Page 89 of Bad Girls Don't Marry Marines (Rock Canyon, Idaho 3)

Her smile was immediate. “Are you kidding? That wasn’t even close to a horrible decision. That was fun. You sent me away when I was sixteen because you held a grudge against a man for doing what he thought was right, but I let you keep me away. I married Cole for you and I was miserable, and when he spread all of those rumors about me, you never defended me. Who doesn’t protect their own child? Every decision any of us have ever made has either been for you or to spite you, and yet we’ve never been happy. You are toxic to us.”

Edward started to stand. “I would like to apologize for my daughter. As you can see, she’s a bit unstable.”

Laughter bubbled up out of Val’s throat, really not helping her case, but she couldn’t stop herself. “I’m crazy? I didn’t follow my grown daughter to a matchmaking festival to tell her that she needed to fall in line. I didn’t try to force her by threatening to cut off her little sister. I didn’t tell her boyfriend’s father that I was going to destroy his family’s life unless he convinced his son to break things off.”

“You are emotional and not thinking clearly—”

“And I don’t have a folder full of nasty dealings that I keep hidden. Because how would it look for the wonderful future Idaho state senator, Edward Willis, if people found out he was nothing but a fraud, a cheat, and an ass—”

“That is enough, Valerie!” Her father’s face had drained of color.

She had him.

“It is enough. The funny thing about all of this is, everything you did just proved to me what I’ve known for years: I’m not the broken one. You tried to destroy my relationship, but that man stood on my doorstep and said he didn’t care if he lost everything because I was more important. That he loved me and I was all he needed. And then it struck me: In my entire life, you have never put any of our wants or needs before your own.” Her voice cracked with another sob, despite her resolve to stay strong. Her father’s chest was rising and falling rapidly, and he reminded her of a cornered horse.

“You are the broken one. You know nothing about love or sacrifice or family, and I am done with this whole toxic merry-go-round. You can keep your good press, your big house, and your politics because I am done with all of it. I don’t need anything from you. I have my sisters and a man who loves me. I don’t need a single thing from you anymore. I found happiness in spite of you, and I won’t let you destroy it.”

“You little bitch,” he snarled. “You have been nothing but a thorn in my side since you were born.”

/> Her father started to round the table, but suddenly Kyle stood up, blocking his path.

“Get out of my way, Kyle,” her father growled.

“Sir, if you attack Valerie in front of us, you’ll have a dozen witnesses in the assault case. I can’t tell you how ill-advised that would be.”

Her father seemed to get his temper under control and hissed, “You leave this house right now and never come back.”

Val stuck her hands in her jacket and nodded. “With pleasure.”

As Val walked through the large entryway for the last time, a weight lifted from her shoulders.

You’re finally free.

JUSTIN WAS ON a tractor, turning soil in the south field, needing to keep his mind on anything but Valerie and where they stood. He had pretty much split his heart wide open for her, and now the choice was hers; she could live her life scared of what her father might do or be happy with him despite the consequences.

His cell phone went off against his thigh and he stopped the tractor, pulling it out of his pocket. “Hello?”

“Hey, bro, just so you know, there’s some crazy chick in a truck tearing across the field. I think it’s Val, but just in case—”

Justin twisted around in his seat, and sure enough, Val’s Chevy was bouncing over the dirt, kicking up a dust storm behind her.

“I see her.”

“Congratulations, bro,” Everett said as he hung up.

Justin pulled up the emergency brake as she brought the truck to a stop next to him.

She jumped out, her face a puffy mess, and yelled, “Justin Silverton, I have something to say to you!”

“Well, I figured you didn’t peel across my tilled earth to give me the silent treatment,” he said, grinning down at her.

She walked around the front of the truck and stood looking up at him. “Are you going to come down here or am I coming up?”

He climbed down the side of the tractor and dropped next to her. “Well? What’s got you all fired up?”

“You! You have pushed and prodded and made me want things I’d told myself I didn’t need.” She was breathing hard.

“Should I say I’m sorry or—”

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