her of how you broke her heart. So I hope you’re not here to break her heart again.”
Fuck! I had been so focused back then that I didn’t have time to breathe, never mind think of Deidre missing me. But why wouldn’t she? She was stuck here and I was off following my dreams. It was clear now why she kept trying to get me to leave. She was protecting her heart. Maybe something I should’ve been doing, too.
I looked Allison in the eye and said, “I give you my word, I won’t hurt her. I’m only here to help.”
She huffed. “Then I guess I’d better let you get back to painting.” Allison headed back out of the storage room.
I had a lot of thinking to do while I painted. I had made a promise to Allison, but fulfilling it was going to be challenging. Should I do as Deidre asked and leave now?
I guess dinner tomorrow will help me make that decision.
Chapter 5
Deidre
“Dad, what are you doing here?” He never came by the warehouse. Then again, I’d never invited him.
“I wanted to talk to you,” he said. The expression on his face was one of dread.
My heart raced. “Is Mom okay?”
“Yes, she’s fine. Well, she’s upset at the moment, but she’ll forgive me. I’m hoping you will too,” he said, taking the seat across from me.
At times like this, I wished I had a bigger office. Maybe one with a couch so we could sit near each other and not feel so…businesslike. Whatever he had to say, it must be important.
“Dad, of course I will. Tell me, what’s wrong?” I held my breath waiting.
“I lied to you. About Jack. He’s…not recovering from an injury,” he said softly.
I wasn’t sure I’d heard him right. And I could see the pain in his eyes as he spoke. “I know, Dad. I confronted him about that when he arrived.”
“You did?” he said, looking shocked. “Why?”
“Because I wanted to know why he was here. Dad, have you seen Jack? He doesn’t look injured at all. God, he looks more like he could be a bodybuilder.” He’d always been fit and muscular, pretty much a requirement for the high dive, but he was much bigger now than I remembered. “But what I don’t understand is why you lied to me about it. Or why you lied to Jack.”
He sighed. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately. You know, about when you were younger? I wasn’t the best father.”
“Why do you say that? You provided me with everything I needed,” I said. Of course, he was so busy that he rarely came to any of my events at school, but I understood why. I guess that’s where I get my drive.
“I stood between you and happiness. I mean, I knew you liked Jack. You liked him a lot. And he really liked you, too. I would hear him talking to the other divers about you and…I knew I had to limit your time together. I’ve come to realize I was wrong. If I had butted out, maybe you two would be together now.”
I couldn’t believe it. Dad lied so that Jack and I could have a second chance? What if I didn’t want one? Or what if he didn’t? Either way, I didn’t like anyone playing with my life. But my dad was doing what he thought was best in his own misguided way. I couldn’t be too mad.
“Dad, I remember hearing you tell Jack that you can’t look back at your last dive and wonder ‘what if’. You can only learn from it and move onto the next. That’s no different than me and Jack. We can’t go back. And as far as being together now? Well, that doesn’t work either. We’re different people now. I have my business and he has…well…I’m not sure what he does, but I know it’s not here. I love you, and I forgive you, but please…don’t…”
“Interfere in your life again,” he finished. “I won’t. I promised the same thing to Jack when he asked me to meet him for lunch.”
At least you admitted that without me having to pry it out of you.
But that left another question. Did Jack know Dad was coming here? Was I still being manipulated, but now from Jack? Oh, hell no. If that was the case, then I was about to turn the tables on him and I knew just how to do it.
“Dad, do you remember saying that I should bring