Page 48 of Mine For The Winter

“He’s not charging interest.”

Kelly blinked. “Why wouldn’t he charge interest?”

“He wanted to help. I think he wanted to give me the money but I couldn’t take it, Kel. I have some pride. We agreed to a loan. On favorable terms. He owns the title until I pay him back. Like putting a ring in a pawn shop or something.”

“This place isn’t a ring,” Kelly said. “And you have to pay more to get something out of a pawn shop. That’s how they make their money. Why wouldn’t Kris charge you interest?”

“Maybe it was for old time’s sake. I don’t know.” Her dad shrugged but there was no nonchalance in it. No bravado either. He looked as defeated as she felt.

“How much do you owe him?”

He swallowed. “A hundred thousand.”

The wind escaped from her lungs. This time she really did feel sick. “A hundred thousand dollars,” she repeated. “How did you ever think you were going to repay it?”

Her dad looked down at the floor. “I’m not smart like you. Maybe I didn’t think it through. I just did what it took to keep this place going.” He blew out a mouthful of air. “Kris and you were always friends. I thought it would be okay.”

“So why didn’t you tell me?” She tried to keep the hurt from her voice. But that’s what she really wanted to know. If he thought it was okay to keep her in the dark.

“Because I didn’t want to be another man who’s let you down.” He’d muttered it, still looking away, and it just about broke her. She inhaled raggedly, a sob catching in her throat.

“You’ve never let me down,” she whispered. “You’ve always been there.”

He was the one man she’d always known she could rely on. The one person, maybe, apart from Amber. He’d stayed steadfast when her mom had died, then took care of her when Lyle left her and Cole high and dry.

Sure, in recent years their roles had reversed, but she’d fight wars for her dad. Do whatever it took to protect him.

The same way he’d do for you.

“I wish you’d told me. I could have helped.” She leaned on the counter. It hurt that he’d kept her out of the loop. It was so frustrating. She could have donesomethingto change things. She knew that. Anything but this.

“What could you have done? The bank wouldn’t listen, nobody would. Then Kris called me and told me he would help as long as I didn’t tell you.”

“He said that? Not to tell me?”

“I think he didn’t want to worry you. The same as me.”

Or he knew she would have refused his help. And then they would have lost the tavern and her dad’s heart would have been broken.

Maybe hers would have, too. If an already broken heart could snap into pieces again.

She was so used to pushing her emotions down she didn’t know what to do with the cocktail of them swirling inside her. Disappointment, fear, anger. And yeah, there was gratitude, too. Because Kris had done something she couldn’t.

He’d saved the thing her father loved the most.

They were staring at each other again. Her dad looked old. Upset. She needed to find a way to make this better but she couldn’t.

“We lost.”

She’d been so busy concentrating on her dad that she didn’t hear Cole come in. Taking a deep breath to center herself, she turned to her son, her face warm with compassion.

“I’m so sorry, honey.”

Cole gave her a tight smile. “It’s okay. Kris says he’ll come again. I’m gonna play so hard that we win next time.”

“I know you will.” She stroked his hair softly, and he didn’t flinch away. He had to be feeling down. “You want something to drink?”

“Can I have a soda?” Cole asked, hope lifting his voice.

---