Page 115 of Silent Partner (Pine Falls 3)

Brant kept shooting me furtive glances, as if begging me not to give up on him after this. I was in it for the long haul, but wow was all I could say. We should probably sell the story rights to Miles. It was right out of one of his thrillers.

Dani kept me steady by squeezing my hand. With her by my side, I felt as if I could endure whatever would come our way.

John loosened his navy blue tie and took a moment to compose himself before he continued. He leaned against the bare mantel. I imagined there were pictures on it not long ago.

John pointedly looked at each and every one of us before his eyes landed on his sweet wife. It was then he lost his air of bravery. His eyes watered and his limbs shook. “I know I have no right to ask any of you to stand by my side through this. I can’t say enough how sorry I am for the pain I have caused each of you. Especially you, my darling,” he spoke to Sheridan so sentimentally.

For a moment, I saw the young man who’d sat at the café Sheridan had waitressed at. A nervous energy encompassed him, as if he were working up the courage to ask her out for the first time. Such love and adoration lived in John’s eyes.

Sheridan met his gaze. In her eyes there swirled a great conflict, yet there was love and even longing. That much was apparent.

“If I could go back in time, I would,” he begged Sheridan to believe him. “I would have faced the music long ago to make sure I never missed a dance with you, my love.”

A smidge of a smile ticked up on Sheridan’s face, while tears streamed down her cheeks.

Next, John addressed Brock and Brant. “Sons, you are damn fine men. Better than your old man. Thank you for showing me the way. Promise me, no matter the outcome, you will watch over your mother.”

Brant and Brock both nodded and squeezed their mother’s hands.

John next set his sights on Dani. “I don’t know where to begin with you,” he said humbly. “Dani, your unconquerable spirit helped lead me here today. You once told me the way to beat bullies is to stop playing their game. That I needed to lose to win my family. That my choice was between having nothing or everything. I was a fool and for a while chose nothing, but your words haunted me. I want you to know that I’m willing to lose anything and everything to win you and my family over,” his voice wavered with emotion. “I will always regret that I coerced and threatened you. I hope one day you will be able to forgive me. For now, I want to thank you for being the best wife and mother my son and grandchildren could ask for. My grandchildren are lucky to call you mom.”

Dani shifted uncomfortably and wiped at her eyes. She wasn’t ready to give in to John yet, but he’d struck a chord with her, that much was sure.

Personally, I had to admire her. Her courage in standing up to John. Her wise words. She was my hero.

Surprisingly, John turned toward me.

I blinked a few times, not knowing what he would possibly have to say to me. I wasn’t part of his family. I was more like an emotional support animal.

“Kinsley,” he said my name as a whisper. “What you must think of all of this, I can only imagine. The fact that you haven’t run out screaming says how you feel about my son. He’s a lucky man.”

I caught a glimpse of Brant, who winked at me before I focused back on John. John was right—this was enough to make anyone run out of the room screaming. He was also correct, that it was my feelings for Brant that had me firmly planted in my seat. I loved him.

John was now scrubbing a hand over his face. “I hope you don’t mind me saying, but please forgive my son. Forgive Dani,” his voice broke. “If you need to blame someone, blame me. I kept my son and the truth from you. He chose much better for himself than I ever could have.”

My eyes swelled with tears.

“Take it from me,” he added, “sometimes we have to lose to win.”

Those were powerful words that pricked me to the center of my being. I thought about what I had to lose. My pride. My hurt. Then I looked around the room at all I had to win. My wet eyes landed on Brant. He mouthed, “I love you.”

I vowed then not to let fear and pride blind me like it had the man in front of me. I was going to be a loser.

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