Chapter 28

"Oh no," Brian shook his head firmly the day of the documentary shooting several weeks later. "No, no, no, no, no."

Audrey gave him an odd look. "What's wrong?"

"You are not going on camera looking like that."

"Looking like what?" She couldn't really see the problem. "This is what wardrobe and the stylists did; it wasn't my idea."

"What the stylists did is fine, but that sweater is not. It's too tight across your chest and shows your boobs."

"Daddy, they aren't exactly difficult to miss to begin with, and nothing is showing."

"I see a little cleavage, and with that, I'm not about to have viewers having lecherous thoughts about my daughter while looking at her breasts instead of hearing her talk. Go put something else on."

"Good grief," Audrey sighed, turning to leave. He's getting ridiculous! First the fuss over my prom dress, and now this, she thought.

"Dude, not to interfere," Jeff said, after noticing the exchange, "but what's happening with you lately? She didn't really look that bad."

"Jeffro, you mean to tell me if you had a daughter who came damn close to getting raped almost a month ago, you'd have her go on TV in front of millions of people in a sweater two sizes too small and all but displaying her boobs? She's not even seventeen yet. Jesus."

"Your wife is right, man," Jeff replied. "You have gotten more overprotective than before."

"Can you blame him?" Bryan spoke up. "Who knows how many other weirdos out there might try the same shit with her that those assholes who held her hostage did?" He then turned to Brian. "If it matters, I think you've been a pretty good dad to her."

Brian smiled at the younger man. "Coming from you, it matters a hell of a lot, considering you and I are not the only ones that barely let Audrey out of our sights these days."

Bryan nodded, understanding. "Heath."

"Yeah. I mean, the boy has played the big bad protective man role pretty well, but underneath, the whole thing scared the hell out of him. Heath confessed to me and Stef the other night that though his sister drives him nuts sometimes, he wouldn't know what to do without Audrey."

"Kind of like I feel about Matt sometimes," Jeff agreed.

"Poor Heath," Bryan said. "This whole thing had to have worked on him a lot. But I don't think he will have to worry much about anything else happening to Audi as long as I and Mr. K. here are around."

Audrey came back in the room, now wearing a turtleneck that accentuated her blue-green eyes. "Okay, you three can stop talking about me now." She put her hands on her hips. "Is this more suitable to keep any potential molesters away?"

"Much better," Brian smiled approvingly.

"Baby, you could wear a potato sack and still be beautiful," Bryan grinned.

Audrey kissed his head. "Awww! You are so cute sometimes."

Bryan gave her a reassuring pat. "Wait till prom night and I will really show you how cute I can really be."

"Boy," Brian said with a warning tone. "Watch the hands or you'll be lucky if I give them back."

"Really, Daddy," Audrey responded. "It's just at my waist."

"More like near the top of your ass. Move the hand upward, Chester the Molester," he told Bryan, who did so.

"Man, you really are the protective dad," Jeff chuckled.

"Don't you have something to do?" Brian asked him right as Steffi and Heath arrived with a cardboard tray of coffee.

"Come to think of it, I think Matt wanted something from Starbucks. I'll catch you guys later."

Steffi looked back and forth at the two of them just as Jeff left. "What was that all about?"

"Your husband's protective nature," Bryan said with a laugh.

"And how you almost lost a hand," Brian added. "Again, if you want to keep it, it goes above the girl's waist."

Steffi looked at Audrey. "Why did you change your top?"

"Ask Mr. Overprotective Italian Father over there," Audrey answered, nodding toward Brian.

"Is it a crime for a man not to want his own daughter going on camera dressed like a two dollar hooker?" Brian asked in protest.

"It wasn't that bad," Steffi countered.

"Jesus, you sound like Jeffro now," he sighed. "Stef, that thing was too small for her and showed her boobs."

"Well, at least she got something that still looks nice on her," Steffi smiled, picking a lint ball off Audrey's shoulder. "You may as well be used to this, honey, because more than likely until he goes to his grave, this is how Daddy will be acting from this day forward."

"Damn right," Brian agreed. "Nobody messes with my women without me having a say or two about it."