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They’ve just finished dinner when her dad ambushes them: “I want to talk to you two about safe sex.”
Lara Jean freezes and across from her Peter’s eyes widen above the glass he’s drinking from and he swallows slowly as if to stall for time. “Dad, we know. Can we not…”
“Honey this is important and I think you’re both mature enough to hear all this. Being sexually responsible is serious so just think of me talking to you as a doctor and not your dad.”
Lara Jean groans “but you are my dad and this is too weird. You’re freaking Peter out.”
Peter has put his glass down and she watches him inhale and then nod at her dad, “It’s OK Lara Jean, your dad just wants to talk to us, it’s cool.”
It is definitely not cool and she can’t believe he’s choosing this mortifying moment to suck up to her father.
“Thanks Peter, see Sweetheart? We can all have this conversation in a mature way and I promise I won’t embarrass you too much.”
She puts her face in her hands “it’s way, way too late for that.”
Then he starts in about birth control and condoms being the only effective method to prevent STDs and she raises her eyes to see Peter nodding his head solemnly. “And sex should be pleasurable for both people, not just the guy, right Peter?”
“Yes, absolutely Dr. C.” She’s going to die. Like, seriously for real die because her dad is not telling her boyfriend right in front of her, that he needs to make her orgasm. She is going to kill Margot for not telling her this was coming.
That is if she survives this, “Oh my god” she mutters into her palms as her dad says, “and Peter whatever you’ve seen in porn films, I mean, I’m not going to judge because I looked through plenty of Playboys when I was your age…”
“DAD!!!” she hollers and they both look at her and she feels like her face must be on fire from the embarrassment of it all. But Peter, good natured sweet Peter Kavinsky just says, “porn sex is not good sex, understood sir.”
“What are you doing?” she hisses at him under her breath.
“Honey, have you heard me?” her dad asks as he reaches and grabs her hand “unfortunately, yes” she moans.
"I know this is not typically how dads and daughters talk but I love you and your sisters so much and I only ever want you to be happy and safe.”
She looks at her dad and despite how much she wants to throttle him right now, she does love him very much. “I know that daddy.”
“And I’m not going to be one of those ‘don’t touch my daughter’ dads because you’re not my property, you’re your own person and I know how it feels when you’re in love with someone and you want to be close with them. And yes, I think you’re too young to be having sex, but I also trust you to make decisions that are right for you. And I trust Peter to respect those decisions at all times.”
Both Covey’s eyes turn to Peter who is nodding and leans forward when he says, “You have my word” but he’s only looking at Lara Jean when he says it.
“Good man” her dad says and squeezing her hand he whispers, “I love you Rara” and she says she loves him too as Peter’s eyebrow raises at her family’s pet name for her.
“So,” her dad says sitting back in his seat, “if either of you ever have any questions about anything or want to talk, I’m here for you. Both of you.” He looks to Peter and smiles warmly, “now, what’s for dessert?”
Despite the tender ending to the most cringeworthy moment of her entire life, Lara Jean has had enough of sitting at this table with the two of them to last her a lifetime, “nothing. No dessert. Sorry!” she says too loudly as she stands up and starts collecting plates.
“Didn’t I see a pie when I came in?” Peter asks.
“No, nope, no pie. OK! Good night!” and she disappears into the kitchen with the dishes and prays that her dad will just magically go to bed and Peter will vanish and she can stress eat the entire chocolate cream pie herself.
She’s scrubbing dishes at the sink when Peter comes up and grabbing a towel, starts taking plates from her and drying them. He’s quiet for a bit and then he says, “You good Covey?” She keeps scrubbing at an already pristine spoon and he removes it from her hands to wipe off. “You know, I think your dad is pretty cool. He’s great actually. Not many dads would do that. You have to love your kid a lot to talk to them and their partner about sex because you don’t ever want them to have a bad experience with intimacy.” She nods her head because he’s right, they’re both right. “I wish I had a dad like that.”
She feels a choke in her throat, “Oh Peter,” she turns to him, “you’re right. I’m sorry. I know I’m lucky. You must think I’m such a brat!”
He throws the dish towel around her neck and tugs her closer to him, “you’re not a brat, you are a little spoiled, but I have myself to partially blame for that” he winks at her and she puts her hands on his waist and leans her forehead into his chest.
