Chapter 35
SAGE
“I shouldn’t be telling you this, but you’re my daughter, and I love you.” Jimmy the Fish stares at me. “Does that sound weird for me to say that?”
“No, not if it’s true,” I say. “Is it true?”
“Of course it’s true. You’re my flesh and blood, and we’ve been through so much in the last weeks. At least you have. I never thought I’d have a daughter.” He looks down. “Ah, fuck it. Am I going to cry?”
“You don’t have to cry.”
I can’t believe this man is my dad. I can’t believe he and my mom had something. He’s so different from anyone I’ve ever met in my life, but perhaps that’s because I don’t know him well enough.
“Go ahead, Jimmy. Tell me what’s going on.”
“Dalton’s going to lose the business,” he says gruffly.
“And I know you don’t want to hear about it.
I know you’re still mad at him, and this isn’t me trying to get you to give him another chance.
This is me trying to see if you can help him figure a way out because Mama’s Kitchen is important to so many of us—to Gracie, to me, to Lucia, to Izzy, to Rosie, to you, to Dalton.
We need this. This is the lifeline that we need. ”
“What do you want me to do? I don’t have any money. I can’t save it.”
“But you got any ideas to bring money in?”
“I mean, I could think of some things, but I’m not even talking to him. I can’t even stand him. He lied to me.”
“He lied to you because of me. The man’s hurting in more ways than one.”
“What’s that got to do with me?”
“He may look strong, and he may act strong, but usually, the ones who look the strongest are the ones who are barely holding it in inside. Trust me, I know.”
“What are you saying?”
“I don’t know.” He shrugs. “I’m sure Dalton wouldn’t even like me being here, telling you this, but I know he loves you, and I know you love him, and I just would hate to see y’all not communicating until it’s too late.”
“I thought we came out today to get to know each other better.”
“And we did, but I know he’s on your mind.
I see the way that you look at him every single time he’s in that damn restaurant.
And when he’s not, I see the way you frown and the way you look hopefully toward the door.
I might not have known you for that long, but you’re my kin, and I can feel what you feel.
And you love him, and you miss him, and you should forgive him.
I know you don’t want to. I know you want to make him hurt the way you’ve been hurt, but it doesn’t pay in life.
You don’t want to get to fifty years old and be thinking, I wish I’d just loosened up a little bit.
It wasn’t that bad because he does love you.
And that little boy, Toby, he loves you, too, and he needs you.
He needs a mama. And from what I can see, you’d be a real good one. ”
“I’m not ready to be a mom. I literally came here to find a rich husband so that I could live in a big house and …”
“But is that what you want, Sage? Is that why you really came here—for a big house, a big diamond, a Mercedes-Benz, and a BMW? Is that really why you and Rosie came here?”
“I came here to find you primarily, and I guess I came to feel safe and settled and to find a family,” I admit. I let out a deep breath. “Why do I love them so much? I don’t want to be weak and …”
“It’s not weak to love someone. I realize that now. I love you, Sage, and I don’t even remember a day that you weren’t in my life.”
“Do you really love me, Jimmy?”
“I love you so much that every night I pray that, one day, you’ll call me Dad. Stupid, ain’t it?”
“You want me to call you Dad?”
“You’re the closest person to me I’ve ever had in my life.
I don’t even deserve you, and yet here you are, giving me a chance, like I am someone, like I did something good once in my life.
You’re a part of me. When I see you smile, you remind me of the days when I was young, and my mama would hold me to her close.
” His eyes tear up. “My mama loved me. I know I don’t deserve your love, but I guess you’re the one thing I did right. I mean, kinda did.”
“I guess you kind of did.”
“Your mom must hate me, huh, now that we’re bonding and getting to know each other?”
“Actually, she’s been surprisingly okay about it.
She apologized for dropping a bomb and for my dad—my non-biological dad, I should say—not treating me the same as he did Rosie.
She said she didn’t really realize it at first, and neither did he, but they can see it now, and they’re sorry.
And that they love me and they’re glad that I met you and that I’m building a relationship with you. ”
“So, you forgave them?”
“I did. I guess I’m realizing that we’re humans and we make mistakes and … fine, I’ll speak to Dalton.”
“When?” he asks with a grin.
“I don’t know. Maybe tomorrow or next week or—”
“We’re close to the restaurant now, you know. Why don’t you go and speak to him?”
“Really, Jimmy?”
“Just for five minutes and then come back out, and we’ll grab lunch.”
“No,” I shout, and he looks shocked. “I have nothing to say to him right now. I don’t appreciate you pushing this. Dalton made his bed, and now he has to lie in it. We can either hang out and get to know each other, or I’m going home. I’m not going to be pressured into talking to him.”
“Sorry.” He looks taken aback. “I do want to spend time with you. We’ve got a lifetime to make up for.”
Three hours later, I find myself driving aimlessly around.
I can’t help but think about what Rosie said, and I know she’s right.
I was technically no better than Dalton.
I lied, just like he did. And I’d had zero intention of hurting Rosie.
Maybe, just maybe, Dalton hadn’t intended to hurt me either.
As I pass the restaurant, I decide to pull over and park. I sit there for a few moments, debating, before I get out and head over to the restaurant. I’m pleasantly surprised to see Izzy and Lucia standing there.
“Hey, girl. You come to work the afternoon shift? It’s not really that busy,” Lucia says in surprise when she sees me.
“No. I actually … is Dalton in?”
“Oh, he is.” Lucia looks surprised. “He’s in the back office. Shall I get him?”
“No, I’ll go and speak to him.”
“Okay.” She looks at me, and I can see there’s a hopeful expression in her eyes, but I don’t say anything.
