Page 90 of Perfect Enough

I slowly shook my head. “What? No, you’re wrong, Nate. It’sGranddad. He’s not gone. He’s the strongest man we know. He’s still young! No, you’re wrong.”

Looking past him, I saw my mother standing there, tears streaming down her face—and the truth hit me.

“It can’t…No. I…I…I just spoke with him earlier today and he was fine! He was taking a walk…he wasfine. We were going fishing this weekend. He wanted to meet Sophia. He needs to meet Sophia!”

“Josh,” Sophia softly whispered.

Turning to her, I said, “I told him all about you this morning. He wants to meet you.”

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she pressed her lips together tightly. “I’m so sorry, Josh.”

I jerked my hand free of Sophia’s and started calling for Granddad, avoiding my mother when she tried to reach out for me.

“Granddad? Granddad?!”

When I stepped into the living room, I stopped abruptly at the sight before me. All of my uncles were seated around my grams, including Dirk. Her face was pale and she held a handkerchief at her mouth. A glance around the room told me the entire family was there. Avery was wiping her tears away as Beck held her close. He looked as if he’d been crying as well. Bryson held Rose as she buried her face into his shirt. I willed my sister to look at me.

My father was right next to Grams, his head hung low so I couldn’t see his face.

Pulling my eyes from my father, I saw that Blayze looked like someone had punched him in the gut, and Hunter was sitting next to Kipton, who was holding Callie.

When I caught Rose’s eye, I knew. She slowly shook her head, and it took everything I had not to let my legs buckle out from under me.

“No,” I whispered, taking a few steps back and bumping into someone. When I looked over my shoulder and saw Sophia, I immediately turned toward her, into her arms, and let the truth spill over me.

Granddad was gone.

I opted to stay at my parents’ house for the next few days, as did Rose and Bryson with the baby. On two occasions, I found my father in the barn, sitting up in the hayloft with a few beers. I let him have his space the first time, but the second, I joined him.

“Mind if I join you?” I asked before taking the seat he gestured to with his hand.

“I’d love to have you join me.”

I sat and took the beer he offered.

“How’re you doing, Dad?”

He shrugged. “I guess okay. It’s hard to believe he’s gone. I feel lucky to have had him as long as we did, especially knowing Dirk’s father passed away without ever being able to see Dirk happy and a father.” Turning to look at me, he said, “He was really excited to meet Sophia. He told me he thought she had to be the one, since you were bringing her to meet the family.”

I took a long drink of my beer.

“Is she?”

“The one?” I asked. “We’ve only just started dating, but I feel something for her that I’ve never felt for anyone else.”

He nodded. “That’s good, Josh. She seems like a very lovely girl.”

Pulling another long drink of the beer, I set it down next to me. “This wasn’t how I wanted to introduce her to the family.”

“I know, but I’m glad you have her by your side. Your mother worries about Rose, but Bryson assured her that she and the baby are both fine.”

Staring out across the ranch, I took a deep breath. “Things aren’t going to be the same without him here, Dad. Nothing feels…right.”

He exhaled. “I know.”

Our grandfather wanted a private, family-only funeral, and if the family chose to have a memorial or celebration of life, that was fine. The funeral had been yesterday, and the memorial was today at the community center. It had been the hardest day of my life, but having Sophia by my side had been a lifesaver.

“How is Grams holding up?” I asked. “Sophia and I visited her this morning, and she seemed to be okay. I know she’s keeping busy with everything, but Sophia thinks once the memorial is over, Grams will need us more than ever.”

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