Page 87 of All Too Well
I sigh and take a seat on the couch. “Because I really didn’t think it was a big deal. You and I haven’t really spoken since I told you that I was coming here for work.”
We don’t talk about anything by choice. I love my daddy. I really do, even though he’s very difficult to love.
“You don’t tell me anything, Ainsley. You or your brother.”
I want to ask him why he thinks that is or why he feels that it’s his business, but my father doesn’t believe in faults. Asking him to even consider that he has any is not in his range of possibilities.
Still, he demands honesty. It’s what I constantly combat in this relationship. Telling him the truth and how I feel or lying to soothe his fragile ego.
“We don’t tell you things because you’re often disappointed in us. You drove at ten o’clock at night to come here to what? Scold me?”
He straightens his back. “I came to make sure my only daughter was okay.”
“Daddy, be honest for a second. Do you think Lachlan would ever hurt me?”
“Of course not.”
I raise one brow. “Well, then why did you really come here?”
“I . . . I don’t know.”
The way his shoulders drop makes me sort of feel bad for him. “For twenty-six years you took care of countless men and women. Your whole life was about making sure people were safe and came home to their families. I can’t imagine it’s easy to let that go.”
I can truly empathize with him. He always believed he’d done the right thing, the noble thing. He thought if he worked hard, gave us a life that he could be proud of, that when he retired, it would all pay off.
Instead, we were grown up, my brother can’t stand him, and my mother left.
“No, it’s not.” He looks around. “Where is Lachlan?”
“He had a fire call. Rose is staying with her friend tonight.”
He nods slowly, and then his blue eyes meet mine. “All I’ve ever wanted was for you to be honest with me.”
“And also for us to do what you want.”
The Admiral chuckles but at least looks chagrined. “That too.”
“Well, that’s not going to happen all the time,” I say with a soft smile.
Sometimes I get to see the soft, insecure man that’s under all that gruffness.
His sigh is heavy, as though he’s letting out a lifetime of worries.
Just then the door opens and Lachlan enters. However, he doesn’t exactly look surprised at seeing my father’s car. I’m really hoping my brother gave him the same heads-up. He nods once, staring at my father. “Admiral.”
“Lachlan,” Dad says and walks over to take his hand. “Everything okay with the fire?”
“Yes, sir. Thankfully the sprinkler system did its job, so we didn’t have a real tragedy.”
I mouth to him: “Sorry!”
He gives me a wink and then looks back at my dad. “Is everything all right here? I didn’t know you were coming by.”
My dad shakes his head. “Surprise inspection to check in on Ainsley.”
Always the Admiral.
God only knows what my stupid, drunk brother said to make him drive here. I tried to get the whole story, but he just kept telling me that he was going to date a bartender so he had beer all the time.