“Good luck,” Izzy whispers to me, and I offer her a grateful smile.
I knock lightly on the door and then enter without waiting for an answer. Dalton looks up, his face tense, and his eyes widen when he sees me.
“Oh, hi.”
“Hey, can I talk to you for a moment?”
My heart melts at his appearance; he looks like he hasn’t slept in days. I want to hold him to me, but I don’t want him to think that this is over, that I’ve forgiven him, not that easily.
“Sure, I would love to talk to you,” he says, yawning. He stands up and heads over to me. He looks like he wants to hug me, but he stops. “Sorry, I was just running the numbers.” He rubs his forehead. “It’s going to be a rough couple of months,” he says finally.
“That’s why I came to talk to you.”
“Oh, don’t tell me you want a raise. I can’t do that right now.”
“No, that’s not why. You need help, Dalton.
You see it, I see it, lots of people see it, and maybe you don’t want to acknowledge it, but I’ve had some ideas to really bring in a lot of business at the restaurant.
We’re so close to the beach. We could do packed lunches for tourists, and we could hold themed birthday parties, and we can rent out the space for other parties, for photographers, and … ” I stop as he grins. “What is it?”
“Those are a whole bunch of really good ideas.”
“You think so?”
“Yeah, I think we could really make some of them work, maybe even real soon.”
“I think that it could really bring in a lot of extra revenue,” I say. “Is everything okay, Dalton? You look really stressed out.”
“It’s okay. You don’t have to pretend you care.”
“I do care—I really care—and you look like shit.”
“Is that why you’re here? You want to tell me that I’m ugly now?”
“You’re not ugly, but you’re not taking care of yourself. And if you’re not taking care of yourself, how are you taking care of Toby?” I sigh. “It’s not any of my business, but you can’t allow yourself to get sick. You can’t allow yourself to stress out.”
He chuckles. “You care about me?”
“Of course I care about you. You’re always trying to take care of me.”
He looks surprised. “Yeah, and it’s what I was trying to do for you,” he says, “and I guess I overstepped the mark because you didn’t need it, did you?
You’re strong and smart and independent and beautiful, and even though I didn’t have you for long, those moments are ones I’ll remember for the rest of my life.
I love you, Sage, and I know you don’t want to hear this now.
I know I am acting the fool, but I just have to let you know I’ve missed you.
I’ve missed your hold and your touch and your wit and your intellect and your charm.
And thank you. Thank you for coming up with those ideas.
Thank you for thinking of me. Thank you. ”
“I just wanted to make sure that you were okay.”
“I need to tell you something.” He lets out a deep sigh.
“I am sorry. I need to apologize to you. I crossed the line three times. I deceived you three times. I was trying to protect you, but in doing so, I overstepped. I tried to control what you knew and how you lived your life. Yes, it was because I wanted you to be happy and safe, but I crossed the line. I truly do understand that. And I’m sorry.
You don’t need me watching over you. You just need me by your side. ”
He offers me a warm smile, and my heart thuds.
“I just want to be by your side, Sage. Do you think you can forgive me?”
“I just don’t even know what to think anymore, Dalton,” I say honestly, my head throbbing in time with my heart. I feel an intensity of emotions so real that it’s overwhelming. “Are you going to keep acting like I need your protection, or are you going to let me do my own thing?”
“You are your own person, Sage. I love you, and I want the best for you. I will be there for you in whatever way you want me to be. I won’t overstep anymore.
I need you just as much as I hope you need me.
I may not always be perfect, Sage, but I want to be perfect for you.
I promise to always listen and always be honest. I swear I will never hold anything back from you. I need you to know that.”
His words are warm and sincere, and as we look into each other’s eyes, I can feel the love pouring out of him. I know at that moment that he did everything for me, not against me. I know he loves me, and I know he’s the one for me.
“I love you too, Dalton. Don’t you get it?
I don’t mind that you protect me. I don’t mind that you are there for me.
I want to be your equal. I want us to protect each other.
I want us to be there for each other. I want us to love each other.
I want to be your partner, not your princess in a tower. ”
“You love me?” he says softly. “Like, really, truly love me?”
“Yeah. I love you more than there are stars in the sky.”
“You just stole my line,” he says, grinning.
“But I don’t mind because I love you too, Sage.
Oh, how I love you. I was such a fool when I told you that I never wanted to get married, that I wasn’t looking for anything serious, because you, Sage, you are everything.
You are the light of my life. You are everything, and I never want to let you go.
I just don’t know if I’m enough for you though. ”
“You’re more than enough. Don’t you know that, Dalton?
From the first moment I met you, I didn’t care about being with a billionaire.
I didn’t care about status. All I could think about was you and your little boy and how you made me laugh with your grumpiness.
And I want to be a part of that life. That’s the world I want because that’s the world where I feel safe and loved and warm, and that’s all I ever was really craving.
Just that feeling of belonging, that feeling of family.
And with you, that’s what I have. With Toby, that’s what I need.
I don’t ever want to forget this feeling. I want it to last forever.”
“Me too,” he says as he leans down and kisses me on the mouth. “I love you more than anything in the whole wide world. And I will listen to you, Sage, I promise. I’ll be the man you need me to be.”
“I’ll hold you to it, Dalton.”
“I know. And thank you, Sage.”
“For what? For loving you?”
“Well, thank you for that too, but no. Thank you for coming up with ideas to save the business. It means so much to me that you care.”
“Don’t you worry, Dalton. I might not be looking for a billionaire to love, but I’ll get us some investors. I’ll make sure that our business succeeds because it’s you and me involved. Ain’t nothing going to break us up or bring us down.”