Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 79145 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79145 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
“So that’s not him?”
“No, he’s Wes’ friend.” I sigh, going to the couch and sitting down.
“Why’s he here?” he asks, and I hate that I have to lie to him, but there is no way I can tell him what is going on, even if I don’t know all the details.
“Wes is protective,” I say, hoping he will accept that explanation.
“Huh…” my dad grunts, taking a seat. The moment his body folds into my couch, he takes my hand in his, and then his eyes go soft as he searches my face for a long time before he speaks. “So, you’re really in love?” he questions quietly in the same tone he used to talk to me in when I was little, when he would find me crying or upset.
“Yeah.” I nod and swallow through the lump that has formed in my throat then wipe my eyes with the paper towel I still have in my hand.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asks, squeezing my hand.
Sheesh! Why didn’t I tell him about Wes? There are so many reasons, but now I feel like none of them make sense. None of them were good enough reasons for hurting Wes.
“I don’t know.” I cover my face with my hands. “Wes is like no one I have been with before; even Jax said that.” I close my eyes, trying to get my thoughts in order before speaking again. “I want you to like him,” I say when I open my eyes. “I love you, and I want you to like him, because I love him.”
“You’re my baby girl.” He smiles and his hand comes up to hold my cheek. “From the moment your mom told me she was pregnant with you, my world changed, and you became one of the most important things in my life. When you took your first breath, I knew I would do everything within my power to make sure that each breath you took was easy. You will always be my baby girl, and I can’t promise you I will like any man you’re with.”
He pulls me forward and kisses my forehead. “Your grandfather gave me a chance with your mom, and I swore that when my girls told me they were in love I would find a way to make peace with that, so they would never have to choose between me and the man they wanted to share their lives with,” he confesses, and I cry harder, sobbing into his chest as he wraps his arms around me.
“I love you, Dad,” I hiccup.
“Love you too, more than anything in this world.”
“What should I do about Wes?” I ask, pulling away and wiping my face.
“Just talk to him. If he’s a man worthy of you, he’ll understand your reasoning.”
“What if he doesn’t?” I whisper my biggest fear.
“Then he doesn’t deserve you,” he states, standing. I follow him up and walk him to the door. He gives me a hug, and a kiss on the forehead, before stepping out onto the front porch. “Call me tomorrow,” he orders, walking to his Jeep, passing Mic on the way and shaking his hand. I give him a small wave as he backs out of my driveway then look at Mic, who is standing near his bike, talking on his phone.
“Is that him?” I ask hopefully.
“No, babe, go back inside,” he tells me, and I frown but step back into my house and shut the door.
The moment the door closes, I realize how quiet it is. Since the moment I met Wes, there has been a loudness in my life that wasn’t there before. Not the kind of noise that is annoying or that you want to get away from, but the kind of noise that lets you know you’re alive and that the life you’re living is full. I didn’t know my life was missing anything until Wes…until now. Closing my eyes, I take a few deep breaths then pick up the remote and turn on the TV, hoping the sound will help chase away the feeling that has settled in my gut since I watched Wes ride away.
“You did this to yourself,” I whisper, going to the kitchen and getting a bottle of water before walking to my room and changing into a pair of sweats and a t-shirt. Afterwards, I head out to the living room to watch some TV.
*
“You’re home,” I murmur as I’m lifted off the couch and tucked close to Wes’ front as he carries me to my room.
“Sleep,” he mutters, laying me down then pulling the covers over me. I chew on my bottom lip, watching him, trying to gauge where his head’s at.
His back is to me, and he lifts his shirt off over his head and drops it to the floor, and then the sound of his belt coming off fills the silence, making that coiled ball of energy in my stomach unravel slightly with the knowledge that he’s not leaving.