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I sagged into the hard wood of the bleachers.Danielhad helped them. Not my father.
“I owe you.” I looked down. “I don’t know how I can ever repay you—”
“Don’t make the same mistake I did.”
I jerked my head toward him.
He wiped his face with his shirt again. “My desire to protect the people I love nearly cost me them.” He held his pinky and thumb less than a millimeter apart. “I wasthis closeto losing Vivian.”
Our situations weren’t the same. He hadn’t put Vivian in danger. Not the way I had Lexie and Eric.
“The circumstances have no parallels.” I guzzled the rest of my water.
“Oh no?” He raised a brow. “You think they’re better off without you. Safer. Happier. That if you push them away they’ll find the life they deserve. One without you failing them at every turn.”
I turned away. Maybe he understood better than I’d given him credit.
“Theyarebetter off if I’m as far away from them as possible.”
“Get over yourself, Hollingsworth.”
I snapped my gaze toward him. He wore a very unimpressed look.
I shoved off the bench. “Even if her parents are no longer a threat, you have no idea what my father is capable of.”
“So you’re going to let him keep you from living your life with them?” He looked at me as if he expected better. “The best way to protect Lexie and Eric is to be there. Mistakes and all. If she loves you, it’s not just because of the put together illusion. It’s all of you. Especially your faults.”
He slapped my shoulder, but I barely felt it. His words were far more of a blow. “Stop being so stubborn. If you wait too long to realize I’m right, you may get what you wish for. They may have already moved on.”
I nearly doubled over at the thought.
I wanted them happy . . . but not with someone in my place.
I yanked on my hair.You have no right to think that way.They deserve the best. I’d let them go because I couldn’t be that for them.
I crumpled my water bottle aggressively and hurled it at the trash can. It bounced off. Another miss.
I expected Daniel to call me out on it, but he was gone.
The best way to protect Lexie and Eric is to be there. Mistakes and all.
His words echoed in my head. Ihadbeen there. And I’d still let them down.
So you’re going to let him keep you from living your life with them?
Did I have a choice? Father always got his way. Always.
Hadn’t I vowed not to be his puppet any longer? If I allowed him to keep me from them, I’d already broken it.
I sat back down and put my head in my hands. The misery. The worry. The hurt I’d caused all of us. Would it go away over time?
Or could I fix it?
“What are you doing up here? I saw Daniel leaving.”
I started at Beau’s voice.
“Just . . .”
