Page 60 of Dare to Need

As I finally fell asleep, wrapped in the arms of the man I loved, I dreamt of all the things we might do and the dreams we would build together.

ChapterTwenty-Five

GARTH

Asheen of sweat collected on the inside of my palms as I walked down the hallway to my parents’ hotel room. I couldn’t remember the last time I was this nervous. Last night I’d finally decided to talk to them about my decision to withdraw from the position in my father’s company. Ever since then, an all-consuming worry they would be disappointed in me gripped my chest like a vise.

But I knew, in my heart, this was the right decision. Not only for me but for the future I wanted to share with Eva. The person I had become in the few short days of taking over my father’s position was not a version of myself I ever wanted to pursue again. I’d risked losing the only woman I’d ever loved and even worse, I’d risked losing myself.

Running my palms against the sides of my jeans, I stamped out the worry that had clawed at my mind all morning and knocked on the door.

In just a few moments, my mother opened the door and it was a major relief to see the light back in her eyes and that the dark hues of blue and purple just above her cheekbones had finally dissipated. She looked like her normal self and in a way, it made me even more nervous that she’d be disappointed in me. For a moment, it felt like the past few weeks hadn’t happened and everything had gone back to the way it was before.

“Good morning, darling. Come on in.” My mother ushered me inside with a warm smile and even warmer embrace as she welcomed me with open arms.

“Hi, mom,” I said with a long sigh, her delicate frame still felt smaller than normal. A toll that had been paid while she waited anxiously for my father to heal.

As she guided me through the room, I inhaled the familiar scent of warm vanilla and honey. It reminded me of home and the early years of my life spent baking every weekend with her and Garrett. The comforting memories helped to ease the tension knotting in my shoulders, but not by much.

Their room was the same setup as the one Eva and I shared with the California-king-sized bed right at the entrance and the breakfast table nestled just in front of the balcony. My heart lifted as I looked over the top of my mother’s head and found my father seated at the table with a serene look on his face as he gently sipped on what looked to be hot tea.

The view of him looking more peaceful than I’d ever seen made me stop in my tracks. Even during my childhood years when we would spend time walking on our large property with my grandfather, my father’s steps were always quick. As though he was afraid of staying in one place too long. Now, with one leg propped up over the other, he was so still as he looked out through the open French doors leading to the balcony. A blue, cloudless sky lighting the horizon.

When my mother pulled out the chair next to him and sat down, I was finally brought out of my wonderment and closed the gap to the table, taking a seat opposite my father.

“Hi, dad.” The words felt clunky in my mouth as I continued to gawk at the new man in front of me. His skin had finally taken on the full extent of dark olive, no longer looking pale and gray. Plump cheeks perked up when he smiled at me, a grin so wide it showed almost all of his pearl-white teeth.

“Hi, son. It’s good to see you this morning.” His gaze flickered over to my mother and he shot her a wink before placing his large hand over hers.

“It’s good to see you as well. You look…” My words trailed off. It still felt surreal to have a conversation with him without us shouting at one another. “Good,” I finally managed to say. “Really good.”

“The doctor said he has made an excellent recovery and that as long as he continues to eat healthily and exercise when he’s approved to do so, he should make a full recovery.” My mother’s voice cracked and I knew she must have been feeling an overwhelming degree of relief. The pain I’d felt when I heard he was sick sent me into a spiral, so I knew that she must have been reeling on the inside this entire time.

“That’s really good news, dad. I see you’ve already switched out the coffee for some tea.” I tilted my chin toward his coffee cup.

He shrugged his shoulders. “Yeah, you’re mom has hit the ground running in making sure I adhere to everything the doctors told me to do. The list of things I can eat now has been whittled down to celery and carrots, but after spending a good two weeks chained to that hospital bed, I’m down to do anything to keep my ticker ticking.”

My mother patted the top of his hand with hers before turning to look at me. “He’s actually been doing great with the dietary changes. He hasn’t complained once.”

“I don’t see any sense in complaining about something I can no longer control. If my life depends on eating healthier, then I’ll do just that.”

I was always amazed at how my dad and mom were able to make decisions and follow through without any complaint or disbelief in their abilities to do it. Almost every step I took in life required careful thought and a well-crafted plan to ease the anxiety of failure. I guessed it was their upbringing that gave them such fearless tenacity. For the first half of their lives, they had nothing to lose, so there was really no risk in trying something and having it not work out.

Seeing how well my father looked, I was glad that trait transferred over to his health decisions as well.

“Good for you, dad. I’m really glad that you’re doing better. Any word on when you two will be headed back home?” I was stalling and we all knew it, but the longer I could put off talking to them about withdrawing my offer to take over his position, the better.

“We’re going to settle in here for a few days and get some more rest, then we will take the jet back to Florida this weekend,” my mother answered.

“Eva and I will probably join you then if that’s okay.”

“Of course, darling. You two are always welcome.”

“It’s your plane too, son.”

I gave them both a wobbly smile at my father’s words. Damn, I needed to get my shit together. I was acting like a schoolboy who got into trouble for the very first time. These were my parents, not the school teacher with a ruler in her hand.

“What’s on your mind, son? I can see you have something you want to say.”

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