Depends on Who's Asking - Lani Lynn Vale Page 0,69

Sunday.”

CHAPTER 22

Don’t get your tinsel in a tangle.

-Wine glass

SAINT

I was nervous as fuck.

I wasn’t sure why.

This was my father after all.

But for some reason, I felt like his opinion was necessary.

But I wanted him to like Carolina. Not for anything but because it was important to Carolina for my father to like her.

We walked hand in hand into the hospital and I was unsurprised to find not just Phillipe and Daniel at the door, but Brad, too.

They were all huddled together talking, but they were more than aware that I was heading their way.

“That one on the right is Phillipe,” I said. “Brad, the one in the middle you know. And the one on the left is Daniel.”

Carolina nodded her head, her eyes taking in the three large men.

When we finally got to the end of the hallway, they stopped and turned.

“You were warned I was on my way up?” I guessed.

Brad’s lips twitched. “Of course.”

“Carolina, this is the security team that used to protect my dad and sometimes me. Phillipe, Daniel, Brad. This is my fiancée, Carolina,” I introduced them.

All three of their brows went up to their hairlines.

“No shit?” Phillipe asked. “When did that happen?”

Carolina held out her hand to all three men as she said, “Yesterday. He’s crazy for taking me on, we know. But I’ll make sure that when he’s not dealing with the crazy, he’s still having a great time.”

Daniel snorted. “Bringing some life into this kid would be a miracle. I swear he was the most boring kid we’ve ever had the bad luck to have a detail on.”

I flipped them all off.

“I was a good kid,” I said. “I could’ve made your life a living hell, but I didn’t. I was overall a very good kid that didn’t give y’all any trouble.”

“I think it was more sad than anything,” Daniel said. “Do you know that the ‘friskiest’ you ever got was the day that you decided to join the military? That was the weirdest fucking day. I was so proud of you, but I wanted to shake you because I lost you on detail that day.”

Saint finally started to chuckle at that. “I’ve never seen you so mad in my life.”

“I was hot,” Daniel agreed. “Almost lost my job that day, too. I was pissed as hell and got in your dad’s face. I swear to God, it was like he didn’t even notice that you were gone. And when he finally knew, he didn’t really care.”

Daniel immediately winced as he looked over his shoulder at where my father was likely holding down the fort.

“Don’t.” I snorted. “I know who he is.”

Daniel shrugged, then quietly so that only we could hear, he said, “Not sure why you’re visiting, to be honest.”

Carolina drew in a shallow breath.

I looked down at her and nodded my head. “Yeah, he’s really that bad. That’s why I told you not to get your hopes up if he’s a dick. On camera, or in front of a room full of people, he’s the nicest guy in the world. Any other time? It’s like he’s not even the same person.”

She looked over Phillipe’s shoulder to the room beyond.

“Do you think we have to go in there at all?” she asked.

I wished that I didn’t.

Yet, I had to get this over with.

I had to talk to him.

I may not be overly fond of him, but he was still my father.

That deserved at least some respect.

Plus, I wanted him to meet Carolina.

I wanted her to know all of me.

Slapping Brad on the back, I pushed him to the side so I could get in. Tugging Carolina, who seemed a lot more reluctant now, I headed straight for the bed.

I was used to my dad being larger than life.

He’d always been impeccably dressed, even when he was at home.

And I couldn’t tell you the last time that I saw him unshaven.

But seeing him in the hospital bed, looking rough and unkempt, I almost pulled out my phone and took a photo.

“Dad,” I said when his eyes locked on mine. “How are you feeling?”

My father looked up, allowed his eyes to trail over to Carolina, then back to me.

“Fine.” He paused. “Who is this?”

“This” —I tugged Carolina close— “is my soon-to-be wife, Carolina. Carolina, I’d like you to meet my father, Christian.”

Dad’s eye twitched at the use of his first name.

He didn’t like for anyone to call him anything other than ‘Mr. Nicholson’ or ‘President Nicholson.’ For me to have introduced him like that