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Olive looked back to me for confirmation and I nodded. “Go right ahead.” I saw Trish give her hand supportive squeeze, which was just what she needed to get her legs moving toward the nursery.
“You got a good one there. Hope you plan to hang on to her.” Dad’s gaze lingered on the spot where the women had disappeared, and I knew he had something on his mind. Something that would require a beer. Or three. “I owe you an apology, Liam, for the way I raised you. Or didn’t raise you. It wasn’t right, I want you to know I know that. And I hope you know you deserved better than that and not givin’ it to you is my biggest regret.”
I didn’t know what to say to that. It was an apology I’d given up on receiving the day I joined the Navy, but now that it was out there, I felt lighter. Freer. Unburdened. “Thanks.”
He laughed and took a long pull from his beer. “You don’t need to thank me, son. It’s been a long time coming. I’m just glad watching me screw up with the wrong woman time and again didn’t sour you on relationships.”
“Olive and I aren’t in a relationship.” Despite all evidence to the contrary, we were still just two people having a baby together.
“She was in here naked and ready to seduce you,” he said and held up a thick index finger. “And you’re having a baby together. If that ain’t some kind of relationship, I don’t know what is.”
“It’s complicated.” That answer felt like a cop-out, but it was the truth.
“When women and feelings are involved, it’s always complicated, Liam.” Dad shook his head and motioned for me to follow him back out to the deck. “This view sure is soothing. Bet you get a lot of thinkin’ done out here. Lots of overthinking, too.”
My lips quirked into a grin at his words. “You’re not wrong about that.” This situation with Olive had me doing more overthinking than I did when I enlisted, that was just how complicated things were. But he was here now and interested, and I could use the advice. “Truth is, I’m not sure if I can even hang on to Olive, Dad.”
“Oh, that’s just shit. You’re a good man—hell, a better man than I could ever hope to be. And look how well you turned out. I suspect your girl knows it, based on the way she looks at you and the whole naked thing. You know it, too, I suspect, but you’re fighting it and my guess is that’s on me.”
I huffed out a laugh and shook my head as another cool swallow of beer slid down my throat. “You’re getting perceptive in your old age.”
Diego sighed and nodded. “Not doing right by your kin will do that to a man. Realizing there’s more behind you instead of ahead of you has a way of making a man realize how much he took for granted. How much he missed.”
Listening to his words, I knew he meant them. I knew he regretted the father he’d been to me and in that moment, I forgave him. For both of our sakes. “It’s not you, Dad. It was watching you with those women over and over again. Made me think that’s how all relationships were for a long time. Too damn long.”
“And you went tomcatting all over the place as a big impressive Navy SEAL, right?” I nodded, hiding a smile behind my bottle of beer, and Dad laughed. “And now it’s biting you in the ass?”
“Something like that. I’ve done such a good job of not being in a relationship and not seeking one out that she thinks it’s not even a possibility.”
“Maybe that’s what she thinks, but she’s hoping she’s wrong. And it’s that hope that makes women better than us, boy. They see the good in us when we can’t, god bless ’em. And with your baby growing in her belly, she’s probably hoping you’ll step up. Do the right thing.”
“Is that what happened with your women?”
“Some of ’em.” He nodded. “Some were just looking for a partner to party with, to forget with. For a little while, anyway, because when you ain’t living right, you can only forget for a little while.” Dad turned to me, his gaze more serious than I’d ever seen it in my life. “Do your best to show her you’re the man she sees because if you screw it up, it’ll be the one regret that haunts you—and that shit, well, let’s just say it don’t go away easily. Not at all,” he said and finished off his beer.
I nodded and listened, absorbed his words that I couldn’t stop thinking about for the rest of the night. I wanted to do right by Olive and the baby, but first I had to figure out if they were better with me around.
