Page 38 of Hearts of Wealth

Timothy

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I MADE MY WAY THROUGH the gate, heading to talk to John at his shop. It was a little old-fashioned to have to get the father’s approval to date his daughter. I knew he didn’t think I was good enough for his daughter. Rather, he thought I thought I was too good. I understood I came into town with my money and flashy car and didn’t make a great first impression.

He was taking care of his daughter. That I respected. After what Scott did to her, I understood why he was even more protective of her. But I planned on proving to him I was serious about her. I wasn’t going to leave her. She grounded me. I knew it would take some time for me to prove I was sticking around, but I was in this for the long run. John would have to see it to believe it. I would prove it to him over and over until he realized it was real. Yes, Catherine and I came from different worlds, but I wanted to be in her world.

Moving in together was a big step, one that I had been thinking about for a while now. I knew that Catherine had been hesitant, but I believed we were both on the same page. And it was a good move, for her father. He could move into her house. I knew she hated the idea of him living in that tiny apartment.

I parked my car and walked into the shop. John was hunched over a workbench. “John,” I called out.

He straightened and turned to look at me. I noticed something was off. John looked a little flushed and unwell, and his movements seemed slower than usual. I was immediately concerned.

“Hey, John,” I said, my voice filled with concern. “Are you feeling okay?”

John glanced up at me, his expression tight with tension. “I’m fine,” he replied, his tone gruff. “Just busy, that’s all.”

But I could see through the façade. Something was wrong. “Can I get you anything?” I asked.

“No, no,” he said and waved a hand. “I’m fine.”

He sure as hell didn’t look fine. “What are you working on?” I asked casually.

He grunted and waved at something. His pallor was very gray. He didn’t look right, but how did I tell him he looked like shit? He was a tough guy and would not appreciate me suggesting he was weak or suffering. I had to tread lightly.

Before I could press him further, however, Luke walked into the shop. He looked from me to John. Luke jerked his head, indicating he wanted me to go outside with him. “I’ll be back in a minute, John,” I said. “I’d like to talk with you if you have a few minutes.”

John grunted but said nothing. I followed Luke outside. “What’s up?”

“We need to talk.”

“What’s going on?” I asked again. Luke’s expression made me very concerned.

Luke hesitated for a moment. “John’s been ill the last couple of days,” he admitted, his voice low. “He’s been moving slow, and he’s been really stressed out about the whole Henry and Catherine situation.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

He shook his head. “He’s just been talking a lot about regrets and how he wishes Catherine wouldn’t have gone into carpentry. He blames himself. He says he tried to tell her not to go into the business but she did it anyway. He’s worried she’s going to face more men like Henry that are going to give her a hard time and he won’t be around to protect her.”

I let out a slow breath, taking in the enormity of the situation. No wonder John had been on edge; he was worried for his daughter’s future, and his health wasn’t helping. I looked back at Luke. “Does Catherine know?”

“He didn’t want her to worry,” Luke replied, looking uneasy. “But I think she’ll notice if she comes by to get on him about his diet.”

“She’s going to haul his ass into the doctor,” I said with a laugh.

“Yeah, John didn’t raise a wilting flower,” he said with a smile. “I tried to tell him Catherine can handle herself, but he doesn’t want to hear it. He feels like he should have been on the job with her. She’s not ready to be on a job by herself and so on.”

“Tell me something,” I said, folding my arms across my chest. “What do you think? You’re there in the thick of things with all those guys. Do they treat her badly?”

“No.” Luke shook his head. “I have to admit, I’ve never seen so many burly guys treat a young, beautiful woman with such respect. I think they all see her as their sister, mother, or daughter. They look out for her.”

“That’s what I saw as well,” I said. “I think John realizes his little girl is growing up.”

Luke shrugged. “We all see it. But John’s still stuck in the past. He can’t see Catherine as anything but the little girl who used to follow him around the shop.”

I nodded, my thoughts turning to Catherine. I knew she was strong-willed and capable, but I also understood John’s fears. She was venturing into uncharted waters, a world dominated by men with attitudes often as hard as the wood she worked with. As a father of a young woman, I understood John’s concerns. Maybe I could appeal to him on that shared connection. I decided then and there that I would do what I could to support her. Not because she needed saving or protecting, but because she deserved every opportunity to succeed.

“It would be hard,” I said.