One thing at a time.
So, instead of answering Whit’s question, I asked one of my own. “What about you and Travis? You’ve been awfully quiet aboutyournight.”
She laughed loudly and rolled her eyes. “I know you’re just deflecting the question, but I’ll let it slide.For now.” And then she launched into a play by play of what all had happened last night at the bar. She hadn't slept with him, but made sure to let me know she would ten out of ten hook up with him tonight if he'd quit being such a gentleman. In fact, she planned on it.
“I’m telling you, girl, there’s something in the water here, or the air. These Texas boys are something else.”
I couldn’t argue with her there.
My dad and Georgettewere nowhere to be found when Whit and I got back, thankfully, so the two of us had spent some time tanning by the pool before heading up to the rooms to figure out outfits for the night. As it turned out, Whit had managed to set up a solo date for her and Travis as well—even if Whit’s stance on seeing him was much more casual than when I thought of the potential for my budding relationship with Hux.
Thankfully, I’d packed heavy for this month-long visit and brought a bit of everything. Had I depended on Whit’s Tiktok hack, I’d be in serious trouble. As it stood, I had almost too many options to choose from.
A knock came on my door sometime in the mid-afternoon. I wasn’t surprised to find my dad there. I figured he’d come around sooner or later. “Hey, Queenie. Can we talk?”
I glanced back at Whit and told her we’d be right back before turning to my dad. “Okay, that’s fine.”
Dad didn’t launch into a speech right away, which wasn’t entirely like him. He hated quiet almost as much as he hated being unproductive. So he talked and talked and talked normally. But right now he was quiet, so quiet it was painful. So quiet you could hear a damn pin drop.
We walked down the hall toward the entryway to the first floor, veering off in the direction of the back patio and the pool beyond. Each silent moment that passed made my anxiety ramp up higher and higher. What was he going to say? Would he still be angry with me? Would he act like nothing had even happened? Or would he try to lecture me and make me feel like I’d been the one who was in the wrong all along and that I owed him an apology?
“I’m sorry,” he finally said as we came to the edge of the pool. He kicked off his sandals and took a seat on the side, putting his feet into the tepid water.
My mouth flopped open and closed like a damn fish gasping for air. I wasn’t expecting an apology. Especially not one right off the bat. I hadn’t even had a moment to slip off my sandals and sit down beside him before he continued on.
“I know what I said upset you, and I should have handled myself better. I truly was just trying to look out for you, Queenie.” He blew out a breath, watching his feet as he kicked them slowly in the clear water. “It’s hard sometimes….” Glancing over at me, he offered me a soft smile. “I still look at you and see my little girl. It’s hard to remember you’re an adult now, and can take care of yourself and make your own decisions.”
I didn’t know what to say. What to do. Surprise and disbelief swirled in my chest. My dad didn’t apologize almost ever. And I don’t think I could remember the last time he’d sounded so honest and genuine.
“Thank you,” I replied, my words soft. I couldn’t look at him. I think if I did I just might cry.
“I’m sorry for what I said about Hux as well. I was out of line.”
“It’s okay,” I managed to croak out.
He sighed, and when I glanced at him, there was a heaviness to his gaze, his shoulders, his entire being that made him seem old. Older than I’d ever seen him. He’d always been incredibly active and fit when I was growing up, and it hadn’t changed once Mom passed. In fact, he was probably more active now. To his credit, he didn’t look like he was fifty-one. With his mussed up sandy blonde haircut, his youthful face, and his well toned physique, he could easily pass for his early to mid-forties.
But right now, with the sadness shining so brightly from every inch of him, he looked weathered. Broken. Soul tired. The tired that didn’t go away with rest.
“It’s not,” he replied with a huff. “But I promise I won’t say anything like that ever again.”
I nodded and leaned into him. “Thank you.”
He wrapped an arm around me, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. “I shouldn’t have ambushed you last night. About the ranch. I just—I wanted to surprise you. I miss you and I want to be around more, but I just…” He blew out a breath, and when I pulled back enough to glance up at him, tears hung like star drops in his eyes. “I can’t be in California. Everywhere I go, every place reminds me of her. I was hoping that I could have a new start here. I can’t, nor do I want to erase your mom, but I can’t move on when everything reminds me of her. I need somewhere different. Somewhere fresh. This—I think this could be really good. Great, even. I just… I wanted to share it with you.”
My heart felt like it was nothing more than a piece of paper being shredded in half. It was almost like I could hear the actual sound of it tearing. I understood Dad wanting to move on. I understood him wanting to start fresh in a new place, on a new adventure. I even understood the want to involve me. I was all he had. Dad’s parents had been gone for a while now, and Meema and Grandpa had passed on shortly after Mom did. It was just him and I. So I got why he wanted me on this new journey.
But the thought of leaving California permanently... Of leaving Mom, even if she wasn’t actually there, well, frankly it was kind of scary—okay, a lot scary. California was all I’d ever known. It was where Mom was buried.
Could I just give that up and start a life here?
“I know, Dad,” I finally replied, blowing out a breath.
A few tense, silent moments passed between us until I finally looked at him and asked, “Do you love her?”
He nodded, a soft smile coming to his lips. “I do. She makes me feel alive again.”
My heart panged in my chest, conflict welling to life there. A part of me—the little girl who couldn’t imagine a life without her mom and dad together—hated that any woman, especiallyGeorgette, made him feel anything at all. But the logical part of me understood that he deserved to be happy. Who was I to deny him that happiness?
