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“Morning, peanut.” He drawled as he pulled her in close.
“I came back early because I gots homesick, but now I’m happy because we’re making waffles!” She shimmied out of his hold and rushed back to the kitchen to hold up the plate with the waffles.
“Come eat, Papa!” Sarah called to him. Wes glanced at Mel but his face was void of expression.
The man she spent the week with was nowhere to be seen.
He turned back to his daughter. “I need to go fix your GG’s porch. She called me yesterday. Mel, would you mind staying with Sarah until I get back?” Was he going to ignore everything that happened between them? Was she just some fun while Sarah was away? She was the babysitter afterall. Her thoughts ran away with her; she was vaguely aware of herself nodding in response to his question.
“Yeah, sure. Of course.”
Tears prickled her eyes but she pushed them down knowing she wouldn’t be able to explain them to Sarah. Wes kissed the top of Sarah’s head and was out of the door without a second glance.
Clearing her throat to loosen the emotion lodged there, Mel said, “Shall we get back to it?”
Sarah nodded happily, grabbing the waffle mix and plopping in some extra blueberries.
Melody took a deep breath. Right now the only thing that mattered was taking care of Sarah. She could fret about Wes later.
Wes pulled up to Gram’s house, cut the engine but remained in his seat. Throwing his arms over the wheel, he put his head down trying to figure out how everything went to hell. “Fuck! Damnit! Asshole!” he groaned.
He fucked up this morning. He’d got so caught up in Melody that he’d forgotten Sarah was coming home today.
There would be another discussion about time with her uncle.
When put under pressure he froze and ran out of the house as if he was on literal fire.
Grams must have heard his truck approach because she’s out of the house and calling for him to get his ass up on the porch. With a heavy sigh, Wes stalked toward her, kicking up dust with his boots as he went.
“Well, don’t you look like roadkill this morning.”
“Gee, thanks Grams.” He pulled her in for a tight hug.
“How about you come inside and get yourself some coffee. Looks like we need to have a little chat.” Wes raised his eyes wide but knew his distress was probably clearly written on his face.
Grams poured two mugs and brought them to the table where he sat. Wes looked around the breakfast nook, noting that things hadn’t changed much since Pop-pop passed.
Nearly twenty years, and he could still be felt in the space.
“So, are you going to tell me or do I have to figure it out for myself. You know I will so might as well spill the beans, Wesley.”
Wes ran his hand through his hair, tugging on the strands out of frustration.
“I don’t know what to do,” he finally admitted. Having the words out in the open released some of the tension he was holding in his shoulders.
“So, this is about a woman. Well, it took you long enough to find someone.” Grams took a long sip of her coffee before placing it back down on the table.
“What do you mean ‘it took me long enough’? I haven’t been looking for anyone. How…” he trailed off as Grams held her hand up to stop him.
“First of all, let me just say not every woman is going to be like Kat.” He opened his mouth to argue but was immediately shushed.
“Secondly, give yourself permission to be and have everything you deserve. You’ve fought so hard to get here. Everything you pushed passed. Survived. Life’s not easy, we’ve been through it together. I want you to have the life you’re worthy of having. You’ve earned it. Every hard and painful piece was earned.”
Wes took a moment to let everything that she said sink in. He’d fought hard since Kat, it was true. His forties and Sarah collided into his life and changed everything.
“Sarah and I have been okay on our own.” It was mostly true. He did feel lonely or he had before a striking red head fell into his arms.
“You’re an amazing father, Wesley, but you don’t have to do it alone. Let her in. Trust her with your heart.”
