Page 125 of My Favorite Boss

“Yes. And seafood, spinach, nuts, among other things. I’ve been neglectful.”

“I won’t let you forget. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Alex,” she said gently. “We’re just getting to know each other.”

“I want to know everything. We’re getting married. I need to know how to take care of you.”

A strange look passed over her face. But she stood. “I need to go and check on Dad.”

I followed her, standing at the bottom of Dan’s bed as she straightened his covers and smoothed the wisps of gray hair from his forehead. He had a nasty bruise on the side of his face, and his arm was trussed up in a sling. He looked older and frailer than the last time I saw him.

His eyes fluttered open, and he watched Magnolia for a moment, then covered her hand with his. “Stop fussing, Maggie Mae.”

“Hi, Dad,” she whispered, her voice thick.

“Hi yourself.” He glanced at me. “You again. Alex, right?”

“Yes, sir.”

“What’s all the fuss about?”

“You fell,” Magnolia told him. “Scared me.”

“At my age, hardly surprising,” he mused, his mind surprisingly clear. He looked back at me, his eyes narrowed. “From the rock on her hand, I’d say you got up the balls and asked?”

“Dad!” Magnolia scolded, making me chuckle as Dan attempted a wink.

“I did. She said yes.” I winked back. “Once I convinced her. You were right. Stubborn as can be.”

He nodded, then winced. “What does a man have to do to get something to eat?”

Magnolia patted the blanket. “I’ll go check.”

She left, and Dan indicated for me to come closer. I approached his side, and he looked up at me, his eyes as clear as I’d ever seen them. “You’ll look after her, right?”

“Always.”

“You’ll make her happy?”

“She’ll be my priority.”

I wasn’t lying to him. She was going to be the focus of my world, and I would do everything I could to make her happy.

He sighed and nodded. “Good. That’s all I need to know.”

Magnolia came in, carrying a tray. “I got you a sandwich, some soup, and tea, Dad.”

“Sounds good.”

I sat to the side and let Magnolia and Dan talk. Well, she talked and he grunted, not really eating the sandwich, but staring at her, letting her spoon soup into his mouth. She helped him sip the tea, and she fed him bites of chocolate from a bar she had in her purse. He was in and out, his mind slowly tiring and the fog creeping back in. But as she stood to take away the tray, he gripped her hand. “I love you, Maggie Mae. You’re the best daughter a man could ask for.”

She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Love you too, Daddy.”

He closed his eyes and slipped into sleep. Not long after, a nurse bustled in, checking his vitals and smiling at us. “His vitals are steady. He’ll be in and out all night,” she said. “We’ll wake him every few hours. You should go home and come back in the morning.”

Magnolia hesitated, staring down at her fingers entwined with her dad’s. Recalling what Dr. Wilson had said, I crouched beside her. “Your dad needs you strong, Maggie darling. And you need to look after yourself. We can go home, eat, and sleep. I’ll have you back first thing.”

She paused then nodded in agreement. “Okay.”