Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 96733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
“Oh my God, I forgot Daddy is waiting for me. I’ll stop by after my next shift. Thank you so much, Miss Cakes. You’ve made my entire day.”
I force a smile as her words hit me in the chest. Trevor is here. Was he here to see Daddy?
I want to double over in pain. I had no idea it would hit me this hard. It’s like each year hits me in the gut. Punch after punch.
“I gotta go. See you later,” Jess sings and takes off.
Elise wraps an arm around my shoulders and tugs me into her side. I bury my face in her shoulder. I thought this pain had healed.
“You’re amazing. That was so sweet of you,” Elise murmurs into my hair.
“I need to see my daddy. I need to know what my family needs so I can go home,” I choke out.
“All right, honey. All right.”
CHAPTER 6
Here to Help
Lynn
Once I finally step into my father’s room, my knees give. He looks so small in the hospital bed. Not like the big strong man I’ve known all my life.
I’ve watched my daddy work a five-hundred-acre horse and oil ranch day in and day out all my life. I can count on one hand the times he’s allowed something to keep him in bed. My daddy has always been the pillar of strength.
“You’re gonna cut those tears. Ain’t nothing wrong with me. I’ll be back to work in no time.”
I look up and find my daddy’s eyes on me. However, his voice comes out weak. I grab his hand in mine and give it a squeeze as I swipe at my tears.
“Daddy, you’re not going back to work no time soon. You’re going to do just what the doctors tell you, and I’m going to make sure things run on the ranch.”
“Girl, what do you know about running a ranch? You’re gonna take your butt back to New York and sing them songs like you’ve been doing.”
“I’m not about to argue with you about this, daddy. Don’t make me put you in a home.”
“You better get out of here with that bull junk. Put me in a home. I’ll put you in a headlock first. Come in here with that New York city-slicker attitude like you don’t know who I am,” he grumbles and rolls his eyes.
I almost laugh. He may look weak, but that attitude is just the same. I shake my head at him.
I stand and lean to kiss his cheek. “I love you, Daddy. You and Mama are all I have. I need you to get better. I’m here to help.”
“I’m not the one who needs your help. Have you seen Trevor yet?”
“No,” I snap.
He reaches to pat my hand. I cut my eyes to look at him. “You’re as stubborn as I am. I have so many regrets. One being how I handled the two of you.
“That man has been a mess for years. He’s—”
“Daddy, I don’t want to hear it.”
“Why? What happened? How did you allow that demon to take your life from you?”
“What?”
“That woman he married is the devil’s spawn. In the last nineteen years, every time a curse has left my lips it’s been because of that woman. Trev didn’t deserve that.”
“And that’s my fault how?”
“You shut him out, Babycakes. He needed—”
“Oh no, this isn’t on me, Daddy. Listen, I didn’t come here for this. Please let it go.”
“Old stubborn big head,” he mutters.
“I learned it by watching you,” I sing.
“Humph.” He looks me over and frowns. “You just missed him, didn’t you? Spent all morning getting dolled up to miss him.”
He chuckles at himself and starts to cough. Quickly, I reach to pour him some water. I hold the straw up to his lips.
He takes a sip, then pats my hand. I pull the straw away and place the cup down. He gives me a soft smile.
“You do look pretty though. He spent the entire visit watching the door for you.”
“Daddy,” I drag out.
“You’re here. I finally got you back here in Texas. Vernon and I have always said if we could get you back here, we’d make sure y’all would right things.
“Don’t leave here broken-hearted again, Babycakes. It ain’t how it should be. You listen to your old man. He might know something.”
“I’m going to head out. I need to figure out what needs doing. You rest up, okay?”
He sighs and purses his lips. He doesn’t know about the letter. I never told him or my mama about it.
This isn’t the time to tell him now either. So it’s best I leave and start getting things done. I’m not going to keep dancing around this subject.
“Babycakes, you need to let go of whatever it is you’ve been holding onto. He married for honor, not love. The Lord has told me a number of times that it was a mistake.