wife. Travel. Spend my money before I’m in a wheelchair.”
Jasper Walker in a wheelchair? That day would never come.
“Why?”
“Brady, if I have to explain to you why I want to enjoy my wife—”
“Why now? You retired like…shit, I don’t know, feels like five years ago. So why now are you packing up your office?”
Jasper leaned against his desk, crossed his ankles, and settled in. He also held my gaze.
“Yesterday, I fucked up, acted like a dick.”
“Jasper, you don’t—”
“I do, Brady, and you know I do. A man who’s any sort of man admits when he’s wrong and makes amends. I was out of line yesterday. My brothers pointed that out, but even before they got in my face about it, I knew I’d done wrong. And if I hadn’t already figured it out, my daughter set me straight. You were right, it’s about what Hadley wants even if it goes against what I want. And you were right to have your woman’s back.”
Jesus, that felt good. So good, I was struggling to keep my emotions locked down.
“’Preciate that. Now it’s done, we move on. Why are you packing your office?”
“As you said, I retired. We were all staying involved for Levi, to have his back while we found who sold Liberty out. That’s done. Wick’s on the mend. Liberty’s good. Drake’s gonna be living on a tightrope of worry while Liberty finishes her enlistment. Since she’s made the decision not to re-enlist, that’ll come to an end for him. But I was staying, putting off the traveling my wife wants to do so I could take your back.”
“My back?”
“As you know, it was not lost on any of us my daughter was in love with you. All of us, especially me, saw when the change happened. She went from happily stringing you along, pushing your buttons to keep you close, to a full-court press. It took her less time than I thought it would to reel you in. And you didn’t fight it…much. So, in the end, you didn’t need me. Now, my girl’s got her man. The two of you are working to make something solid even better. Which means it’s time I leave.”
The air in the room became so thick I was finding it hard to breathe. Jasper had stayed to have my back. Not Hadley’s—mine. I didn’t know what to do with that. All I knew was, it felt so fucking good I thought my skin would tear wide open.
“Coupla things, Brady,” Jasper continued. “Switch over to my office, it’s bigger and has a view of the range. Give Trey yours so he doesn’t have to work out of the temporary trailer we set up. Jason’s already lining up contractors to get bids on expanding the main building. We’ve already turned Triple Canopy over to all of you. Now I’m officially handing you over everything. Both personally and professionally. Build this company, so when the time comes you can pass your legacy down to my grandchildren.”
That burn hit my chest again and fear started to creep in.
Jasper read my reaction. “Heard what you said and I feel you about not strapping your family with something you find ugly. So listen closely to what I’m telling you, son. I’m handing you everything. All that is me, all that I have, all that I love. Four years ago, we claimed you. You are ours. But more, you’re mine. You take my name and you marry my daughter. Not for her, for you. Take it and build a family. Give that to yourself.”
Jasper stopped to clear his throat and pinned me with the same green eyes he’d passed down to his daughter. They looked better on Hadley. But right then, all I could think about was in an extreme act of vulnerability, Jasper wasn’t holding anything back.
“I was lost when I met Emily. So lost, I never wanted to be found. Never wanted a family. It’s amazing what the love of a good woman can heal. I reckon you know already. But the last piece of this puzzle, the one you cannot know until the world is placed in your arms, is that while Emily freed me of my nightmares, it was Jason, Delaney, Quinn, Hadley, and Adalynn who made me strong. Made me a better man. Emily healed me, my children made me whole.”
“I appreciate you sharing that,” I said and found myself swallowing the lump in my throat.