my brother off the dance floor tonight? He has two left feet.”
That draws a laugh out of me. Freya locks her arm with mine, and we head back to our families. The weight of guilt sitting on my chest has slowly begun to ease. It may take time, but I’m beginning to forgive myself for the past.
Watching Luna laugh with both sets of her grandparents is the highlight of my night. As is the father-daughter dance. One of the many historic traditions here; it happens every year at Summer Fest.
Endymion scoops our little girl into his arms, and she squeals. They head over to the center of the barn, where every other father and daughter are beginning to dance. He sets her on his feet, and there’s still a ridiculous height difference. He bends, dancing with her to the music, and my heart just about explodes. So do my ovaries. I watch on, warmth filtering through my chest, happiness capsizing my soul.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile this hard.”
I glance up at the sound of my dad’s voice. He’s standing beside me, his gaze darting between End and Luna, then back to me. I shrug, opting for the truth.
“I guess I haven’t been this happy until now.”
He places his hand between us, palm up. “It’s been a while since we’ve danced at this thing. Let’s show them how it’s done, baby girl.”
A mix between a sob and a laugh escapes my lips, and I nod, trying to hold back the sudden bout of tears. It’s been a while since we danced at this thing. Years, in fact. Once I got into my teens, after Endymion had moved here, I stopped, afraid it would make me look too much like a child, though he never noticed me enough to care anyway. I didn’t realize until now that I may have neglected my father long before we stopped talking. The thought is an icepick to the heart.
I place my hand in his bony one and fight to tamp down the emotions barreling to the surface. If I don’t get a cap on this, I’ll turn into a blubbering mess in front of everyone, all because I’m dancing with my father.
Soft music plays as my dad takes me into his arms. Lewis Capaldi’s throaty voice fills the barn as he sings “Before You Go.” With my hands resting on his shoulders, I glance around, taking in the rest of the townsfolk and all the daughters dancing with their fathers. A grin spreads across my face when I spot Luna still dancing with her dad. Her grin is wide and carefree. It’s incredibly beautiful.
“I’m proud of you, Selene.”
I glance back at my dad and make a face. “I don’t know why. I’ve failed at so many things, Dad. My business is just the tip of that iceberg.”
He sighs. “You didn’t fail. You did what so many people are too afraid to do. You chased your dreams. So what if it didn’t work out over there in Pasadena. Because I think, if it had, you might not have ever come back.”
I process his words, knowing there’s some truth to them. Now that Luna has Endymion in her life and we’re in a good place, I can’t imagine not being back here with him. I can’t imagine not being here for my father.
“Never thought of it like that,” I whisper, my voice quiet.
“I think you were always meant to come back here, Selene. Fate, the cosmos you believe, you were always going to end up here. And that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. I just…I want you to know I’m proud. So goddamn proud of the woman you’ve become. There hasn’t been one moment where I’ve not been proud of you. Maybe I haven’t said it enough over the years, but I need you to know that.”
A tear slides down my cheek. I hate it when he gets like this. When he starts talking like he’s not going to wake up tomorrow, it makes all of this real. It makes the pain of our reality all the more undeniable.
“Thank you, Dad. Maybe one day I’ll get to show you what the next venture will be.”
His brows raise, a smile lighting his eyes. “So, you are thinking about opening up here.”
I blow out a huff, glancing around with a frown. “I want to. But Dunsmuir is small. I don’t exactly see an apothecary doing well here. I mean, we do get tourists, but