Page 3 of Winner Takes All

His eyes widen as they light up. “Well, dang. Our little town is getting on the map. I’m not so sure I like that,” he tells me. “I like the prize money, but don’t want our streets filled with tourists year round.”

“There’s one more thing I need to tell you, Dad,” I finally say.

His smile fades as he looks at me with concern. “You can tell me anything.”

I hang my head in shame. “I know. Just remember that sometimes we’re all stubborn and make foolish decisions. I should’ve talked to you about this sooner.”

“You’re worrying me,” he says.

“You know I was medically discharged from the military, but I didn’t tell you the severity of my injury. I told myself I was trying to protect you, but I was simply thinking I was too strong to complain, so instead of having you at my side I went through it alone. The reason I left is I had to have brain surgery, which turned into three surgeries and nearly nine months of recovery.”

My dad looks horrified at first, then wounded. “Why would you keep this from me? What if something would’ve happened to you and I wasn’t there? I should’ve been with you for the entire journey.” I know he’s thinking about Mom and how much losing her hurt both of us, but at least we were at her side. It scares me to think if something had happened to me, all he’d have gotten was a phone call without being able to say goodbye. I was wrong to do that to him.

“I didn’t want you to worry. I realize now that I was wrong,” I tell him.

He shakes his head. “We’ve always told each other everything, son. I’m hurt by this. Please be honest with me now. Are you okay?”

Now I smile. “Yes, my brain’s all better now and there won’t be more surgeries. I’m sorry, Dad. I know how wrong I was, and I promise you I’ll never keep something like this from you ever again.”

He moves to me and pulls me against him for a hug. “I’m your father. It’s my duty and privilege to hold you in the good and bad times. I love you.”

“I love you too, Dad. I won’t make that mistake ever again. Whatever steps in life I take, I’ll have you right at my side,” I assure him.

“I’m very proud of you, son. Words aren’t enough to express that. I have no doubt you’ll crush this competition and have all of your dreams come true.” He pulls back and grins. “You will be opening this restaurant right here in Seaville though, right?”

I laugh. “Yes, right here. I’m home now, and I’m not going anywhere anymore. My days of wandering are officially over.”

We talk a while longer before I move over to the car he’s working on, and the two of us fix it together. Just because my dream’s to have my own restaurant, it doesn’t mean I’m not going to be at my father’s side every chance I get. I know our time’s limited, and I don’t want to miss another moment of being with him. Time can too quickly be cut short.

I’m going to bake the cake, and eat it too. Those who think you can’t have it all are fools. I’ve confessed all of my sins today, and I’m ready to step forward into the next chapter of my life. It doesn’t hurt that a very sexy competitor is up against me this year once again, either. I have some serious plans for Nikki, and she’s not going to see it coming.

Chapter Two

Nikki

The air’s thick with the scent of saltwater and sun-warmed streets as I walk down the familiar path to Sia’s home. It doesn’t matter how many times I move down this route, it always makes me smile. It’s so different from being in the city. Out here the sound of waves and birds chirping isn’t washed out by endless traffic. That alone is worth the inconvenience of not having a Walmart nearby.

This place has always been home to me, but now I realize I want it to be. It’s not just the place I was raised, but the place where I want to someday raise my own kids. Now it’s my personal sanctuary in a world gone mad.

I posted my newest cooking vlog two hours ago and already it has a million views, which is enough money to make a decent living. Life really doesn’t get much better than this. I get to live where I want and make money doing something I absolutely adore. To top it all, the summer festival is kicking off, and I’m going to smash it. I can’t quit smiling.

Sia and Zach’s place is perched perfectly on the edge of the beach with a deck overlooking the endless expanse of the Pacific Ocean. As I turn the corner I see Sia lounging on a deck chair, gazing out at the horizon as she sips a drink, her long hair flowing in the breeze. She glances up and smiles as I pick up mypace to rush to her, both of us smiling. The beautiful thing about friendship is it’s endless and we never get tired of being together.

“Hello, beautiful,” she calls out. I rush up the steps to her back deck.

“It’s been so long,” I tell her with a laugh.

“I know, nearly twenty-four hours,” she agrees, making us both laugh.

“It always feels like forever, since we no longer live together,” I tell her.

She gives me a pouty look. “I adore Zach, but falling in love did take away my roommate.” I laugh again.

“I miss being roomies, but we’re approaching thirty so it’s time for us to grow up.”

“I want to be young forever. Adulthood is only for those who aren’t free. We’re going to be fine because we’re always going to dance in the rain,” she says.

“I fully agree with you,” I tell her as I move over and sit down, picking up the lemonade she has waiting for me. Delicious.

---