Page 78 of My Best Friend's Sister

“Her love is still with me, though,” he admitted, like it would sound less fluffy if he stated it as a fact. “And it’s kept me going all this time.”

I exhaled.

“What’s her name?” he asked suddenly.

I met his gaze. “Madeline.”

He nodded. “Pretty name.”

“It’s the least pretty thing about her.”

The creases around his eyes deepened.

“I hurt her,” I confessed. “Pushed her away.”

His blue eyes narrowed under the weight of his unspoken questions.

“I’m worried I’m an irredeemable asshole and that spending time with her will make me soft and stupid.”

A knowing smile pricked his cheeks. “Better soft, stupid, and in love than hard, clever, and alone,” he said. “Take it from me. I’ve been both.”

“Then why haven’t you tried to meet someone, Dad? It’s been almost twenty years.”

“Because the memory of your mother still keeps me warm at night, even after all this time. In other words, if I can’t have her, I don’t want nobody, baby.”

I leaned back. “I didn’t know you liked disco?”

“That was our song,” he said with a shrug. “I didn’t realize it was disco.”

I blinked at him. Hearing him talk about my mother was one thing, but hearing my ogre of a father admit they had a song—one that had the word baby in it, no less—was nothing short of an out-of-body experience.

“So are you going to let this girl go or what?”

I shook my head. “I tried to, but I’m not sure I can.”

“Then admit defeat and let yourself fall for her.”

“Really?”

“Why not?” he asked. “Worst-case scenario, you get it wrong and land flat on your face, in which case you get up, dust yourself off, and move on. As long as you don’t knock her up.”

“Right.”

“Best case, she ends up being the love of your life, and I assure you, if that happens, your only regret will be that you didn’t meet her sooner.”

I let his words sink in and hoped it wasn’t too late. Because while I was scared shitless of becoming the man I saw reflected in Maddy’s eyes, I was more scared of not becoming him and losing another day with her. Or worse, losing her forever. I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up at my dad.

“If she’s the woman you think she is, she’ll forgive you,” he said, giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze. “And if you’re anything like me, you’re bound to fuck up again, so you might as well get used to apologizing.”

“And if she won’t give me another chance?”

“At least you’ll have that promotion to look forward to.”

I opened my mouth to object right before a sly smile lifted his cheeks.

“I’m joking, son.” He patted me on the back hard enough to let me know that our heart to heart was over. “We’ll work something out, something that works for both of us.”

“Thanks,” I said. “I’d like that.”

He nodded and headed for the door. “C’mon. Craig and I have to go over some numbers first, but after that I want to hear all about the kid from Rockford that you’ve been giving everyone hell about.”

I smiled and stood from my chair, feeling optimistic for the first time in years.

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