Page 68 of Cold Foot Komodo

I’m here. Reed smiled, and stood to greet Sasha and Timber’s parents. That’s all he needed.I’m here.

He blew out a steadying breath and offered his hand to Dan for a shake.

Dan hesitated, looked at his wife, and then shook it. Gale wore a sour grimace on her face and refused to shake his hand, but that was fine.

“Drink?” he asked.

“Whiskey, top shelf, straight,” Gale said. She swung her gaze to Wreck. “Hello,Wreck Itall.”

Wreck’s smile wasn’t really a smile. It was a grimace with his teeth bared. “I’ll get the order in. Dan?” he gritted out.

“I’ll have whatever you boys are having,” he said somberly.

Wreck nodded and stood, made his way to the back door, and said something to the waitress inside.

“Where is my daughter?” Gale asked.

“You should know, she hasn’t been told you’re here. I set this up without her knowledge,” Reed explained. “She doesn’t have to know, either. There are some ground rules to this conversation.”

“Boy, you don’t make rules for me,” Gale ground out.

“Girl,” he said. “You can take the rules or leave them. No skin off my back either way, but you should know you have lostTimber. You’ve lost her. You don’t have that daughter anymore, and that isn’t anyone’s fault but your own.”

Wreck sat back down next to him.

“It’s his fault,” her mother spat out.

“Chhh,” Reed said, shaking his head with an empty laugh. This woman had no idea who she was talking to. Wreck was the monster of all monsters. God, he was glad Sasha and Timber hadn’t inherited her brains.

“Gale,” Dan murmured low in warning.

“Oh, you’re taking their side?”

“No,” he said simply. “I’m tired. Can’t you see I’m tired? Aren’t you tired? We’re blocked by both of our daughters and have no access to their lives. These are their men. Mates. Whatever you are,” he corrected, glancing at Reed and Wreck. “They asked us to be here, and this is the closest we’ve gotten to the girls. Stop talking, for once, and just…listen. Please.”

“This mate,” she spat, “made sure we weren’t even invited to our own daughter’s wedding.”

“Your daughter chose that,” Wreck spoke up. “Timber wanted a peaceful day full of love, and you haven’t known how to show love in a while, have you? You think she wanted to get married without her own parents there? I was there when the decision was made. I was there wiping her tears when she was finally done being called names and being manipulated. I’ve been there watching her thrive without you putting her down. All of this is on you. You can take accountability for your actions, or you can keep playing the blame-game and lose both of your daughters. You’re down one. I’m here for Reed. You should know that I do not care if Timber never talks to you again. It’s her decision. You want a chance at keeping Sasha? Do as Dan asked, and listen.”

Gale snatched the whiskey off the server’s tray, nearly toppling the other drinks, and downed it while the waitressrecaptured the balance of the other drinks with a yelp. Gale stood and told Dan, “Let’s go.” And then she stormed around the railing of the restaurant patio and marched toward the car. “Dan!” she yelled when Sasha’s father remained where he sat. “Now.”

Dan watched her for a few seconds more, and then turned back to Reed. “How is she?”

“She’s different.”

“Happy?” Dan guessed.

“Very,” Reed said honestly.

A small smile stretched Dan’s face.

“Dan, now!”

Dan turned toward Gale, and took a swig of beer. “You go on, Gale. I’m here for the girls.”

Gale’s face was bright red, and she turned with a huff and stormed to the car.

They all watched it, and Reed thought Timber was right. That woman wasn’t salvageable.

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