Page 30 of Worth the Wait

“I’ll do whatever you want, but honestly”—she paused before giving me a shrug—“I kind of want to meet him.”

“You do?” I asked through my shock.

“Hell yes. You can’t get over this guy, and I want to see why,” she said, sticking out her tongue in the process.

“Maybe you should stay here instead.” I made a face, and she laughed.

“Not a chance. If I’ve learned anything about my older sister these past few years, it’s that you’re obsessed with three things. Cooking,” she said, putting up one finger before adding a second. “Your ex-boyfriend.” She put up a third finger. “And Sugar Mountain.”

I wanted to argue.

“I’ve already seen you cook. Can’t wait to see the other two.” She kept grinning. “You going to book the flights, or would you like me to handle it?”

“No. I’ve got it. I’ll send you the details. I need to call out at the restaurant,” I said, my mind overwhelmed with all the things I needed to get done in order to make this last-minute trip happen.

“Don’t forget to tell Mom,” she added, and I groaned out loud.

“She’s in the kitchen. I’ll go let her know.”

“Want me to do it?”

Sarina had a way of talking to our mother that didn’t incite her temper. Unlike me. Everything I said always seemed to either disappoint her or make her angry.

“No. This is about Dad. I don’t really care how she feels about it,” I said defensively.

Sarina laughed like she didn’t believe me, and I wasn’t sure I believed myself either. I hated disappointing people, even when they deserved it.

I walked out of her room, closed the door behind me, and sucked in a steadying breath. My mother was still sitting in the kitchen, one leg crossed over the other as she sipped on her coffee and browsed through a magazine.

“Addison, why were you rushing around?”

“Dad’s in the hospital. Sarina and I are going to go home and see him,” I said, the words spilling out of my mouth in a rush.

“You’re taking Sarina to Sugar Mountain?” She looked at me with disbelief.

Of course that was the only thing she had taken from what I just said.

“She wants to go.” My tone was a little too defensive.

My mother laughed like I amused her. “She’s going to absolutely hate that tiny town. How long will you two be gone?”

“A few days.”

“Don’t distract your sister from her obligations, Addison. And don’t forget yours either.”

I hurried toward my bedroom and away from her venom. I had enough on my mind without adding her negativity to it.

ALWAYS BE FAMILY

PATRICK

Iwas already tossing my work gloves into my toolbox when I heard my brother’s voice shouting for me in a panic. I really needed to get out of here and over to the hospital. Addi had sounded so distressed and worried. Her emotions had spilled over the phone and mixed with my own.

The first year after she’d left town, I still visited her dad a lot. Part of it was out of habit, but most of it was because I just plain loved the guy, and he still felt like family, regardless of whether or not his daughter and I were together.

“Patrick?” Thomas’s voice echoed throughout the barn.

“Back here,” I shouted as I headed out to see what he needed.

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