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I nestled into him like I used to. “Dad, what are you going to do?”
“I’ve got to fix this mess, don’t I?”
“Yes, you do.” He had no idea how much of a mess it was. I was going to let my sisters fill him in on the pieces he was missing.
“I’m sorry, honey. Your mom was having some words with me tonight. She’s not all that happy with me.”
“I don’t suppose she would be.”
“I was blind, but not anymore.”
“I’m glad to hear that. I’ve missed you.”
He pulled me closer. “Kid, I’ve missed you. You are the daughter of my heart. If making it legal will make you feel better, let’s do it, but . . .”
“But what?”
He chuckled. “I have a feeling there’s another man who would like to change your last name.”
I popped up. “Who are you talking about?”
“Emma,” he brushed back my hair, “are you blind like your old man?”
“What do you mean?”
“Sawyer. I like that kid.”
I grabbed my heart and swallowed. “Dad,” I shook my head, “he doesn’t, I mean we’re not—”
Dad took my hands. “I’ve seen the way you two look and act around each other. I’m sorry if my relationship with his mother has done anything to impede your own relationship.”
“Well, it hasn’t helped much. He’s not very happy with me right now.”
Dad shook his head. “Nah. I think, like me, he knows the truth deep down. We’ve both been fools. We’ve both hurt you.”
I nodded with tears in my eyes.
“I am sorry, Emma Bear, the Lady of Carrington Ranch.”
“I think I’m going to start signing my Christmas cards like that.”
Dad laughed. “Your mom would love that.”
Then I was for sure doing it.
“You know what else she would love?”
“What?”
“To see you with Sawyer. She thought he was the one.”
“I did too,” I choked out.
“So, what are you going to do about it?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know if there’s anything I can do. I’m not even sure he feels the same way.”
“Your old man may be wrong about a lot of things lately, but take my word for it and your mother’s—he loves you.”
“How does mom know?”
He rested his hand on my cheek. “You don’t think she’s watching over you?”
My tears trickled down his hand.
He kissed my forehead. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
See, I told you, where there is love there are miracles, Mom whispered in the breeze.Chapter Twenty-ThreeAll day Wednesday I felt like singing “Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead.” Well, she wasn’t exactly dead, but Dad said last night while we talked on the porch that he was filing for a legal separation, which was just as good, in my mind. Was it awful that I would love to be there when he told Josephine, to capture the look on her collagenized face? It was going to be even better after Dad told her that he and the girls went to the sheriff’s office to file a report. Per the girls, Dad was on the warpath.
It was about time.
The only damper to it all was, I knew this would hurt Sawyer. He thought our parents were happy and that his brother was a good guy. I guess, in turn, it hurt me too, because I knew my chances with him now were zilch, nada, nothing. Even if I did have the heavenliest of angels watching over me. I’m telling you, my last name meant business. Maybe I should take Dad up on his offer to become a Carrington, but after what he said last night about Anders, I didn’t know if I could. It was all I had of Anders, even if it really had been a crap parting gift on his part. It was the gift that kept on giving. But Anders was a good man, even if he had left me Loveless.
With Josephine on her way out, I decided I better get on my Lady of Carrington Ranch duties and get the anniversary gift baskets out for July. I couldn’t have Mom blaming herself for anyone’s breakup. I pulled out her chocolate truffle recipe. Her thumbprint smudge could still be seen on it. It was weird how much I treasured seeing it each time I pulled it out.
While I was finely chopping the chocolate and singing loudly to the Backstreet Boys, my doorbell rang. I popped a piece of chocolate in my mouth and headed for the door. I peeked through the blinds on the door to see who was interrupting my groove. Oh crap. I swallowed the chocolate the wrong way and started to splutter. What was he doing here? He was probably getting his stuff, so why did he ring the doorbell?
Sawyer pounded on the door. “I know you’re in there, Em. I can hear you. By the way, put your arms up.”
Dang him. I put my arms up and stopped coughing enough to say, “Take your stuff and leave my key.”
