Mistletoe in Paradise (Wildstone #5.5) - Jill Shalvis Page 0,27
is that life’s about hard choices, about choosing what’s right over what’s fun, and we both know that’s never been my strong suit.” He put his elbows to his knees and leaned in, his eyes more serious than she’d ever seen them. “I got mad at you for putting your work ahead of me, when I’d done the exact same thing to you for years. Not putting you ahead of my boat is one of the two biggest regrets of my life. The other one is not picking you and your mom when she gave her ultimatum—her or the boat. I won’t ever do that to you again. I promise you.”
Sniffing back tears, she reached for his hand. “I told myself I was coming here for you, to be there for you when I had to tell you the news. But the truth is, I also came here for me. Once you sign those papers, I’m not your stepdaughter anymore, and I wasn’t ready for that to be true.”
With a rough sound of grief, he tugged her out of her chair and in for a hard hug. “A piece of paper isn’t what makes us family,” he whispered against her hair.
Unable to speak, she just nodded, wrapping her arms tight around him.
“You’re stuck with me, Hannah. More than just for Christmas.”
“More than just for Christmas,” she whispered, fiercely grateful for that, for him.
Pulling back, he quickly swiped a forearm over his wet eyes, then met her gaze. “There’re so many things I’ve neglected in bringing you up. I never even taught you how to ride a bike.”
“No, but thanks to you, I know how to make every different kind of knot under the sun, how to jury-rig anything with MacGyver-level skill, and how to handle a seventy-foot-long ship. How many people can say that?”
“But how practical is that? When you learned to drive a car, I should’ve made sure you knew how to change a tire.”
“I’ve got Triple A for that. But there’s no Triple A for mooring in a busy harbor without hitting anything. I can pull into a slip in a windstorm without so much as a scratch,” she said proudly. “I can do that and more.”
“True.” He rubbed the scruff on his jaw, a tell that revealed when he was about to say something uncomfortable for him. “I also never threatened any of your boyfriends about behaving themselves. Or . . .”
She stared at him. “Are you blushing?”
“Jesus.” He swiped a hand across his face. “Yes, apparently. I’m trying to say that we never had . . . the talk. You know, about being safe. And protected.”
Hannah gaped at him. “No need to have the birds-and-bees talk at this point. Dad, that ship sailed a long time ago.”
He smiled sheepishly and nearly sagged with relief. “Thank god, because to be honest, I think I’ve forgotten more than I remember.”
She laughed. “You almost just scarred the both of us for life.”
With a chuckle, he shook his head. “Yeah, thanks for stopping me.” His smile faded and his gaze searched hers. “So . . . we’re okay?”
She hugged him again. “We’re okay.”
“Good.” He nodded. “So now you can go do whatever it is that you need to.”
“With work or with James?”
“Well, I’d be lying if I didn’t say I hope you work things out with James, but I’m not going to interfere.”
She drew a deep breath. “I don’t think we can work things out.”
He scowled. “What are you talking about? It’s obvious to anyone with eyes in their head that you two love each other. You’ve always loved each other.”
She smiled sadly. “Yes, but we both know that love isn’t always enough.”
He let out a ragged breath. “Yeah.”
“I’m sorry Mom hurt you,” she said quietly.
“No, I can’t let you put it all on her. I hurt her plenty, too, and frankly, I waited way too long to fix my wrongs. I got what I deserved.” He shook his shaggy head. “I screwed up my happy ending, but you don’t have to do the same.” He gave her a tight smile. “I’d tell you to learn from your old man, but the truth is, we all have to make our own mistakes.”
“Well, don’t you worry, I’ve made plenty,” she quipped. “Recently . . . Dad . . . I’m worried about leaving you here alone on Christmas . . .”
“I’m not alone. Sally’s here. James, too, and soon his parents. I said I wanted you to do what you need