“Yes, I love them.”

I looked Piers in the eyes and nodded. "Yes, I love them."

He stared at me and it felt like an eternity. "I suspected as much."

"So you're okay with it?"

"I never said I did," he replied, taking another gulp of his Long Island iced tea, "but I understand."

"I still love my wife..."

"I'm sure you do, son."

I sat there quietly looking at my beer.

"Things have changed a lot since I was your age," he told me calmly. "Like I said, I'm a God-fearing man but it isn't for me to judge how others love."

"Thank you."

"That said, if you hurt any of those girls, especially my daughter..."

"Yes, I know."

"You're a good kid," he smiled. "I've known since Amy met you back in high school that you weren't like the other boys who just used her for her body."

"Maybe in another life I would have married her," I shrugged, "but these are the choices we make in life."

He sighed and I suspected he was thinking back on his affair that led to his wife leaving him. "You would have made a good son-in-law..."

"Thank you, sir."

Amy's dad waved at the waitress again and asked for the check.

"I got it," I offered when she came back with the bill.

"You're a good kid, Ian," he smiled when I gave her my credit card.

"You're a great dad, Piers," I smiled back. "You need a ride back?"