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“You said you didn’t want to talk about it.”Her gaze turned skeptical as she looked me up and down.“And frankly, I don’t think you’re in any condition to have a serious conversation.You smell like you took a bath in a distillery.”
“What did you mean about Sadie not deserving this?”
That one sentence from her had given me an ounce of hope I was terrified to hold on to overnight.I needed her to clarify so I could properly prepare myself for the verbal lashing she was going to give me tomorrow.
Her gaze softened and she sighed with exasperation.“You’re the best Dad, you know that, don’t you?”
I shook my head—hesitant and subtle.I didn’t feel like a good dad at all.
“No, I suppose you probably wouldn’t think that right now.And despite your recent actions, you’re not usually a giant jackass.Sadie deserves a man who fights for her, one who will love her out in the open.She doesn’t deserve to be treated like a dirty little secret.”
“It wasn’t like that,” I was quick to say.
She arched her brow.“Wasn’t it?”
Shit.Okay, so it was, but it also very much wasn’t.Sadie never felt like a dirty little secret.I was never ashamed of her.If anything she felt like a dream, one I kept to myself because she was never supposed to be mine.
But fuck, she felt like mine.
She must’ve seen the turmoil on my face.“We’ll talk tomorrow.Take an aspirin and get some sleep.”
With another blink, she was gone and I was left with my thoughts…and a small kernel of hope.
Our morning talk turned into an early dinner talk because Vanessa called Jenna with an “emergency” in the morning which turned out to be her latest fiancé calling off the wedding.I suspected she already had someone else lined up, but she needed Jenna to come over and comfort her because she was apparently devastated.
Sometimes I wondered what I’d seen in Vanessa.We couldn’t be more different if we tried, but I also couldn’t regret our time together because it gave us Jenna, and I wouldn’t trade her for the world.
“Dad!I’m back,” Jenna called as she came through the house.
“In the kitchen,” I hollered, and she walked in to find me making her favorite—Philly cheesesteaks.She came around the island and gave me a kiss on the cheek before resting her head on my shoulder.The affection made my heart squeeze.She’d always done this, and I was worried I might’ve lost it with how I’d behaved lately.
“How was your day?”I asked her, tilting my head to rest on hers.
She let out a little sigh.“Mom was…Mom.You know how she is, especially after a breakup.”
I did, and I’d watched Jenna deal with it more times than she should.My guilt over Sadie came roaring back.
Jenna moved over to sit on one of the stools.“Anyway, thanks for making dinner.Are you ready to talk?”
“Do I have a choice?”I asked as I put the meat and melted cheese into the sandwich buns and placed them on plates.
“Nope.”
She let me get situated at my own seat before she gave me an impatient stare.I took a bite of my sandwich, hoping to buy myself some time, and then washed it down with some Coke before finally leaning forward and resting my elbows on the counter.“I’m sorry, Jenna.That’s really all that I can say.I’m sorry.”
“For what exactly?”
I glanced over at her, confused by her question.“What do you mean?”
She watched me carefully.“Are you sorry you hooked up with her?Or because I found out the way I did?Or are you sorry because you fell in love with her?”
“I…” My throat went dry and I stared at her, not sure what to say.“I’m definitely sorry you found out the way you did.I should’ve known better than to get involved with her.”
She frowned.“So you regret being with her?”
My heart stuttered.No.That was the clear answer, but I knew that wouldn’t be easy for Jenna to hear.Was there any harm in laying it all out on the table now?
“No, I don’t regret being with her.”