“That was like, the most embarrassing thing ever.”
She feels the vibration of his chuckle, “it wasn’t so bad.”
“Peter,” she looks up at him, “stop being so nice, it was surreal.”
Shrugging his shoulders he concedes, “it was kinda awkward.” Wrapping her arms around him he hugs her back and rests his chin on her head.
“We haven’t even had sex yet and after this, I don’t know if we ever will because I will still be horrified this conversation took place” she sighs.
“Whoa whoa whoa!” he cries, “What are you talking about? Girl now we got it all! We know about condoms, we are clear about consent, we are fully aware that banging like a porn star is off the table. We’re ready Lara Jean, we should totally have sex tonight.”
She laughs as she shakes her head against him, “you’re impossible Peter Kavinsky.”
He bends his knees to get down closer to her, “but you love me” he smirks.
“Yes, fine. I love you” she says nonchalantly.
“Can I have a kiss then? See what I did there? I’m asking for consent.”
“Oh my god I hate you” she says as she kisses him.
She relents about the pie and explains the origin of Rara to Peter, “Baby Kitty couldn’t say her Ls so Lara came out Rara and it stuck. And she turned Jean into Gee.”
“Oh man” Peter says as he helps himself to another slice of pie, “Rara Gee – that is the cutest thing I have ever heard. Please tell me you have video of this because I need to see it.”
She shrugs, “we might” and she pokes her fork into his slice and steals a bite. “And don’t even ask” she warns, “because no, you can’t call me that.”
Peter makes a pout, “c’mon Covey, it’s adorable, I mean, you look like a Rara.”
“I think you have to go home now”
“Awww Rara, you’re no fun!” he’s laughing as she pretends to shove him off the stool.
After Peter leaves she finds her dad in his study working on his laptop. She goes over and puts down a piece of pie and a glass of milk. Looking up he takes his glasses off, “so you found the pie” he teases.
“Mmm hmm” she nods, “well, what was left of it after Peter got hold of it.”
Her dad digs in, “I like that Peter.”
“So do I” she sighs as she sits down across from him. “Thank you, daddy. I know I was being ridiculous tonight I was just embarrassed.”
“I know, hon, but a little embarrassment is much better than even a minute of you feeling uncomfortable or unsafe when you’re being intimate with someone.”
She nods, “absolutely. I get why you did it. And I appreciate it, and I appreciate how kind you are to Peter. He really respects you and it means a lot to him that you are so honest with him and accepting of him.”
Her dad puts down his fork, “Lara Jean, when I became the father of three daughters I knew that the rest of my life was going to be a revolving door of boys – nice boys, not so nice boys, boys that I didn’t like, boys that I’d be sad to see go. And I used to tell your mom that I was never going to be a ‘Scary Dad’ with any of them because you know the message that would send you girls? That you had to be taken care of all the time and couldn’t be trusted to make your own choices. And those girls are exactly the ones that end up with boys that are not good to them or for them.”
Lara Jean wipes a tear from her eye, “and I have to say so far I’ve been lucky that you and your sister have brought home boys that are really great and deserving of both of you.”
“Well,” Lara Jean rises to give him a hug and kiss goodnight, “just wait because knowing Kitty…”
Her dad groans, “please tell me that Peter has a younger brother.”
She kisses the top of his head, “you’re in luck although I’m not sure quiet, gentle Owen Kavinsky could handle our Kitty.”
She’s curled up in bed about to turn the light out when Peter FaceTimes her. “All good with Dr. Dad?”
“Yeah, he even got pie”
“Nicely done Rara” he grins at her.
“Peter!” she warns.
He’s also laying in his bed and she rests her phone on the pillow next to her. “I like this view” he says, his voice low and close.
“Me too” she sighs.
“One day it would be nice to do this for real” he gestures between them and she nods.
“Just the falling asleep part—I look too wretched in the morning for you to see me first thing.”
Peter’s face softens and he shakes his head, “I don’t believe that. There’s not a moment of your life you haven’t been beautiful.”
Her eyes widen and she feels her heart flutter. “You’re a sweet talker Peter Kavinsky” she murmurs and he chuckles and gives a little shrug.
“Sweet talking you into bed is one of my goals but that isn’t exactly what I had in mind…”