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Her gaze narrowed, and I saw the hurt there. “You’re upset and hurt, and I want to help you. I want to help Gracie. I don’t care about our date. You dove over a moving car, and your head cracked the windshield. It was fucking scary. It’s okay to tell me you’re upset. I’m upset. I was so fucking scared when I saw that car moving toward her.”
“I know you were.” I reached for her cheek, tucking the hair behind her ear. “It was fucking scary. And it could have been avoided.Shouldhave been avoided.But I was so wrapped up in us that I wasn’t watching my daughter. That is on me. I knew better.”
“What? This wasn’t your fault. Maxine got out of the house. It was an accident.” Her bottom lip quivered, and tears streamed down her face.
“But it shouldn’t have happened. I failed both of you today. She could have been killed, and look what I put you through. I know it was an accident, but what are we doing, Pres? You’re leaving. And extending a day or two or three doesn’t change anything. It’s going to hurt like hell either way. So why delay the inevitable.”
“We can visit,” she said, her voice shaking so badly that it took all I had not to pull her into my arms. But if I held her right now, I’d never let go. I’d take that extra day. Push for two or three more. And be in the same fucking place I am right now. Gracie had said goodbye. I needed to do the same.
Pull off the fucking bandage.
“I can’t be flying across the country for an occasional visit. I can’t leave my daughter every time I want to see you because it would be all the fucking time, Presley. That wouldn’t be right. And we saw what happens when I start acting selfish. You and me… we’ve never been temporary. We both know that. So I’m going to give you the keys to my truck. Hugh parked it right over there.” I pointed to the side of the hospital where it sat in temporary parking. “I’d drive you home if I thought I could do it safely. Just take the truck. Leave it parked at the barn, and I’ll pick it up tomorrow or later in the week. Put the keys under the floor mat for me, all right?”
“This is goodbye, then?” She shrugged and looked away, using the back of her hand to wipe away the liquid that continued to leak from her eyes.
“Time has never been on our side, has it?” I asked, as my hand moved to the side of her neck. My thumb traced along her jaw.
“No. It doesn’t quite seem fair.” She looked away as I put the keys in her hand and took a step back. “Cage.”
“Yep?”
“I love Gracie. You know that. I’m so sorry about what happened today.”
“Not your fault, and I know that you love her. And she loves you, too. I probably fucked up letting her fall right along with me.” I continued to step backward because walking away from Presley had always been the hardest thing I’d ever done. It was like going against everything I knew was right for me. Good for me.
Yet she wasn’t mine.
Never really had been.
“It wasn’t your fault, either.” She clutched her hands to her chest. “I love you.”
“That’s never been our problem.” I let out a long breath. “I love you, too. Always have. Always will. And I love you enough to let you fly the way you were meant to, Raven.”
And with those words, I turned and got the fuck out of there.
I climbed into my parents’ car and didn’t look back. I asked my father to drop my mother and my daughter off, and then we’d go grab some clothes from the house. I was fucking exhausted, but there was something I had to take care of.
Gracie cried on the drive to their home, and I just held her little hand in mine. I didn’t have words to take away her pain. I was exhausted and numb, and I needed this day to end. I kissed her on the cheek when they got out of the car, and then we made our way to my house.
I packed a bag for Gracie, grabbed a few things for me, and led both Bob and Maxine to the car.
“We’re stopping at the Langleys’ house. Maxine is going home.”
My father glanced over at me. “Do you think that’s a good idea right now? Gracie just went through something traumatic and then had to say goodbye to Presley. Maybe you should give it a few days.”
“This fucking pig nearly cost Gracie her life. Hell, Maxine could have been hit by that car, too. It wasn’t a good idea for me to take her in the first place. I can’t be a good father with so many distractions.” My voice broke on the last word, and my father nodded and backed down the driveway.
When we pulled up in front of their house, I led Maxine to the front door. When Martha opened it, she covered her mouth with both hands. Her eyes were swollen from crying.
“I heard what happened. I’m so sorry, Dr. Reynolds.”
“It’s time you take responsibility for your pet. She belongs to you, not me.” My tone was harsh, and I couldn’t fucking believe that a sharp pain hit my chest when I handed her the leash.
I hated this fucking pig.
She’d led Gracie to that road today.
It was probably just hitting me that my daughter was going to be crushed.
