Page 48 of One Golden Ring
And there’s a selfish side of me that keeps whispering to me to just keep her home anyway. I know I can’t—it’s not right to take away an opportunity like this for her. But it’s felt so good having my daughter back that I really don’t want to let her go again.
Of course once she learns what’s really going on here she’ll probably want to be as far away from me as possible.
I’m also aching because all day long I’ve been feeling more and more like Darcy is really my fiancée. People I’ve known since I was a kid kept stopping to congratulate us, and every single time it just felt…right.
And that’s a feeling I can’t afford to get used to.
“Here we are,” J.B. sings out as we take the last curve and sail up the drive to the lodge.
“We’re fine from here,” Grandpa Michael says. “No need to get out. J.B. will help me in.”
That’s not going to happen.
I hop out of the SUV and help him down. Then J.B. takes his other arm and the three of us head up the steps together in the gently falling snow.
“This was a special day,” he tells me, turning to cup my cheek in his hand when we reach the door.
“For me too,” I tell him, meaning it.
“It’s not over yet,” J.B. says. “We’re going to watch a movie and eat room service in bed.”
“She’s a bottomless pit,” Grandpa Michael says approvingly.
I watch them head inside where guests in the lobby call out his name and raise their mugs of cocoa to him like the conquering hero he is.
This place is so solid and good. I didn’t realize how much I missed it.
I head back to the car. Darcy has buckled herself in up front.
“Ready for the Host of Angels?” I ask.
“I had another idea,” she tells me.
“Let’s hear it,” I say, glad to see her speaking her mind, even if it’s just about what she prefers to do on a pretend date night.
“I love the idea of the concert and sing-along,” she tells me. “But I think J.B. was excited about the tree. What do you think about stopping at that little tree lot and grabbing one to set up at the cabin for her?”
“That’s perfect,” I tell her, feeling moved. “Thank you for thinking about her.”
“You don’t have to thank me for that,” she says, smiling. “J.B. is an incredible kid.”
“You two have been in touch more than I realized,” I venture.
She doesn’t answer right away, and I steal a glance at her.
“I hope you don’t mind,” she says, like she’s worried I do. “I just… I remember how lonely I was when Mandy went off to college. I figured she might like a little extra company, even if it’s just an email here and there to let her know someone is thinking about her.”
“That was very kind of you,” I tell her. “I’m glad she has someone to confide in. Apparently telling your dad about stuff stops being cool as soon as you become a teenager.”
“She doesn’t really say much to me either,” Darcy tells me quickly. “But she almost always writes me back at least a little, so I figure she likes getting the messages.”
“I’m surprised she’s not talking about school a lot more,” I admit out loud. “This place was such a big deal for her.”
“She likes her classes a lot,” Darcy tells me right away. “I mean, I’m sure you know that much. But I think it might be hard for her to share a dorm room. You know how she likes her privacy. And she definitely misses you.”
“I miss her too,” I tell Darcy.
She could probably never guess how lonely I am. People tend to think that if you have money you’re happy and you can always have everything you need.
