try to contain yourselves.”

Sam makes me laugh. He has this way about him. “Sam, do you think you could make dinner tomorrow night? I want to invite Emily’s parents over.”

Paul sputters into his coffee again. “Here?” he asks.

I nod. “I want them to see what our family is like. In person.”