Page 36 of A Chance for Us
I fight back another quip and tell him a small part of the truth. “Because she asked me to do something for someone she loves. Plus, I get to be the hero of the family.”
He shrugs with a chuckle. “I’m sure it doesn’t hurt that she’s pretty.”
“She’s more than that.”
“Oh?” Josh asks with a smirk. “Do I detect feelings?”
“Don’t be a fucking idiot—if that’s possible.”
“You know, I remember you and Alex giving me loads of shit when it came to Delia,” Josh reminds me. “You were spouting off about feelings and when something’s right. I’m not saying that it’s fate or whatever, but it’s something.”
My brother is making zero sense. “What’s something?”
“The way you look at her.”
I don’t look at her in any way. “I look at her the same way I look at you.”
At that, my brother lets out a loud laugh. “If you say so.”
A headache is starting to brew. I move my fingers to my temple and start to massage it. “I can’t get into this.”
Josh slaps me on the back and then gets up. “I’m just saying that you’re the only one of us who wanted to be married and live the family life. You thought you’d marry that girl in high school. Then you wanted to marry Devney. Now, you’re getting everything you asked for, so maybe it’s everything you want too.”
“My God, Delia has made you soft. Where’s my brother who was all . . . fuck love? Bring that guy back. At least he still had his balls.”
“And there is the Oliver I know”—Josh tosses back—“always ready to cast shit off as a joke when it feels a bit too real.”
I flip him off, and he returns the sentiment before walking away.
Everything I want. What the hell does he know about what I want? I want a girl who fucking loves me. Loves me like Jess loves Gray or Delia loves him. That’s what matters. That’s the real thing. I’ve been searching for that.
“You look lost, son,” Patrick says in a raspy voice as he comes to a stop in front of me.
“Not lost, just . . . siblings.”
He chuckles low. “I have five of those, I know your pain. May I sit?”
“Of course.” I move over, allowing him more room.
As he takes the place Josh vacated, he lets out a long sigh. “It’s hard to get around some days,” Patrick admits. “Other days, I can’t get around at all, but thankfully, that’s not today.”
I nod, not sure what to say.
“I’m sure you’re wondering why I asked to speak with you.”
“Not really. I figured we would have one of these talks,” I say with a grin.
“Yes, I guess that’s true. Fathers and their daughters. A child is a wonderful gift a man can receive. Of course, when my wife was pregnant with Maren, I wished for a boy. Not sure why, but it was more of what I thought should happen. When we had her, I realized how nothing happens that shouldn’t.” He grins and pats my leg. “She’s the best thing in this world, and knowing that you’ll be here to care for her when I’m gone, well, it’s everything to me.”
Shit. I may have been expecting this conversation, but I wasn’t expecting the emotions that came with it. I clear my throat and look away.
Patrick continues. “I’m dying, and that’s a hard thing—mostly because I see the fear and sadness in the people I love. I hear Linda cry when she thinks I’m asleep, and Maren, well, she’s good at hiding things, but I can see it in her eyes. I don’t think there’s anything that girl wouldn’t do for me.”
He has no freaking idea. “I think you’re right about that.”
“I want to tell you, man-to-man, that I will never be able to express how much this means to me. All of what you’re doing, it’s . . .”
“What?” I ask for clarification.
