And now Nate’s words appeared to be on a ten-second delay. His dad cocked his head to the side. So did the turkey. “Okay... Anything else?”
“No.” Nate gripped his hair. “Actually, yes. Mom’s bed and breakfast needs help. She doesn’t know it, but she needs twenty grand and a celebrity by tomorrow. And I need it too, because the woman I love is counting on me and unlike you, I plan to come through for her. Always. I’ll never stop.” Okay yeah, so maybe Nate did know what he needed to say. “You want honesty, Dad? Well, be honest with me about this. How could you just walk away from your wife and son? Didn’t we matter to you at all?”
“Nate.” His dad’s voice held a note of desperation.
“You know what? Never mind. Doesn’t matter at this point. Forget I came.”
“Now hold on just a second.” Footsteps rushed down the wooden steps and made it to Nate by the time he’d opened his door and slid inside.
His dad’s hands gripped the door before Nate could close it. “Listen to me. I’ve always loved your mom and you. I have. But making a living out of music... that’s just something I was made for, Nate. I don’t know how else to explain it. When you came along, I wanted to be a good father, of course I did. But I couldn’tnotchase after the one thing I was born to do. I tried asking your mom to come with me. I begged her to. But that wasn’t the life she wanted, and I didn’t blame her. She chose you, and I’ve never once held it against her.”
“Well... wish I could say the same about the decision you made. Because I have held it against you. I have, Dad. For as long as I can remember.”
His dad’s hands dropped from the car door as he straightened. “I’m not saying I was perfect and I’m not saying I always made the best choices, but I refuse to let anyone make me feel guilty for following the path I was created for.”
Wow. Is that really all his dad had to say for himself? Nate nodded, letting silence fill the next several seconds. When more silencefollowed, Nate nodded again. Guess that was all his dad had to say for himself.
Well, it wasn’t all Nate had to say. As much as he’d like to storm away and never return, he wanted to be better than that. McKenna deserved a man better than that.
He lifted his gaze to look his dad in the eye as the words he knew he needed to say, the words his mentor had prayed for years that he’d find the strength to someday say, clung to the inside of his throat. Nate forced every single one out.
“Well... whether you feel guilty or not... whether you deserve it or not... I just want you to know... I forgive you. I’m done holding it against you.”
More words tumbled out. Words he knew in that moment he was only able to say because an ex-con who knew the power of forgiveness and redemption had taken the time to love Nate well, and that was the type of man Nate prayed he could be for McKenna. “You don’t have to do anything for me, Dad. Not a thing. I still forgive you.”
Nate started the car. Then he rolled down the window as he put the car into reverse. “But if you should be so inclined, it would be awful helpful if you could find me a celebrity who’s willing to put on a private concert at mom’s bed and breakfast tomorrow six thirty sharp.”
Nate may be ready to forgive his dad for the past, but that didn’t mean he was above pulling whatever strings he could for McKenna’s future. He just prayed that it worked.
Twenty-five minutes later Nate was still praying. Only now those prayers centered on having a rental car that made it back to the B&B. As he pulled off to the side of the road with smoke rising from what he could only assume was the engine, something told Nate his prayers weren’t getting answered anytime soon.
McKenna shoved a stray curl out of her eyes and blew out a frustrated breath. Of all the times for Nate to get stranded away from Bugle. Really? Now? Why had he even left town in the first place?
When she’d tried texting him about it last night, his only response had been that he had car trouble and couldn’t secure a new rental until morning, and that he’d explain the rest once he saw her in person.
Well, now it was morning. She glanced at her watch. But apparently thatin personconversation was going to have to keep waiting. Nate still wasn’t back, and at the moment, McKenna had a more worrisome concern staring her back in the face. One that had landed on the B&B’s doorstep late last night.
“Mr. Sullivan, I still can’t believe you flew all this way.” McKenna dished out a square piece of egg casserole onto his plate. “Why didn’t you just call if you wanted to check in on me?”
“What good is checking in on you to see when you’ll be coming home if you’re never ready to come home whenever I check in on you?”
McKenna needed some coffee before she could unscramble that question.
After Mr. Sullivan’s unexpected arrival last night, she’d had to makea quick turnover of her room, so that she could settle him there, then move her things over to Barb’s guest room, where she and Bobbi were now planning to stay. Then she’d woken early enough to get back to the B&B and do both her and Nate’s share of the chores, fix brunch for the expanding guest list, and keep everyone from killing Georgie.
McKenna slid the casserole back in the oven and closed the door. “Tell whoever gets up that they’ll have to help themselves to brunch.” The Harrys must all be night owls. None had made a single peep or hoot so far. “The casserole’s warming in the oven. Mixed fruit is in the fridge. Cinnamon rolls are on the table.”
She checked her watch again. “I’ve got to pick Bobbi up from the airport soon, and I’m not sure what traffic’s going to be like.”
“Same way it always is. Deadly.”
She patted his frail shoulder. “So great having you here.”
“McKenna,” he said as she started out of the kitchen. “If you have a quick moment, there’s something important I need to discuss with you.”
“Um...” She forced herself to not look at her watch again. “A quick moment.”
He motioned to the chair across from him. “Please have a seat.”
