Page 138 of Love Without Control

She’s in there. Evie is actually in there.

All of a sudden, I felt nervous and placed a hand over my heart. The beat was hard—so hard it vibrated against my palm—but it was steady and sure.

“You okay, Dad? Do I need to call the doctor up here?”

I shook my head, still staring at that door, the only barrier between me and my daughter. And I was ready.

“No. I’m fine. Let’s go.”

The door swung open as if I’d willed it to happen. I think it was Auburn who pulled it open, but I couldn’t be sure because… there she was. Standing beside the couch, twisting her fingers together at her waist.

My Evie.

It was her. On the car ride over, I’d convinced myself I would find an imposter, but this was definitely my daughter. She looked different, no longer the eighteen-year-old who I’d last seen. Her hair was darker and shorter, but my own blue eyes reflected back at me from her pretty face.

“Daddy,” she said on a sob, and my goddamn feet began to move like I was an Olympic sprinter. And then she was in my arms.

All my broken pieces began to sew themselves back together as we held each other, my head on her shoulder and her face in my neck. We cried. A lot. And for a very long time.

Then I couldn’t help it anymore. I had to look at her. Pulling back, I cradled her face, her precious, precious face, in my hands and memorized every inch of it. “I love you,” I said, and I realized those were the first words I’d spoken to my daughter in seventeen years.

And they were the right ones because nothing was more important than love.

“I love you too, Dad.” That filled in the rest of the Evie hole in my soul, and I kissed every inch of my daughter’s face. Soft, gentle kisses of pain and longing and adoration. I’d dreamed of doing this for years. Showing my Evie how loved she was. How much I’d missed her spirit and her laugh in my life.

“Are you okay?”

“I am.” Her hands slid down my arms and grasped my own. “Let’s sit down so we can talk.”

I almost stumbled on my way to Auburn and Gianna’s red couch because I couldn’t stop looking at my little girl. Well, she was all grown up, but she’d always be my little girl. I was aware of sniffles and sobs from around the room, from Kassie and Gianna, but also from my sons.

“First of all, Dad. This is my husband, Dane Osbourne.” Cruz had informed me on the drive over that Evie was married, and I finally pulled my eyes away from her to look at the man who had come up beside her. He had dark hair with a splash of gray and a full, neatly trimmed beard. His eyes were dark brown and on my daughter, like he too wanted to make sure she was all right. I appreciated that about him.

“Dane, I’m Paul Bouvier.” I stuck out my hand, and he returned the gesture with a firm handshake, which I also appreciated. Then I swiped at my face, finding it soaked with tears. “I’m not usually such a mess.”

Our eyes met, and he nodded with a slight smile. “Completely understandable, sir.”

Everyone settled onto the comfortable furniture with Evie between me and her husband. I was still processing the fact that she was married.

Gianna squeezed my shoulder. My first daughter-in-law was always such a comforting spirit. “Paul, do you need something to drink?”

“No, thank you, sweetheart. I’d just like to hear what happened to my daughter.”

Evie leaned back against the couch cushions and blew a breath toward the ceiling. “It’s a bit of a messy story. And long too, so if anyone needs to use the bathroom, I suggest you do it now. Otherwise, you’ll mess up Auburn and Gianna’s pretty, and no doubt expensive, furniture.”

I couldn’t help my smile. That was the trademark Evie wit I’d missed so much. She always had a way about her that put others at ease with smiles and laughter.

“We’re fine,” Auburn said, and Evie glanced at Dane.

They seemed to share some kind of secret conversation before my daughter nodded at him and then said to the room, “Okay. Here we go.”

Chapter 47

Whewww,thisisgoingto be hard.

I shored up my resolve and began speaking to my family. “First of all, I want to tell you all that I love you, and I’ve missed you so much. I had to make a lot of choices.” Inhaling a breath, I pushed my tears away so I could continue. “Choices that ripped my heart out to make, but please know that I had my reasons.”

My father gripped my hand in his. I could see the effects of aging on his face and in the silver of his hair, but he was still so handsome. “It’s okay, baby. We’re here to listen, not to judge.”

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