I put the truck in park. “You shouldn’t be eavesdropping.”
“Yeah, well, you shouldn’t talk so loud. I had to pee. I can’t help it that your voices travel through the radiator, and our walls are made of paper.”
My eyes close, and I try to remain calm.
“Megan didn’t have to fight for me at school, but she did. You should’ve seen her. She put Mrs. Falconbury and the principal in their place, andit felt so good. She sees me and understands me. It’s the best thing.”
“I’m glad you like her. But that doesn’t mean I’m in love with her.”
“You are in love with her.”
“Stop saying that.”
She grins. “Do you know what I think? I think you’re afraid to love her, Dad. I think you believe that if you trust her to come into our lives forever, something bad will happen, and you’ll feel responsible for it.”
Whoa. My head spins as I try to accept that Kennedy just said this.
“Megan taught me to stand up for myself. To not be the victim of someone’s moods. My side of the story is just as important as anyone’s.”
Did she?My heart softens as I think of Megan sitting down with Kennedy and discussing her feelings in depth. And for giving her wise advice … when I wasn’t there.For going to bat for my child.
“My side of the story is that Megan feels a whole lot like a part of our family,” she says. “When she’s around, you smile and joke around.”
I do?
“You sneak off with her and go down to the lake.”
I narrow my eyes. She shrugs, and that’s relieving. She doesn’t seem to know what we were doing at the lake.
“You don’t look so stressed all the time,” she says. “You aren’t so stiff-looking. I don’t worry you’ll have a heart attack and die at work.”
I sit back in my seat. “You worry about that?”
“Yeah,” she says like I’m ridiculous for thinking she doesn’t. “And Megan looks at you like you’re the most handsome man in the world. And she cares about me.Me. I can talk to her about stuff I can’t talk to you about.”
Like what?
Maybe I don’t want to know.
“I like it just being us,” she says. “But I think we can add Megan too. Weshouldadd Megan too. She needs us as much as we need her.”
I rest my head against the leather and squeeze my eyes shut.
I can’t discuss this with my daughter—even if she does make good points. Even if she says what I’m feeling.
Megan does belong here. The past twelve hours have killed me. I’ve fought with letting her go and asking her to talk because I don’t know what’s best for all of us.
Is it right to ask her to give up her freedom for this small-town life? She couldn’t do the things that excite her here. The things she’s used to. Her whole life would change.
Ours would too.
But it would be worth it.
My phone buzzes in the console. Once my truck’s off, I pick it up and see a list of texts from Gavin.
Gavin: ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?
Me: Why are you blowing up my phone?
