Page 94 of Bad Girls Don't Marry Marines (Rock Canyon, Idaho 3)

“Because I’m the oldest. It’s my job to know things.”

JUSTIN SAT BESIDE Edward Willis’s bed, waiting for the old man to wake up. It was the first time he’d ever seen any kind of vulnerability on the bastard’s face.

He’d told the girls he’d stay while they went home to shower and change. It had been three days, but Edward still wouldn’t see Val, and when Caroline had stormed the room, Edward had become so agitated, she’d been asked to leave.

Justin could tell how her father refusing to see her was eating at Val. No matter what she’d said to Edward, no matter how she’d tried to distance herself, it didn’t stop her from loving and worrying about the undeserving man.

Thank God for Caroline, who was just as shunned as Val, though, unlike Val, she’d laughed it off.

“The old fart just doesn’t like to be told when he’s being a tool.”

Justin smiled, remembering it. Caroline’s presence was good for Val in that it reminded her that she wasn’t the only one with issues. She’d just finally taken her life in her hands.

Suddenly, a pair of steely dark eyes were staring out at him from Edward’s pale face.

“What are you doing here?” he croaked.

“Would you like some water?” Justin asked, reaching for a plastic cup with a straw.

Edward continued to stare at him mutinously.

With a heavy sigh, Justin sat forward, his elbows resting on his knees as he met Edward’s furious gaze. “I know you’ve never liked me. For whatever reason, whatever grudge or idea you’re holding onto, I can forgive you that. It doesn’t matter if you like me or I like you.”

The man in the bed kept quiet, and Justin continued. “What does matter is that I love your daughter, sir, and you’re causing her pain. What matters is, I’ve asked her to marry me, to spend the rest of her life with me, and I think she’s hesitating because of you. You still have some kind of hold over her, which

is what you like: control.” Justin paused. “But don’t you think she deserves to be happy? To have someone in her life who puts her happiness first? I’m not saying I’m perfect, but I can tell you that she will never be less than perfect in my eyes because that is how she is to me. Perfect. And perfect for me.”

Justin stood up and concluded his speech. “I know I’m not the man you wanted for her. You wanted someone who would keep her in style and be able to back your political plays. But with me, she will never want for anything. I just think maybe you should look at the way your life is headed and reconsider your choices. I doubt your doctor will clear you for the stress of politics, but you have three daughters who are all here, supporting you. Yet you only speak to one. My mother taught me that love was the most important thing in life because without it, we’re just empty shells waiting to die.”

Edward snorted, but Justin saw that his words had affected him.

“It’s not too late for you to fix things with your daughters, sir.”

With that last bit of wisdom, he left the room, bumping into the Willis sisters returning from home, freshly showered and looking a little less weary, in the hallway.

“Hey, is he still sleeping?” Val stood up on her tiptoes and waited for him to kiss her.

“Yeah, he was out the whole time,” he said, ignoring the teasing catcalls from her sisters as he kissed her. If Edward decided to man up, he didn’t want Val to think it was because of something he’d said. “I’m going to head home and shower. My dad and brother probably have forgotten what I look like.”

“Well, thank you for being here.”

“I’ll always be here when you need me.”

THE DAY OF her father’s release from the hospital, Val stayed home, not seeing the point in torturing herself. It had been six days since his heart attack and he hadn’t asked for her once. She’d simply sat out in the waiting room, sometimes with Ellie or Justin.

Caroline had barged in again the day before and ripped into him before getting thrown out by the nurses. Again. Val had actually thought her sister might just get through to him; they were both ballbusting stubborn.

Val understood her frustrations but was personally done trying so hard.

Gus followed behind her as she cleaned up the house, deep in thought. The last month and a half seemed unbelievable, and yet she had never been happier than with Justin. She loved him and he wanted to spend his life with her. Why was she hesitating?

Maybe because when Cole had asked her, they had only been dating for three months and were married six months later.

But you never loved Cole, were never sure about him. Aren’t you sure about Justin?

She wanted to be, lord how she wanted to be, but the logical side of her brain was still unsure about marriage and love. Did it really last or did people get stuck together?

A hard knock on the door brought her up short and she went to answer it, finding Caroline standing on her porch, smiling grimly.

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