Chapter Twenty-Three
Zoey stared at her father, surrounded on either side by his regular bodyguards. She recognized them both since she’d grown up with them.
“Hey, baby girl,” Daddy said, holding out his arms. “Decided to surprise you.”
His eyes narrowed. “Aren’t you going to let us in?”
“Sorry, of course. Please, come in. Hello, Harry. Alec.”
She waved her father and his small entourage inside. These two had been with her father for years and had known her mother, too.
She nodded at everyone. “We were just going to have breakfast.”
Archer came up right behind her and offered his hand. “Pleased to meet you. I am Archer Rossi, at your service.”
“So, this is the guy!” Her father stood back after shaking Archer’s hand. “You’re awful young, aren’t you?”
“Aw, c’mon, Patch,” Harry said, clapping his back. “We were young once.”
“Until you got a hold of us,” Alec joked. “Now I look like I’m ninety.”
“Don’t listen to these jokesters,” her father said. “I’m hardly any trouble at all. Never planned on my bodyguards meeting my daughter’s bodyguard, though. It’s good to meet you, young man.”
“Would y’all like something to eat?” Zoey said, leading them into the kitchen.
“She’s just like her mother,” Alec said. “Already feeding us and we just walked in the door.”
“That’s my girl,” her father said. “Just like her mami.”
Zoey smiled at the compliment. “I’ll chop up some more potatoes.”
“Don’t bother,” Alec said, patting his potbelly. “At least, none for me. I’m cutting back on the carbs.”
“I’ll have his portion.” Harry raised his hand.
Her father was already chatting with Archer, both of them chuckling at something or other.
“Don’t worry about cooking for us,” Daddy said, waving his hand dismissively. “Can we talk?”
Her father never wanted to talk. Her mind started conjuring up all kinds of terrible scenarios. He was here to tell her that he’d been diagnosed with some terrible ailment. Maybe not cancer, but Lou Gehrig’s disease, or diabetes, or Alzheimer’s. What would she do if she lost both her parents?
She followed her father into the living room, where he took a seat on her L-shaped leather couch.
“What’s wrong? Are you sick?”
“God, no, baby. I might need another knee replacement and I could always use a brand-new spine, but otherwise I’m healthy as a horse.”
“Oh, phew.” Zoey touched her chest. “You had me worried for a minute because you never want to talk.”
“Well, I wouldn’t say never.” He coughed into his fist.
“Never.” She quirked a brow, not letting him off the hook.
Mami used to say to him, “For God’s sake, Pat, if something is bothering you, say it. Don’t just let it fester.”
But he never did talk about it. His way was to keep it close to the vest and deal with it himself, even if that meant taking time alone. Now he wanted to talk. He was probably worried about her. She prayed he didn’t have someone new he wanted her to date.
“So…that bodyguard,” her father began. “I think it’s pretty interesting you didn’t mention that he looks like a matinee idol.”
Zoey crossed her arms. “First, his name is Archer, and what does that have to do with anything?”
“He’s the kind of man you’ve always been attracted to.”
“How would you know that?”
He flinched like she’d wounded him. “Your mother told me.”
“Oh. Well, he’s Italian, if that’s what you mean.”
“A foreigner. Your type.”
“He’s Italian-American.” She straightened. “And actually a Texan for the past decade or more.”
He waved his hand in the air. “Whatever.”
“I’m sorry, did you come all this way to check up on me? Do you think I’m taking liberties with my bodyguard because he’s attractive?”
Her nerves pulsed at how close he’d come to the truth. Funny how well he knew her for having spent so little time around her growing up. Her mother must have shared more than Zoey had ever imagined.
Daddy’s ever-present grin momentarily cracked. “No. I trust you to always do the right thing.”
“Good.”
“And you trust me, right?”
“Of course, you’re my father. I know you want what’s best for me.”
This wasn’t the time to remind him that he didn’t always know what she wanted or needed. That was beside the point.
“I always have.” He cleared his throat. “And I’m sure you also want what’s best for me.”
“Well, of course. Why? Is something wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong at all.” He straightened and tugged on the collar of his shirt. “Something’s very good.”
“Are you getting elected to the Hall of Fame?”
“Inducted. And I’m already in the Hall of Fame.”
He scowled, and Zoey feared she’d insulted him. “Oh, right. I forgot.”
“Here’s the thing. There’s no point in skirting around the issue so I’m going to come right out and say it. I’m getting married.”
All the oxygen was sucked out of the room, and Zoey couldn’t catch her breath as she stared at him.
