Chapter 22 #2
Dad glances over at me. “How so?”
“We met a year prior at a hotel bar. It was when I caught a ride with you to visit Sandie in college. Levi and I got to talking, and well, I didn’t let him know who I was out of fear that he’d stop talking to me.
It was honestly one of the best nights. I felt an immediate connection with him, which surprised me because I too had a preconceived idea of who he was.
But when I saw you come into the bar, I bolted before I could tell him my name.
I only recently found out that he’d felt the same attraction, as he spent the better part of a year looking for me.
Using a private investigator and everything.
He was so shocked when he then found out I was your daughter in your office a few weeks ago. ”
Dad runs his hand over his bald head. “What a moron.”
I don’t know why, but that makes me laugh. “He can be at times,” I say, “but he’s a loveable moron.”
“Did he tell you what he and his teammates have been doing these past few days?”
“No,” I say, brow pinched. “What did they do?”
Dad sits up, and I watch his strong, usually tense jaw relax.
This genuine conversation is the first we’ve had in a long time.
“His teammates went on some sort of Posey campaign where they chatted him up with letters to me and personal conversations, telling me what a great guy he is. How he’s the backbone of the team. How he would do anything for anyone.”
“They’re right,” I say.
“Well, I didn’t believe them,” Dad says, making my heart sink. “Not until Posey came to me himself.”
“He did?” I ask.
Dad nods. “When we were in Nashville. He showed me a picture you were working on, one of you and me.” My cheeks flame with embarrassment.
“I’m not done with that one yet. I was actually kind of practicing. It’s not my best?—”
“It nearly made me cry,” Dad says, stunning me.
He then looks out at the ice again and quietly says, “Your mother was an artist, Wylie. She was incredible. It was one of the things that I fell in love with. She could see the beauty in everything . . . well, everything but me.” He lets out a deep sigh, and I inch closer toward him as I comprehend how vulnerable he’s being.
When I’m close enough, I place my hand on his back.
“I was a fool back then. She wanted to paint around the world, and I wanted to build my career, make something of myself. She tried to live a simple life with me, being the coach’s wife, but it wasn’t enough.
She told me I wasn’t enough, and it cut me.
She wanted to leave, and I told her she could, but if she left, she wasn’t to ever come back.
And her relationship with you was terminated.
She cut me so I wanted to cut her. Little did I know, she would take the deal. ”
“Dad, I’m sorry.”
He shakes his head. “It was my own fault. My own selfish fault.” He looks at me now.
“When you told me you wanted to drop everything and pursue art, I had this sick, boiling feeling erupt inside me that it would happen all over again. That my world would crumble around me, and I’d lose another thing I loved so much.
” He scratches his beard as his eyes meet mine.
“Little did I realize I was losing you just like I lost your mom, and I’m ashamed to say that it wasn’t until Posey showed me his undying loyalty toward you that I realized my head wasn’t on straight.
He was right. I was losing the best thing to ever happen to me out of fear that .
. . well, I’d lose you like I lost your mother. ”
“Dad,” I say as I take his hand in mine. “I would never intentionally leave you like that. We might have had our ups and downs, but you’re my father, and I will always love you. I just . . . I wish that you would treat me more like your daughter and less like your prisoner.”
“I know. I’m sorry. There’s no excuse for my behavior. But I do need you to know that I was trying to hang on to you and ensure that you’d always be there by my side.”
“I get that, and I’m sorry if I scared you in any way.
Please know, though, I want to have a relationship with you, Dad.
A healthy relationship. I want to hang out.
I want to have dinner where it’s just you and me, and we chat about what’s going on in our lives.
I want a connection. And I hope you could maybe open your heart to that. ”
“I can,” he says. “I want to.” He wraps his arm around me and pulls me into a hug. “And I’m sorry for everything I put you through. You deserve better.”
“I deserve a father who wants the best for me. I know that’s you, even though you lost sight of that for a moment.”
“I did, but I think I figured it out.” He squeezes me. Thank God. I am so thankful he’s softened his heart and actually wants what I want. Wants to love me and keep me in his life. “Now, about that boy. You’re telling me that you love somebody who might possibly love bologna more than you?”
I let out a laugh and curl in closer to my dad. “I do. And I’m willing to play second fiddle to lunch meat if it means I can be with him.”
“Well,” Dad says. “If that’s not true love, I don’t know what is.”
Dad gives me one more hug, then heads toward his office while I go to the players’ parking lot, where I know Levi waits for me in his car. He texted me to let me know.
When I spot his car, I rush over to the passenger side and hop in when he sees me.
“What did he?—”
He doesn’t even get a second to finish his sentence as I lean over the center console and kiss him wildly. I kiss him for loving me. For making everything right for my dad. For believing in me. And for not letting one man’s bitterness change the trajectory of who he is.
My dad’s awful words, not to mention the way he handled the situation, could have deterred anyone into writing him off, but instead, Levi chose the high road because he knew how important my dad was to me.
Instead of cutting him out of my life, he went out of his way to patch things up, and that’s why I will forever and always love this man.
When I pull away, I cup his cheeks. “You are the best thing to ever happen to me. You are my rock, my strength, my everything, and I’m so beyond grateful you have chosen me.”
He studies me for a moment, confusion laced through his expression.
“How could I have chosen anyone else?” he says. “You were clearly made for me.”
I smile and stroke my thumb over his cheek. “My dad told me what you did for me, for us.” I shake my head in disbelief. “I can’t believe you did that, Levi.”
“I love you, Wylie. I’d do anything for you.” He laces our fingers together. “Please tell me that you were able to come to some sort of understanding.”
I nod. “More so. He apologized. Explained to me that my mom left him to be an artist, and well, he didn’t handle it properly, but he was scared I was going to do the same.”
“Makes sense,” Levi says.
“But either way, I told him about the job. He was a little uneasy about what I would be drawing, but he did tell me I did beautiful work. He congratulated me, then gave us his blessing. Called you a good guy.”
“Did he now?” Levi says, puffing his chest.
“Oh yes, seems like he might be a fan. Then again, not sure he’d ever show it.”
“I’ll take a secret fan as long as you remain my number one.”
“Always,” I say as I lean in again. “Forever and always, Levi.”
“Never forget it,” he says as he kisses me again, and this time, the kiss bounces all the way down to the tips of my toes.
After ditching him at a bar, never in a million years did I imagine I’d end up here—being loved and cherished by Levi Posey. I was looking for one night of fun, and he’s offering me an endless eternity of love.