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His hand came up. “No, just... let me get this out.” He took a second to compose himself, taking in a full breath. “I know you’re grown, and have been for quite some time, but it wasn’t that long ago you still needed me. When things went down with that sorry, piece-of-shit ex of yours, when you were thinking of getting your house but weren’t sure, when you wanted to make changes to the restaurant. Every big milestone in your life, you always came to me, either for help or my opinion or simply to hold your hand through the process. But you’ve taken this restaurant, and over the past year, you’ve turned it into something so much bigger than your mother and I could have imagined, and you did it all on your own.
“I’ve looked at the books, I know you’ve soared into the black with this place, and every decision you’ve made regarding this place has been the right one.” He gave me a pointed look. “Including firing that girl and having her arrested, which is a whole separate apology I need to give you.”
I cut him off. “You really don’t, Dad. It’s water under the bridge.”
His big, strong shoulders sank on a sigh, shoulders that had given me more piggyback rides than I could remember, shoulders that were there for me to lean on through all the hard times in my life. For the first time, I was seeing my father in a new light. I wasn’t only his daughter wishing he would open his eyes and see me for who I was. I was a parent, his equal, worrying about the day Hazel stopped needing me as well.
“Daddy,” I said, emotion making my throat tight. I stood from my chair and moved around the desk to take the empty one beside his so I could reach his hand. “There will never be a day in my life where I don’t need you. I hope you know that.”
He turned his palm over beneath mine, a smile pulling at his lips as he gave my hand a squeeze. “I know that honey. Just like I know you’re the very best thing for this restaurant. I’m so sorry I didn’t let myself admit that until now. If you want it, this place is yours.”
For the millionth time in the past few days, I felt tears burn the backs of my eyes. “You really mean that?”
“Absolutely, just as long as you don’t mind me coming in from time to time to help out. You know, to keep myself useful. But as far as day-to-day operations and beyond are involved, the decisions are all yours.”
“You’re welcome here any time, you know that. I might be taking over, but it’s not mine. Junior’s belongs to ourfamily, and it always will.”
He leaned forward and set his plate down on my desk so he could clasp both my hands in his, and just like when I was a little girl, my dad’s affectionate touch offered comfort and security.
“I’m proud of you, Hardin. I always have been. And I’m so lucky that I get to call you my daughter. I love you.”
I sniffled, that burn behind my eyes getting worse. “I love you too, but so help me, if you make me cry, you’re banned for at least a month.”
He chuckled, releasing my hands and picking his plate back up. “You got it, boss.”
27
FORD
Ithought after I ended things with Hardin, the pain in my chest would go away. If we weren’t together, I wouldn’t have that constant fear of something bad happening to her. But the worry never went away, and it was only made worse by missing her like I would one of my limbs.
I’d lied when I told her I couldn’t feel the way she felt. The truth was, I loved her so goddamn much, it scared the hell out of me. And like a coward, I’d let that fear freeze me. I’d tried to fake it for a couple days, but hadn’t been able to keep up the charade, so I gave in. I’d spent the past week locked inside my house, drowning myself in my own misery. After putting in for some personal time with the department, I’d ignored all calls and texts and shut myself off from the outside world.
Even Otis was pitying me, and I knew that because, for the first time in all the years I’d had him, he hadn’t left my side. I wasn’t sure if he was worried because he actually cared, or if it was simply because I was the person in charge of feeding him and he didn’t want to starve. But I knew I was in a bad way when he jumped up on the couch beside me the other day and laid his head in my lap.
Unfortunately, not all of the people in my life were willing to let me wallow like the sad, pathetic asshole I was.
Someone started to pound on my door, the sound loud enough to wake the dead. I paused the show I’d had on more for background noise than anything else and pushed myself off the couch just as the banging started again.
“For fuck’s sake, I’m coming!” I shouted. “No need to beat my goddamn door down.”
I yanked the door opened, prepared to tell the person on the other side to fuck right off, only to be met with a fist coming at my face at the speed of light. It connected with my nose before I knew what was happening, snapping my head back and sending me staggering backward. I tripped on the coffee table and landed on my ass as my eyes welled and a sharp, stabbing pain lanced through my face.
“Jesus Christ!” I barked, cupping my nose in an attempt to contain the blood. “What the fuck?”
I had to blink the tears from my eyes in order to see who’d just punched me, but once my vision was clear enough, I made out Owen standing over me, looking like a bull about to charge. “Son of a bitch. I think you broke my goddamn nose!”
“No I didn’t, you fucking whiner. We both know I pulled back.”
He had. I knew from setting my fair share of broken noses that mine wasn’t that bad off, but it still hurt like a motherfucker. “What the hell was that for?” I cried.
“A lot of reasons,” he hissed. “But we’ll start with the fact that you were fucking my sister behind my back.”
Oh shit.
The panic in my eyes must have given me away, because he nodded and crossed his arms over his chest. “Yeah. I know.”
“But... How did—”