She had to have heard wrong. It had only been four years since her mother died.
What was the damn rush? Who was this woman he was going to marry?
She hoped not his last girlfriend because she was far too young.
But it didn’t matter, because no one would ever be as good as Mami.
No woman would ever love her father the way Mami had. No one could.
“Are you okay?” her father said, and suddenly he was next to her, holding her hand.
That’s when she realized she was gasping, trying to find words.
“You…you…you’re getting married? When?”
There were too many other questions, like why? And to whom? But she was afraid to ask to whom, because she feared it was the woman he’d been seeing on and off, the one Zoey didn’t like.
“We’re not eloping but as soon as we can make it happen.” He patted her knee, as if that made it all okay. “I had to tell you, because I’ve waited too long.”
“Waited too long?” Zoey stood. “You haven’t waited too long! Mami died four years ago. That’s no time at all.”
“It feels like forever to me,” her father said. “I’m alone, Zoey.”
“You and your bodyguards, you mean.”
Somewhere in the far reaches of her mind, Zoey became aware her voice was gradually increasing in volume.
“My bodyguards are my friends, but they have their own wives and families. I miss having a partner, someone who’ll stand beside me and support me.”
“So, that’s it? You’re going to forget all about Mami?”
Unfortunately, she’d not so much said this as screamed it.
Why would he come here on the day after Sweetheart Day to further slash her illusions about forever love?
Yes, she got it: Her mother was gone and would never be back.
Some things had to change. No more stupid Sweetheart Day, for one.
But this was just too much. Her father remarrying put a stamp on it: Her mother was gone forever.
All three bodyguards were suddenly in the living room with them, foreheads creased, jaws tight. With her scream, she’d activated alarm mode in bodyguard language.
“Everything okay, Patch?” Alec said.
Her father nodded. “We’re fine.”
Archer came to stand behind her, bless his heart, as if he could somehow fix this. He couldn’t. No one could.
“One of y’all get my daughter a glass of water, would you?” Patch asked.
Harry beelined it to the kitchen, Alec following behind. Archer wasn’t moving. He didn’t move when the guys left, and he didn’t move when Harry returned, offering her a glass.
“Thank you,” Zoey said, taking a long swallow. She glanced behind her at Archer. “I’m okay.”
He nodded, then moved closer to the rest of the men.
“Some privacy, please?” her father asked.
“We’ll be in the kitchen,” Alec said.
Zoey’s regular breathing returned, and with it, the knowledge she’d acted like a child.
Just like back in the day, when her parents stood together, a united front, and refused to let her drive the cute little coupe she’d purchased with her own money, declaring it “too dangerous.” She had raged at them then.
Sometimes their love had been a suffocating vice around her neck.
But she wasn’t a child any longer. These were grown-up problems. Her father was getting remarried, and she should want that for him. She wanted him to be happy, but it just hurt.
“Is it Veronica?” Zoey asked, knowing the answer, and making the reluctant choice to accept it.
Daddy blinked. “Good Lord, no! She’s twenty years younger than I am.”
The spike of relief that went through Zoey delighted her, until she realized the situation might be worse. Who else could it be? He didn’t have much time to date or meet new people, so it had to be someone he knew. Surely not her mother’s best friend!
Zoey took another gulp of water for fortification. “Then who?”
Daddy studied his nails. “Well, it’s someone you don’t know.”
At least it wasn’t her mother’s bestie. “I know a lot of people, so you might as well try me.”
Daddy leaned back with a chuckle. “Well, I hadn’t talked to this person in a long time because we lost touch.”
Hmm. So someone from his past.
“Just tell me. If you’re getting married, I’m going to assume you’ve been dating her for a while.”
He wouldn’t look at Zoey and seemed suddenly very interested in her carpet. “A few…weeks?”
“A few weeks?” Zoey set her glass of water down on the coaster beside her with force. “How well do you know this woman? What would you tell me if I was going to marry someone after only knowing him a few weeks? Really, Daddy?”
“There are about thirty years between us, young lady, and I know my mind. I’m old, honey. I know things. It doesn’t take long to know when you’re my age. I know when it’s right.”
“Okay, wow.” Zoey crossed her arms. “It sounds like you’re just coming up with excuses now. Maybe you should take five and think about this. What’s the rush? If it’s love, she’ll still be around in another year or two, right?”
He smiled and shook his head. “We don’t want to wait.”
Zoey blew out a breath and tapped her foot. “I still don’t hear a name.”
“Right. Her name is Robin Brown. She was my high school girlfriend.”