Things We Never Said (Hart's Boardwalk #3) - Samantha Young Page 0,48

can’t, then maybe the rest of them shouldn’t.”

The flash of temper flared in her cat-shaped eyes. “Like hell! I cannot believe he said what he said to you. As for your mother, she’s psychotic when it comes to you. I’m not saying that with bias. I am saying that as an emotionally mature human being. If Michael can’t deal with the past and move on, that’s his problem. You tried to mend the breach. You tried. That’s all anyone can ask.

“And your dad and your brothers and sister forgive you for leaving because they love you. As for the other thing, there is nothing to forgive, and if you don’t get that through that stubborn head of yours, I’m going to physically haul you back to therapy.”

I smirked at her no-nonsense attitude. “Your bedside manner leaves a lot to be desired.”

“You’re not sick, Dahlia. You’re sad. And you’re loaded with guilt. Yes, you could have come home sooner, and yes, you made your family worry about you. That is your fault. You know that. You’ve explained, you’ve apologized, and everyone but Michael is moving on. But Dillon is not your fault. None of them believe that—and my guess is that not even Michael believes that. You have to let it go.”

“My mom believes that, Bailey. Maybe she’s right. Maybe I was born to hurt the people I love.”

Frustration flashed in her eyes. “No. I won’t hear it. And I won’t let you do this to yourself. Not again. Christ almighty, this isn’t the Dahlia I know and love. You’re stronger than this.”

“Bailey.”

We both jerked around, surprised to see my father standing in the doorway. We hadn’t even heard him approach.

“Can I talk to my daughter alone, please?”

Bailey turned to me, silently asking what I wanted, and I loved her for that too. After I nodded, she got up and strode toward Dad. “I’ll make some tea.” And then she squeezed my dad’s shoulder in comfort, treating him like she’d known him her whole life.

My dad gave her a fond smile, and I was not at all surprised that she’d endeared herself to him already.

Dad walked into the room, eyeing me in concern. I was getting sick of that look, but I guess if I didn’t stop wallowing and buck up, they’d continue to look at me that way.

“We’re all allowed to have weak moments, Bluebell.” Dad sat next to me. “It’s not a failure to admit that you can’t cope with something. It’s not a failure to admit that you need people to help you through.”

“Bailey, you mean?” I dared to look at him.

“She’s your family now too. It’s okay that she can help you in a way that we can’t.”

“It’s not that,” I hurried to assure him. “She’s not part of my mistakes. I don’t feel guilt around her. I get to be sad around her. No judgments.”

“And you feel like you can’t be sad with me?”

“I don’t deserve to.”

“Oh, Bluebell …” He put his arm around me, his voice cracking a little. “That breaks my heart, dahlin’.”

We were silent as I burrowed into my dad’s side.

“I overheard what you said to your friend, and I need to tell you something. I need to explain something that I probably should have explained a while ago.”

I stiffened against him. “Okay?”

“You are not to blame for Dillon’s death. I have never thought that. Your sister and brothers have never thought that. And Michael Sullivan has never thought that. I don’t know what happened between you and him last night and Dermot couldn’t tell me, but whatever it was, it wasn’t about Dillon. As for your mother,” he said, letting out a long exhale, “that goes way back. Way back before Dillon. Way back even before any of you kids came along. Deep down, your mother is a good person, but she has her problems. There is a reason we don’t talk to her parents or her sister.”

I pulled back to stare at him, surprised. My maternal grandparents were another thing my mom pretended didn’t exist, along with her sister. The only reason I knew about them was because Davina had found a shoebox full of pictures and asked Mom about them. She’d told Davina a little about it and then proceeded to pretend they didn’t exist again whenever Davi tried to mention them.

“Your mom’s dad was physically abusive, but your grandmother was emotionally abusive.”

I sucked in my breath. Despite everything she’d said and done to me, I hated that for my