Total pages in book: 169
Estimated words: 162138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 811(@200wpm)___ 649(@250wpm)___ 540(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 162138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 811(@200wpm)___ 649(@250wpm)___ 540(@300wpm)
“I’m sorry, but that’s bullshit,” Dad says, his voice lower as his jaw ticks. “Your mother and I had our issues when we were much younger. I didn’t have an affair with Marie. She was always around helping with campaigns, but your mother was always there and she knew I wouldn’t.”
“Well, I guess if she was always there, her intuition was probably right,” I say.
“That doesn’t mean I cheated on her.”
“Whatever. It doesn’t even matter,” I mutter.
“Marie’s gone. When you left, I. . .” He shakes his head, eyes watering again. “I lost it. I couldn’t bear the fact that I lost you and your mother. I gave up my position as mayor. I told Marie to fuck off. For a year, I just sat here.” He stops speaking, anger flashing in his eyes. “David was the only one who could get through to me.”
He continues, “I was heartbroken when you didn’t say goodbye, and worse when I called you and your phone was disconnected. Prescott told me you were fine and I did everything to get him to talk, but he wouldn’t. I tried to have him followed to see if I could find you, but I was unsuccessful.” He scoffs. “Now I’m grateful for it, since it would have led David to you.” He bangs both fists over the table. “That motherfucker.”
“You wouldn’t have found me,” I say. “I changed my name and moved to Rhodes.”
Dad’s brows pull. “Really?”
“Yep.”
“Will you stay there now that. . .” He swallows. “Now that it’s safe?”
“I’m not sure. Probably.” I shrug.
“Really?” he asks, his voice dripping in disbelief.
“Really.” I laugh. “It’s an actual city, you know. It’s growing pretty quickly. It’s a city with a small-town feel. It’s cute. I love it.”
“Yeah, I’ve heard a lot of people are moving there,” he says and looks at Lachlan. “Will you move there?”
“I go wherever she goes,” he says, setting a bandaged hand over mine. “We haven’t decided where we’ll live yet.”
It occurs to me that we have a lot of important things to discuss. I’m not concerned about any of it, but they’re still decisions we need to make together.
“What are you up to now that you’re no longer mayor?” I ask.
“I’m just focused on the car dealerships. Some real estate,” he says. “Things that keep me busy but don’t rely on me making life-altering decisions.”
“That’s good,” I say and mean it. I take too big of a sip of my bourbon and try not to flinch as it burns my throat.
“So, you’re getting married,” Dad says.
“Yep.”
“That’s nice.” He smiles his genuine smile, not the smile he’s had on his face for nine years. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you,” Lach and I say in unison.
I should probably take this opportunity to invite him to the wedding. I’m a sucker for second chances and I know after this conversation, I’m going to let him back into my life. I don’t know to what capacity, but I know I want him in it. I’m not sure how I feel about him being at the wedding, though. Or how he’ll feel about being there and not walking me down the aisle. I think it’ll hurt both of us if he doesn’t, but I don’t know that I want to give him the privilege of doing that. I take another sip of my bourbon and make a decision.
“Prescott’s walking me down the aisle,” I say. “I... if you want to be there, I...” I clear my throat. “I’d love to have you there, but I don’t know how you’d feel about sitting in the audience and not walking me down the aisle.” I lower my gaze for a moment. “I don’t know how I’d feel about you being there and not walking me down the aisle, despite everything, but. . .”
“But you’re not entirely sure if you want me to,” he says. “That’s fair. I understand I lost that privilege a long time ago. And yes, I think it’ll hurt to watch someone else walk you.” He pauses, tears filling his eyes. “But it’ll hurt more if I’m not there the day my little girl gets married.”
My mother won’t be there either. Emotion crawls up on me quickly, lodging in my throat. I already know I won’t be able to stop my tears, so I turn my face to Lachlan, in an attempt to hide it. He pulls me into him, his large body shielding me from everything. It’s not like my father doesn’t know I’m crying, but I’m just not used to crying in front of anyone. Maybe one day, I’ll get there. Not today. I sniffle against Lach’s t-shirt as his hands move soothingly up and down my back.
“I got you, baby.” He kisses the top of my head. “You’re okay.”
I swallow and take a few shaky breaths, wiping my face as I pull away. Before I turn back to my dad, Lach tilts my face and presses a kiss on my lips. It’s chaste, no tongue or anything, but it still feels weird doing it in front of my father. This is the man who didn’t even agree to let Luke be my official boyfriend until junior year. Of course, he didn’t know that the very thing he was trying to prevent was happening right underneath his roof without his knowledge — and without mine. Lach continues to hold my face. He has the same look on his face that he had the first time I cried in front of him. Compassion, understanding, love. I smile up at him and even though he doesn’t return my smile, his eyes light up. I turn back to my father and find him smiling proudly. I can’t remember the last time I saw that smile on his face. My high school graduation, maybe.