By All Appearances by Dawn Kinzer

Author:Dawn Kinzer [Kinzer, Dawn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Morningview Publishing
Published: 2019-11-24T16:00:00+00:00

***

After Doc left, Bryan glanced at Liana’s sad face and flipped off the TV. “I don’t think either one of us is interested in the game right now.”

“Hmmm?” Liana stirred. “What?”

“I said the game isn’t important.” Bryan repositioned his body on the couch so he could face her. “I don’t want to go to this dinner thing either. Is there any way we could get out of it?” Had he sounded like he was joking? He’d meant to. For Doc Tate, he’d go. But meeting more of the family, he wasn’t sure he was up for that.

“Not without disappointing my dad.”

“You should tell Camryn you dated the guy.”

“I’ve tried to, but I’ve wanted to talk to her face-to-face, and she hasn’t give me a chance. I think she believes I’m envious of the time she’s spending with him and that I only want to break them up.”

“You can’t tell her in an e-mail or a phone message?”

“No.” Liana focused on the floor for a moment and then met Bryan’s gaze. “It doesn’t feel right. I want to explain in person.”

He understood her reasoning, but what if her plan backfired? “What if Kevin has told her? Or what if he brings it up during dinner? Then what are you going to do?”

“I’ll deal with it then.”

“Well, that’s quite a plan.” Bryan couldn’t hold back the sarcasm creeping into his tone.

“What about you, Mr. Know-It-All?” she snapped. “What’s your excuse for not wanting to go? At least you don’t have to cook and serve dinner to traitors.”

“How can Camryn be a traitor when you’ve never told her about your relationship with Kevin?” he shot back. “If you had, she might have backed off.”

“Who are you to defend my sister? You don’t even want to meet her!”

“It’s not that I don’t want to meet her.” Bryan held her gaze. “I don’t like seeing you in pain.” Oh, man … he didn’t mean to open himself up like that.

Liana’s eyes shone with tears. “That’s what you’re worried about? That they’ll do or say something that will hurt me?” She wiped her eyes with a napkin. “You’re not concerned about how Camryn or Kevin will respond to your scars?”

“No. I don’t care what they think.” He only wanted Lee’s approval. “Have you or your father ever mentioned me, or my appearance, to Camryn?”

Liana leaned back against the couch. “No, there was never any reason to. I don’t talk to her about anything or anybody.”

“And chances are your father didn’t either—just because—just because he doesn’t think of me as being different.” Bryan rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Seems we’re going to need each other at this party. I don’t enjoy surprising someone and then seeing them repelled by how I look, but I’m willing to be there—for you and your dad. He’s my best friend. I can’t deny him a birthday party.”

The way the guys at the Bible study had accepted him had renewed some of Bryan’s confidence, but he remembered that first day with Liana.

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