VELICIA POV
“You love your dad so much that you've always wanted to make him proud, and become like him,” I wiped away the last of his tears with my thumb. “But trying so hard to get his approval has turned into an obsession. And it keeps going the wrong way.”
“That’s not true-” he started, a look of defiance on his face.
“Like you made Cray believe he was part mermaid so he spent a week at the sea. You did that so you would have your father's attention to yourself,” I said.
A muscle in Cole's jaw twitched as old memories came back. His eyes darkened as he thought about that silly trick from his childhood.
“That-that's not true,” he wrinkled his nose at the thought of that, surprised that I knew about it.
“Of course you’ll deny it,” I scoffed. “Leah told me all about it,” a smile p
