“It’s never too late. You could have come back. Returned the money and turned yourself in.”
“But that would require me to be selfless, something I’ve never been good at. Besides, I owed people a lot of money. Most of it was gone within a week.”
Tears stung her eyes. Because everything her father said was what she already knew, and yet a part of her had been hoping he’d tell her something different. What, exactly, she wasn’t sure.
“Despite what you might think,” he said quietly, “I did love you and your mother.”
“You just loved money more.”
“And look where that’s gotten me.” He shook his head. “I wish I was different. I wish I was a better man.”
“You could have been. You chose not to be.”
“That’s true. But maybe the best thing I ever did was let your mother raise you. You’re just like her, you know. Strong and courageous and full of integrity. Maybe that’s why I came to you the other night, after being shot. Because I couldn’t turn myself in, even if it meant saving my own life…but I knewyoucould. And at least now, the latest people who are hounding me for money won’t be able to get to me.”
So he’d pissed off the wrong people, and he’d wanted Tilly to fix it with the sale of her house.
“I wish you’d realized that you don’t always need to be reaching for more,” Tilly said quietly. “More happiness. More stuff. Sometimes, to be happy is just to appreciate what you have. You always needed more…even when you already had everything.”
Her father’s eyes flared, a mixture of sadness and regret swirling in their depths. He did regret what he’d done. She could see it. He knew he was a selfish person. He knew he should have done better. He’d just never been able to change.
“Good luck, Dad.”
He nodded, emotion darkening his eyes. “You too, baby.”
Kayden shovedhis hands into his pocket. Shit, he was nervous. He wanted to be in there, with Tilly, making sure she was okay. But this was something she needed to do on her own, and as much as he hated that, he understood it.
He was pacing the hall, forcing calmness into his mind, when his phone rang. He pulled it out, frowning when he saw who was calling. Flint Matthews. The man who’d bought his father’s home all those years ago. The man who’d told him that he planned to knock it down.
“Flint?”
“Kayden. How are you?”
“Considering everything that’s happened lately, not as great as I should be, but I’m getting there.” And Flint definitely hadn’t helped that, but the destruction of the house seemed almost insignificant in comparison to almost losing Tilly.
“I heard there was a rough patch. I’m sorry about the trouble at the visitors center.”
“Thanks.”
Wind blew over the line before Matthews spoke. “Look, I’m just calling to let you know I’m not knocking down the house.”
Kayden stopped pacing. “You’re not?”
“No. I’m getting older, nearing retirement, and my son’s just told me he’s not interested in taking over the farm, something about wanting to explore the world.” He sighed. “So, I have no reason to expand. I’m going to sell…and I thought I’d check in with you and your family to see if anyone would like to buy it back before I put it on the market.”
Something inside Kayden lifted. A big weight that had been pressing down on his chest, making him feel far too heavy for so long. “You’ll sell us the house?”
“If you want it.”
Yes. Hell yes. “We want it. Let me talk to my brothers and see who’d like to purchase it or whether we’ll all go in together. Jace may be coming back, so he may be interested.”
“Great. And Kayden…I’m sorry my original plans to knock it down hurt you. I know how important that place was…is…to you and your family.”
“You had to do what was right for you. But I’m glad your plans have changed.”
He was just hanging up when Tilly stepped out of the room, her eyes red and the hint of tears shining in them. He shoved his phone into his pocket and crossed the space between them.
“Hey, are you okay?” If her father had hurt her—
