Page 122 of Love Takes Home

“But we’re family. We protect each other. It’s what we do,” Davis replies, calmer than before.

“Are we really family?”

“Yes.” That was a direct shot. He looks hurt.

“It doesn’t always feel like that.”

“I’m so sorry, Ginny,” her dad says.

“Me, too,” Davis adds.

“I just want all my family to love each other again, okay? I want Dad to feel like he can come see Aaron without having to sneak around to do it when you aren’t there.” She looks pointedly at Davis. “I want you to play ball together like you did when you were a kid. I want you two to take Aaron to his first baseball game and buy him his first bat and glove. I want you to both sit in the stands together and cheer him on and…” She pauses, her voice breaking and her eyes filling. “I just want you guys to love each other again.”

She’s full on sobbing now, and both men look completely lost. I’ve seen this a lot this week, and I know she just needs to get it out.

Mr. Mills turns to Davis. “I have never done anything illegal. Never. I would never do anything that would get my law license revoked and put our livelihood in jeopardy.”

“But you deal in real estate law,” Davis weakly argues.

“Just because that’s what I do here doesn’t mean I don’t know how to do other things. You think this town has never had a divorce or family issue on an estate? Someone’s got to help them. Just because my main focus is real estate and contracts, I’m a lawyer, son. I practice law.”

“How did I not know all this?”

“Because I started to pull away from you,” his dad admits.

“That’s not fair to me. You didn’t give me the chance to understand when I was younger.”

“You dealt with your life in black and white. Right and wrong. You also dropped people who wronged you in some way. If I helped someone you knew and they just disappeared, I would have been blamed and you would have accused me of selling them into slavery then, too. At least now you’re more aware. Trish was the first person I ever saw you almost fight for. And you didn’t fight very hard for her then, son. I was afraid I’d lose you completely.”

Davis sits back in his chair like he’s been physically hit. He stares at his dad until Mr. Mills sighs, like he’s ready to give up.

“Dad,” Davis quietly says. “I’m sorry.”

Mr. Mills looks at him while Ginny quietly sobs.

“I would be very interested to hear how you helped people. And what you’ve done.”

“Davis, I don’t want to upset you anymore, and I’m afraid this might.”

Davis shakes his head. “Not now. Now that I have a better understanding. That last few years of being an agent, I lived in the gray. I think we might have more to talk about than you think. Would it be possible to maybe grab a drink together one day?”

“I think I’d really like that,” Mr. Mills replies.

“If Ginny doesn’t need me,” Davis gives her some serious side-eye, “would you like to come back to the house and play with Aaron for a little while?”

Mr. Mills closes his eyes and takes a deep breath through his nose. “I think I’d really love that, son.”

“I know you see him when I’m not there, but I want you to know my door is always open to you. And maybe you’d like a little grandpa bonding without grandma there?”

Mr. Mills chuckles. “As long as you don’t tell your mother.”

They both turn their gazes on me. And somehow, I know it’s my turn in the hot-seat.

“Keep her safe,” Davis says.

“With my life, as long as she lets me.”

“Her, uh, mother wants to know if she’s coming back home anytime soon,” Mr. Mills asks.

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