Easy Kisses (The Boudreaux Series Book 4) - Kristen Proby Page 0,87
ask. “You’re the one who always told me to wait for the love at first sight and happily ever after.”
“You were a child, Charlotte,” he replies with a soft smile. “Of course I would say that to a little girl.”
“I was waiting for a love like yours and Mama’s. I wanted the perfect love.”
“Love is never perfect,” he replies and narrows his eyes on me. “Your mother and I loved each other to distraction. I still love her, and while I’m anxious to have her with me again, I’m content to sit in this boat and wait for her to finish what she needs to do with you and the others. But Charly, there was many a day that your mama wanted to beat me over the head with her cast iron pan.”
“You were wonderful together. You never fought.”
He tips his head back and laughs. “Oh, darlin’, of course we did. But we tried not to in front of you kids. Maybe that was a disservice to you.” He rubs his hand over his mouth. “There were some hard years in there, especially when the babies were small and I had to work, or chose to work, more than I should have. We fought a lot, and she threatened to leave me.”
“She what?” I’m shocked.
“She said I either needed to be a father and help her with you kids, or I could go be married to my empire. And you know, she was right. Scared the shit out of me, though.”
“Which was probably her goal,” I mutter, utterly shocked that my parents had issues that I didn’t know about.
“We’re all human, darlin’. We make mistakes. I guess you have to decide if what your Simon did was so bad that you can’t forgive him.”
“I can forgive him. He explained why it happened, and I believe him. But what if it happens again? And again? I don’t think I could survive it, Daddy.”
“Seems to me, Simon might be the kind of man who learns lessons after the first time. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have fallen in love with him.”
I blink at him and nod slowly. “He’s a good man.”
“And he loves you back.”
“He says he does.”
“Do you trust that too?”
I think about the look in his eyes when he told me he was in love with me, and when he apologized for hurting me. He looked tortured inside.
“I do.”
“Well, then I don’t see where the problem is. It’s important to forgive, darlin’. Doesn’t mean you have to forget. If you forget, you didn’t learn anything.”
“I’ve missed you so much,” I say and climb over the seat to settle next to my dad and lay my head on his shoulder. “I’ve needed this with you.”
“I’ve missed you too, baby girl. I’m so proud of you and what you’ve done with your business.”
“You can see it?” I smile up at him, so happy that he knows about Head Over Heels.
“I can see everything y’all are doing. Expanding is a good idea, and I’m glad you finally realized that I left that money for you to use rather than resent.”
“I don’t resent it, Daddy. I just… I want to do this on my own.”
“And you are. But it’s okay to let your old man help you now and again.”
“Will I see you again?” I ask, afraid that he’ll say no.
“If you need me,” he says. “I’m always right here, for all of you. But you’re going to be just fine, baby girl. I’m proud of you.”
I smile and kiss his cheek. “He’s going to be good for me.”
“You’re good for each other. There will be more good than bad; you just have to adjust your sails and ride through the rough waters to get to the smooth ones.”
“We’ve all been adjusting our sails since you’ve been gone.”
“Me too, baby girl. Me too.”
“I don’t want to go yet.”
“I’m always right here.”
***
It’s four in the morning and I don’t care. I need to see him right now.
The woman at the front desk didn’t love the thought of letting me up, but I assured her that he’d want to see me.
And she seemed like a bit of a romantic, and finally agreed to let me up, as long as I was quiet and didn’t wake the other customers.
I knock on Simon’s door and wait. He’s usually a light sleeper, but what if he doesn’t hear me? I should have called. I should have waited until morning rather than rushing over here like a crazy woman.