CHAPTER FOURTEEN

NOLAN POV

"Yes, you noticed!" I said, trying to sound calm. "I really like this wine. I always have a bottle ready."

"It was hard not to," she replied. She gently put the wine bottle down on the table, looking down at her food. "I am truly sorry for the terrible things I said earlier. I was just shocked to see you and then shocked to find out... well, you know."

"I am sorry too," I said. "I think we were both a little surprised and ended up being a bit mean to each other."

I really wanted to ask her many things. Like, was last night really the first time she had been with someone? And I truly wanted to know about the 'virginity' thing. For some reason, sleeping with my daughter's friend, who might have been a virgin, seemed even worse than the messy situation we were already in.

But I decided it was best not to talk about last night. "I think from now on, we should act like who we are. I am April's father, and you are her friend. I see myself as a father figure to you, too. We can forget everything else that happened."

She nodded right away. "We won't tell April about what happened at the hotel, right?"

"I hope not," I confirmed.

She looked relieved and slowly stirred her spoon in her rice again. Seeing her feel better made me feel better, too. If I could just keep seeing her as April's friend and not as the amazing, passionate woman I met last night, everything would be okay.

To keep my thoughts focused on normal things, I started a conversation that a father would have with his daughter's friend. "Are you finishing college next year, like April is?"

"Yes," she answered.

"What are you studying?"

"My main subject is Math. I am also working on getting a degree to teach."

I took a slow sip of my wine, watching her over the top of my glass. I never pictured her as a math teacher. My old math teacher was a very grumpy old man.

"I'm still thinking about whether I should go to graduate school first and get a master's degree. Maybe even a PhD," she said.

"Do you want to teach at the college level?"

She shrugged a little. "That would be my favorite, but more schooling costs a lot of money. I might just get my first degree and get a job in a high school. I could study for a higher degree part-time while I work."

I shook my head with a small laugh. "I wish April had your strong focus. It's bad enough she's getting an art degree—I don't know how she'll find a job with that—but her grades are not good either."

Gwen gave a small shrug. "April likes to live fully in the moment."

I laughed again, pushing my spoon into my fried rice. "I wish she would live in her schoolbooks a little bit more!" I didn't want to stop April from enjoying her college time, which includes doing things outside of class. But I also didn't want to waste my money on a degree that might not help her and with poor grades.

"It shows how safe and secure you make her feel that she can live life that way," Gwen said softly.

I looked up at Gwen. I wondered what she meant by that. "Does it show something?"

"She knows you will always be there for her, with feelings and with money. She doesn't have any worries hanging over her head. This lets her enjoy life to the fullest."

My eyebrows went together. I was interested in the way Gwen was talking about April's way of living. "Is that a nice way of saying I spoiled her?"

Gwen's lips curved up just a tiny bit as she looked back at her food. "Not exactly."

Feeling a bit annoyed, I grumbled. "Then what exactly do you mean?"

She finished chewing her food. I had a feeling she was using that time to think carefully about her answer.

Finally, she said, "Do I think April is spoiled? Yes, a little. But not in a way that makes you dislike her. April is a perfect example of what life can be like when you don't have to worry about anything. You can follow any and every interest you have. You can enjoy every single second. Sometimes I wish I had that kind of freedom. But I also know that when she finally has to deal with real-life duties and worries, it will be hard for her. It might even be sad to see because she has so much joy now."

I love my daughter more than anything. But I had seen how she moves through life without being very responsible. But seeing April through Gwen's eyes, I realized Gwen was right. My goal in raising April was to give her the best life. So, how can I be upset when she reaches out to grab it all and expects to have it? She doesn't act proud or stuck-up. Instead, she just wants every moment to be full of happiness and fun. But have I set her up to fail when real life finally hits her?

"Maybe you should be studying psychology instead?" I asked with a small smile.

"I'd rather teach," she said simply. She looked at me for a moment. "How did you decide what you were going to do when you were our age?"

"I didn't grow up with a lot of money," I shared. "My family wasn't the poorest, but we were doing better than most. I grew up in an area not far from here, actually." That was one reason I didn't love coming to this cabin as much as April did. I much preferred the feeling and energy of the city over the memories of a harder life back in the Pack. "I knew that if I wanted a better life, I needed to get an education and find chances to succeed. I got a business degree. I used my interest in sports and being healthy to create a line of food supplements and sports drinks. Then, with my friend Watt, we opened a gym. Now we have many gyms all over the country."

"So, in the end, you still chased something you truly loved," she said. "Art is what April truly loves."

"That may be true, but what kind of job will she get with it?" I pressed.

"She could become a fashion designer," Gwen suggested.

"Yes, but who is going to build her business when she knows nothing about business or marketing?"

She smiled at my worry. "Remember, April goes through life expecting good things to happen to her."

"I suppose that's where I have failed her," I sighed. Should I start spending less money on her this last semester to help April learn to plan better and be more responsible?

Gwen's eyes looked full of understanding. "The challenges of real life will come later than April might expect . But when it comes, I know you will be there for her when they do."

She wasn't wrong. Even though I wanted April to be more focused on her schoolwork and plan a path for her life, no matter what happened, I would be there for her. And that would only make the problem worse. But that's just the way it is.

April is the most important person in my life. I would do anything to make sure she is happy.