“She’s always been a happy person from what I can remember.”
“She has. She was for a long time... until she wasn’t. Tucker did her dirty.”
“I’ve heard some of it. Not to be rude and speak out of turn, but her ex sounds like a dick. He sure the hell won’t get any father of the year awards.”
“Never,” Daniel said. “We didn’t care for him too much. Did he treat her well for a year or more? Sure, he did, but there was something inside that I felt was waiting to leak out.”
“I’ll never treat Farrah the way she was. I sure the hell wouldn’t do it to Archer.”
“My grandson talks highly of you. He rarely speaks of his father, but it’s even less now. There is more on the line than my daughter getting hurt.”
“I’m aware,” he said. “I wouldn’t do anything to purposely hurt either of them.”
“I know you won’t try to. No one can make a promise like that. The thing is, she’s got this fear keeping her from opening up completely. Not sure if she’ll admit it or not, but it’s there.”
“What’s that?” he asked. “Or am I not supposed to know and have to figure it out?”
“She doesn’t want to risk someone leaving her again. Not with Archer. Can we guarantee our future? No. We can’t. No one can. We can safeguard it as best as we can, but things happen beyond our control.”
He nodded. “I know. I’ll never disrespect her. I’ll never cheat on her. I’ll never make her feel as if she isn’t the most important person to me.”
Daniel turned his head from where he was watching Archer. “Are you in love with my daughter?”
Guess he let more slip than he’d planned. “It’s not a conversation we’ve had.”
“Got it. I promised Holly I wouldn’t get in the middle of things.”
“But you’ve got concerns. I understand.”
“You’ve been gone for a long time. Sounds like you had a great life and career and then just left suddenly.”
He knew this might come up. You’d think people would understand that he was returning to work with his family, but he’d made such a stink about leaving years ago, it was bound to create doubts in many minds.
“I was burned out,” he said. “Physically, mentally, even emotionally. I set out to do what I always dreamed of and then realized, once I had it, maybe it wasn’t exactly what I thought it’d be. That happens to a lot of people.”
“It does,” Daniel said. “But the question is, are you back until you recover and then get itchy feet again and want that action or not?”
“No one can predict the future, just as you said, but I wouldn’t set my parents up for having me as part of the company and take on everything I am to only walk away in a year or so. That’s not the type of person I am, regardless of the things I might have said when I was younger.”
“So my wife has said. We all say and do stupid shit at that age.”
“We do. And plenty come home at some point. I probably should have come home sooner, but I didn’t.”
“Why didn’t you? What caused it to happen this time?”
“You don’t have to answer that.” He turned to see Holly walking over. “Daniel, what did I tell you?”
“It’s fine. Farrah knows and I just told you. I ended up with an ulcer if you want specifics, caused by headaches that wouldn’t go away no matter how many pills I took.”
“Jayce,” Holly said. “My husband is being intrusive. Your reasons for coming home are yours. All we care about is that Farrah doesn’t set herself up to be left again. If you’re still together and feel the urge to leave, let her know with plenty of time. Don’t blindside her with it.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Jayce said. He was tired of explaining himself but would out of respect.
He needed Farrah’s family on his side, not against him. Not thinking of him the same way they did her ex.
“Alright,” Farrah said, coming over. “You’ve had enough time to embarrass me and maybe upset Jayce.”
“I’m not upset,” he said.
