Page 155 of Guarded King

I catch my breath. “Why would I be?”

“Because it’s just been the two of us for so long.” He inhales deeply and lets it out again. “I hoped that since you seemed to be getting serious with your mysterious boyfriend, it wouldn’t be so much of a shock.”

My heart clenches. “Actually,” I hedge. “I’m not sure how that’s going to work out.”

Dad’s and Carol’s faces both fall.

“What happened, love?” he asks.

I can’t get into it right now. Not without falling apart. “It’s just one of those things. We have different priorities.”

“Does this have anything to do with your new job?”

There’s no hiding the way my breath catches.

Dad and Carol share a look, then Carol gives me a sympathetic smile.

“I’ll put on the kettle.”

While she goes to the kitchen, Dad shuffles over and pulls me in for a hug. “I saw the way you looked at each other. It wasn’t hard to guess who had you glowing.”

My eyes sting. “Are you angry?”

His brows shoot up. “No. Why would I be?”

“Because I got involved with my boss. Because I risked my job. I risked my ability to pay for your treatment.”

“Oh, love.” He lets out a heavy sigh and takes my hand, then guides me to the table. “It’s about time you started taking risks. It’s my fault you’ve been reluctant to do that before now.”

I shake my head, but he holds up his hand to stop me.

“It is. I relied on you when you were far too young for that burden. And I’ve been doing it ever since. It’s time for you to take risks, to spread your wings and soar. I want you to follow your dreams, whatever, orwhoever, that might be.”

Emotion tightens my throat. “How do you know if a risk is worth taking?”

His gaze goes unfocused for a moment before it flickers to Carol, who’s moving around the kitchen. “I would say that if there’s even a small chance of achieving true happiness, go after it. Life’s too short to let something so precious slip away.”

When he looks back at me, I can’t help but give him a shaky smile. Despite how painful my days are, it warms me to see such contentment in him.

“Does he make you happy?”

“Yes,” I breathe out. “But I’m not sure I do the same for him. At least… not enough.”

Dad frowns, his brows pulled low. “What do you mean?”

For a moment, I’m silent, collecting my thoughts and watching as Carol places a tray with three cups of tea down on the table and puts one in front of me, then sits next to Dad.

“Thank you.” I take a steadying sip, still unsure of how to verbalize all the emotions roiling inside me.

“Why do you think you don’t make him happy enough, sweetie?” Carol asks.

A vision of his expression when I sketched him flashes behind my eyes, and my heart aches. “Because our priorities aren’t the same. Love isn’t what he wants most out of life.”

Dad’s jaw firms. “If he’s not prepared to make you his priority, then he doesn’t deserve you.”

My eyes sting. I shouldn’t be surprised by his support, but I get choked up all the same.

“He has his reasons, and they’re good ones. I just don’t know if they’re compatible with mine.”

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