Page 108 of Payoff Pitch

He blows out a breath. “Let’s move past the Mommy-bashing. You two hadn’t seen her in ten years.”

Kam waves her hand. “It’s fine. She and I had a little graveside chat. I said everything I needed to say to her. First time she listened to me her whole life.”

Kam stayed behind at the grave. I could see her yelling andscreaming at our freshly buried mother. It was hard to watch. Tanner pulled me away, and Cheetah dealt with Kam that day.

We sit and begin eating before Dad clears his throat. “Listen, girls, I want to talk to you about something. I’ve wanted to talk to you about it for a long time. There were a few things about your mother you never knew. Before you jump down my throat, I amnotcondoning her behavior. She was a shitty mother, plain and simple.”

Kam and I look at each other. He’s never admitted that to us.

He continues. “She was sick. She suffered from mental illness, depression, abuse of pain meds, and alcoholism. The booze only made her depression worse. It was a vicious cycle with no end. She wasn’t the woman I knew when we were kids. The one I fell for. Her diseases and demons overtook her until she was unrecognizable, even to me.”

Kam grabs his hand. “Why didn’t you leave her, Daddy? You could have found someone else. You could have had more kids.”

He briefly closes his eyes. When he reopens them, I see they’re filled with tears. “I did find someone else. After you girls left for college, I started seeing someone. Your mother knew about this person. I stayed with your mom as a caretaker, not a husband. I’ve been with a wonderful companion for about ten years now.” He swallows. “I hope you don’t think less of me.”

Tears spill down my cheeks as Kam and I silently communicate. I know she’s thinking the same thing I am. “We would never think less of you. Honestly, we’re relieved. We want you to be happy. You deserve a woman who can give you that.”

“That’s the thing. It’s not a…woman.”

Kam’s face lights up. “You’re into men?”

He nods.

“I’m a chip off the old block. Best day ever. Let your freak flag fly, Daddy. I’m with you.”

He shakes his head at her and then looks at me for a response. I admit, “It actually makes a lot of sense. If you found someone who you love and you’re happy, I personally don’t care if it’s aman, woman, or anything else. But, Daddy, why after all this time? How long have you known?”

My heart breaks for him that he’s been in the closet all these years.

“I grew up in a different era. I think I always knew but didn’t always accept it. Your mother was beautiful back in the day. You girls look so much like her.”

Kam scrunches her face. “Ugh. She looked like a saddlebag with eyes.”

“The years of alcohol abuse took their toll on her. You know full well that when she was younger, she was stunning like you two.”

Kam rolls her eyes. She knows he’s right.

“We were high school sweethearts. She followed me to college. I experimented a bit while there but always maintained a relationship with her. When she fell pregnant with you two, I did the right thing. I married her. I don’t regret any of it because it gave me the two most precious gems in the world, but when you two left for college, I decided that I would no longer hide myself. That’s when I met Ray. I spend most of my free time with him, but I couldn’t leave your mother to fend for herself. She had no other family, and I couldn’t afford a hospital. I took care of her and spent time with Ray. He’s been understanding, but now I’m going to officially move in with him. I’m selling the house. The bags I brought are a lot of our belongings and some of your awards and trophies from over the years. Take what you want and do as you please with the rest. Ray’s house is beautiful. I don’t need to bring anything but my clothes.”

Kam wiggles her eyebrows. “Is he hot? Can we see pictures? When can we meet him? I need to meet the man who makes my father happy. Maybe a little interrogation too. I need to make sure his intentions are honorable.”

Dad sighs. “Perhaps I’ll bring him with me on my next visit, or perhaps you two will actually come home now that…things are different.”

I stand and wrap my arms around him. “I’m so happy for you. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Kam hugs him too and loudly whispers in his ear, “Want to get matching rainbow flag tattoos?”

Dad simply shakes his head at her like he did a million times when we were growing up.

TANNER

Bailey’s father is in town and, without thinking it through, I invited her to bring him over for dinner. She loves to cook in my gourmet kitchen and was excited to do so for him. She was equally excited to introduce him to Harper.

I suppose I knew he had her when he was young, but I didn’t think about it until I met him. Chris Hart is only a few years older than me. Bailey and Kamryn look like him, with dark brown hair and big brown eyes, though Bailey has mentioned resembling their mother when she was much younger. His hair is graying similarly to mine. He’s a good-looking guy with an athletic build like the girls, though I think living a tougher life has worn on him a bit more than usual.

After seeing her childhood home and from some things Bailey has said in the past, I know they grew up with more limited means. I wanted to provide them with a great meal but didn’t want to insult him by paying for dinner at a fancy restaurant. I went all out in my grocery shopping though, hoping that was more palatable. And Bailey loves to cook here.

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