Page 52 of The Love Ambush (The Sullivans #1)

An emotion I can’t name flitters across his face before he smiles warmly.

“You’re right, kiddo. I don’t like it, but I’ll do whatever it takes to make up for the years I’ve lost with Sophie, Emily, and you.

I know you don’t love the idea, but selling this house is the best way to do it.

It’ll give us a nice nest egg, and I can start paying off that child support bill. ”

I study his face, wanting so badly to believe him. For Emily and Sophie’s sakes, but for mine, too. Maybe he is doing his best. If he is, I have to give him the benefit of the doubt.

I just can’t turn off my brain. “Even if you downsize,” I say.

“It might be hard to find a place cheap enough for you to make any money once you factor in the real estate agent’s fees and moving costs.

It makes more sense to stay here, where the house is already paid for and you won’t have rent or a mortgage payment to deal with.

I don’t understand the urgency to sell this place. ”

Dad’s expression eases slowly into a weary frown. “It’s the memories in this house, kiddo. That’s why I can’t stay here. Your mother broke my heart in this very kitchen.”

My head spins with this new information. Mom broke his heart? Hard to believe when she was the one who moped for months after he left. And I still feel, down to my very bones, that letting him sell this house is a mistake.

But if he’s still determined to do it after everything we’ve tried to do to stop him, I don’t have any options left but to minimize the fallout for my sisters. “Okay, Dad. If that’s what you want. I’ll help you.”

He grins, leaps to his feet, pulls me out of my chair, and hugs me tight. “That’s my girl. I’m so glad I came home again.”

“Me too, Dad,” I say, but it feels like a lie.

Patting his back, I step out of the hug. “I’m going to head up to my room and read for a bit.”

Dad nods, distracted as he sits and starts looking through the paperwork Daisy left. What was Levi thinking sending Daisy here like this? If they push too hard, he’s definitely going to leave again.

I start up the stairs to my room and see Emily’s hot pink toenails disappear around the landing.

Shit. I’ve let her down, but I can’t talk to her right now. I can’t say all the right things when my gut and every one of my primal instincts is screaming that Dad’s on the verge of doing something terrible.

Instead, I dress for a run and head out to work off my fear and sadness and disappointment the old-fashioned way.

***

Bleary-eyed, I stare at the coffeemaker as it slowly fills my cup.

I don’t know how I’m going to get through today.

Trisha and Dad were up all night arguing so loudly even earplugs couldn’t save me.

Emily and Sophie came to my room about three times each, worried about the fight Trisha and Dad were having.

We tried to eavesdrop, but they yelled things like, “You never listen to me” and “I can’t believe you’re such a moron,” and got really quiet when they were discussing whatever it was they were actually fighting about.

And they were fighting until after three in the morning.

Even if it weren’t for the fighting, I doubt I could have slept. I feel betrayed by Levi, and he didn’t answer any of my calls or texts last night.

I want to keep the house. I don’t want to drive Dad away. Even if he isn’t the best dad, he’s still ours.

“Do I have to go to school?” Emily walks into the kitchen still in her pajamas, her hair a mess.

“Yes,” I say. “Go get dressed and hurry. You have a math test this morning.”

Her sleepy eyes pop wide. “Oh, shit. I forgot.”

“Language,” I call after her as she races out of the room.

Dad lumbers into the kitchen, smiling, eyes bright like he wasn’t up all night fighting with his wife.

“Good morning, kiddo.” He wraps me up in a hug.

“I’m glad we got this time together. You don’t have to worry about a thing.

Trisha and I will send child support as soon as we get settled and both have jobs. ”

I ease out of the hug, my worst fears realized. Am I still dreaming? Surely, this is a nightmare. “You’re leaving?”

He pats my shoulder. “I know you were probably excited about moving out on your own, but I warned you when we came here that we might not be able to stay.”

I might be tired, but I know he never said anything about leaving. “Why?” I ask, doing my best not to freak out.

All I can think about is how this is going to break Emily’s heart and destroy that bit of hope Sophie was holding onto that our father isn’t a total asshole.

He shrugs, still smiling. “There’s no opportunity here for us. The local salons aren’t hiring, and I haven’t gotten even a callback on the resumes I’ve sent out.”

I sink into a seat at the kitchen table. “Is this about what the caseworker said? Because she’s not the one in charge, we can talk to her boss and get another caseworker assigned to us, someone who won’t—”

He waves a hand. “Those government types are all the same, kiddo. Now they’ve got me in their crosshairs, they’re going to squeeze every penny they can out of me.”

Telling Dad the truth about Daisy won’t help because our actual caseworker would have probably said the same things.

I’m stuck. And it’s Levi’s fault.

“You’ve only been here a couple of weeks. It might take some time to find a job, but I’m sure you can find something if you keep trying. I can put in a good word for you.”

He pops his hands on his hips. “Thanks, kiddo, but we have to do what’s best for us.

I’ve got a cousin in Pensacola who’s got a job for me, and Trisha’s already found a few promising salons there.

It’s a big city, with a lot more job options.

” He walks over and grips my shoulder. “We’ll send whatever we can as soon as we’re settled. ”

I look up at him. “Money isn’t what Emily and Sophie need from you. They need their father in their lives.”

A tear slides down my cheek, and I swipe at it before he sees it .

He gives my shoulder another squeeze. “I get it. You were all set to go back to school and have your own place. It can still happen. It just might take longer. As soon as—”

I get to my feet and glare at him. I still have to tilt my head back to meet his eyes, but it feels closer to equal footing. “This isn’t about me, Dad. This is about you being a father to your daughters. The father they need and deserve.”

“You’re leaving?” Emily’s in the doorway to the kitchen, her eyes already filling with tears. “Why are you leaving?”

Dad’s smile falters, and I’m glad to see he’s not totally unaffected by his choices. “Trisha and I have to move on, kiddo. We’ll be back to visit real soon. I promise.”

She throws herself at him, hugging him tight. Sophie steps into the kitchen, her expression hard and angry. “Come on, Emily,” she says. “We need to get to school.”

“She’s right.” Dad pats Emily’s back. “I’ll be here when you get home, and we can talk some more.”

Emily steps out of the hug and looks up at him, tears streaming down her cheeks. “You promise?”

“Of course. I wouldn’t lie to you.”

She gives him one more hug. “Please stay,” she says in a garbled voice, before she tears herself away and follows Sophie out of the house.

I hurry after them and catch up next to the beat-up two-door red car that used to be mine before I moved back home.

“Emily,” I say. “Are you sure you’re okay to go to school?”

She turns to me, her eyes red, her glare fierce. “I have a test today, remember?” She steps closer. “This is your fault, Gentry. Your friends pushed too hard, and now he’s leaving.”

She’s not wrong, and I feel her anger like a well-deserved punch to the gut. “I’ll talk to him. I’ll try to fix this.”

“Don’t bother,” Sophie says. “Knowing him, he was just looking for any excuse to leave.”

“That’s not true,” Emily says. “You’re just mad you won’t be able to take your stupid gymnastics classes anymore.”

“Whatever,” Sophie says. “Let’s go. I don’t want to be late.”

I watch them drive away, feeling like the worst sister in the history of sisters. Then I get over myself and go back inside to convince a man I don’t trust or even like very much to stay.