Page 158 of The Rebel

“Meeting Walter went differently than I’d planned,” Dad continued as though Ridge had never asked about his health. “He told me he was on the verge of retiring, and handing both of our fleets to his three nephews and his daughter would be far too much. Handling the Spade hotels was one thing, handling all of ours, too, would be quite the task for only four executives. That’s when we came up with the idea of merging. With the seven of you, we believed you could handle all the properties and you would dominate the hotel industry in a way we’d never been able to achieve individually.”

“Dad—”

He put his hand up to stop me from speaking and continued, “We knew it would be rocky. There were a lot of personalities at play. We also knew that you would put your opinions aside and do what was best for the business.

“Considering we’re not too far into the merger, the numbers are proving that you’re running one hell of a business.” He glanced at each of our faces. “As for the way you’re treating each other, that needs a lot of work.” A calm but needed grin spread across his lips. “But everything Walter and I wanted years ago is coming true, and we’re enjoying our friendship again.”

When the room was silent for a few seconds, Rhett pushed himself to the end of the couch. His legs spread, his arms resting on his thighs. “Dad, you’re glazing over the most important part of this. Are you better? Worse? What’s going on with your health?”

Dad took his time answering. “Nothing good, I’m afraid.” The sadness in his eyes was evident as he looked at me and then shifted to my brothers. “I’m terminal.”

That word made my entire body shiver, tremors that just wouldn’t stop.

I was fighting a sudden wave of nausea, a pounding in my chest that had a rhythm I’d never felt before. “What does that mean?”

His hand went to my arm, his fingers icy as they held me. “I have less than a year to live.”

“Nooo!” My hands covered my face as the scream shot from my lips. “This can’t be right. There has to be something they can do?—”

“There isn’t.” His hand was now on my back, rubbing circles.

“Fuck,” Ridge groaned.

“Dad …” Rhett voiced in a tone I hadn’t heard from him in a long time.

“They’ve tried everything. They’ve run every test. Nothing will kill this cancer. At best, they just want to keep me comfortable. That’s what the seventh doctor told me last week, after I didn’t believe the sixth one that I’d met with prior.” His hand stilled on my back.

“I didn’t give up hope, that was why I didn’t tell you. Why I didn’t want to make my illness the reason for this merger even if it was. And I needed some time to come to terms with every doctor telling me the same thing. That’s why you’re just finding out now.” He focused on Ridge. “I don’t want to be a patient.” He then stared at Rhett. “I don’t want you to look at me like I’m sick and incapable.” And then he glanced at me. “What’s keeping me going is the three of you and my Daisy. However much time I have left, that’s how I want to spend it. With the four of you.”

The emotion was taking over.

I could barely process what I was hearing or the reality of what I was facing.

The thought that, one day soon, my father would no longer be here.

It sounded like hope and love were the only things that were keeping him going.

As wrong as this timing was, I wanted to give him more of both.

“It’s the five of us now, Dad.” I felt every eye in the room turn toward me. With my hand on my stomach, I moved it in a circle. “I’m pregnant. Almost sixteen weeks.”

“You’re what?”

My gaze shifted to Rhett, who’d just blurted out those two words. “It’s true.” I then took in my father’s face. “So, while you’re fighting for the four of us”—the knot in my throat grew so large that I didn’t know if it would ever shrink—“fight for this baby, too.”

“You’re pregnant.” Dad’s eyes seemed to elongate, his head moving in a way that told me the news was everything he had wanted to hear. “Now, I know why …” He put his hand on top of mine even though there wasn’t any movement in my belly.

“What are you saying, Dad?” I asked.

“Never mind.” He waved his fingers across the air.

“I wanted to tell you all. I just didn’t know if the news would be accepted.” I focused on Rhett. “The thought of you tearing apart this pregnancy because I’m having this baby with a Spade is something I can’t handle.” My throat constricted. “Especially now.”

Just breathe.

I followed the saying.

I repeated the words.

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