Page 127 of Between Never and Forever

“Kee, that’s a large accusation. You can’t possibly believe that.” He huffed, trying again to make me feel guilt and shame for speaking his discretions out into the world.

This time, I threw it back at him though. “What else should I believe? Are you claiming you raised me to be that naïve?”

I saw the moment he realized I wasn’t backing down. His shoulders slumped, his eyes turned down. “I’ve only been trying to help.” The man shrank before me. He looked older, more tired, and like life hadn’t given him much of a break.

But I had. I’d tried to give him everything for so long. And knowing he would take from a man who’d done nothing lately but comfort me shined light on the fact that he was troubled, that he had a problem. “You’re not helping by taking money again and again, Dad. And it’s been millions. I’ve calculated what you’ve lost to what? Bets? Loans?”

His mouth opened and closed a few times, emotions shuttering across his face. “You don’t understand. I lost my job. I was trying to make enough to help your mother.”

“We had enough with just what I made.” I looked away, hating that I saw hurt in his eyes.

“You’re not grateful.” He voice broke.

“Grateful?” I frowned at him and tried to control the anger building in me. “How can you even be focused on that right now when I just told you that millions have been lost?”

He searched my eyes again. Moments of silence passed between us before he finally whispered, “It’s all I know how to do.”

It wasn’t a sorry but it was an admission.

And that was a start.

A tear in my eye escaped as he said it. “No, it’s not, Dad. You just need help. You can do something else.”

He nodded over and over. “I don’t know how to leave her and get help.”

“We’ll find a way,” I told him, and then I pulled him in for a hug. We’d all find a way together because family didn’t leave family behind.

“He told me that too, you know?” my father said gruffly against my head and then pulled back to explain, “Dex offered to help with the gambling and finances. That’s what I was going to say. I want to get well. I want to make things right.”

I choked out a laugh that turned to a sort of cry. “I might really actually marry him, Dad.”

“As you should. He loves the hell out of you, I can tell. He sounds like me when I met your mom. And you love the boy, don’t you?”

“Yes.” I nodded.

“Then, let’s go to the house when you’re ready.”

“Just me and you. I don’t want to upset her.”

“Yeah, just me and you, kid. I’ll be ready when you are.”

He left me standing there with every nerve-racking thought flowing through my body. I turned back to the ring on the counter. I went over to it and slid it on. It fit perfectly.

Like this was meant to be, forever and ever.

ChapterForty

KEELANI

Olive and Pinkcame by the suite after my father left to help with makeup and getting dressed, but my nerves couldn’t be settled even as they told me everything would be just fine.

“She barely recognizes anyone anymore. It was fifty-fifty a year ago when I would see her that she’d recall who I was without having an anxiety attack. She remembers me as a kid, not as who I am now.”

“Well, maybe you’ll get the good fifty percent this time,” Olive threw out there.

“I know I won’t.” Not everything could go right today.

“Even if you don’t, don’t you want to try?” Olive asked softly. My friend knew that my heart yearned for this, that I’d wanted it for a whole year.