Page 76 of Good Time Boyfriend
“You’re my child,” my stepdad said so fiercely that my eyes widened. “I was so blessed to find your mother.” He gripped my mother’s hand and squeezed. “I had a beautiful wife and five beautiful children, and then I was all alone until I found your mom. She is the best thing that ever happened to us. She immediately became their mother, and I did my best to be your father.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t always let you.”
“I never met the man who raised you, but I’m blessed he had you. Because you are a light for all of us. He is part of this family, even if he didn’t get to meet us all.”
Now I was freely crying, and he leaned forward and wiped my tears.
“You are a wonderful human being. And you’re my daughter. I love you, Devney. Never scare me like that again. You understand that? You don’t get to scare me like this.”
“I’ll do my best, Dad.” I whispered.
His eyes warmed, Maureen sniffed, and my mother patted Maureen’s shoulders.
Because he had always been my stepfather, or William. He had never really been Dad. That was on me because I hadn’t wanted to forget my father. But I wouldn’t. I needed to remember that. Because I had that base, a base that Heath never had. But one he was gaining, at least I thought.
Why on earth was I thinking about him?
I was so tired, and I knew they would leave me alone soon so I could go back to sleep, but then my stepdad cleared his throat. “There also seems to be someone else waiting for you. Just know I’ll protect you no matter what.”
And with that ominous statement, they left, hugging me and saying they loved me, then suddenly Heath was there.
I didn’t know who had called him, but I knew that someone would have. I knew my friends would be here any minute too, because that’s who we were. We were a unit.
Just like I thought Heath and I had been.
“Devney.”
“Hey.”
Not the most eloquent thing to say, but I wasn’t sure what else there was. “I’d get up to say hello, but I’m really tired.”
“I won’t stay long.” Again, that hurt slapped at me but I ignored it. “I know you need your rest. But I’ve been here all night with your family, and I was so fucking scared I might lose you.”
“Heath,” I began, and swallowed hard. But he had lost me. He’d pushed me away, hadn’t he?
“I’m so sorry for pushing you away. I was talking to my family right before we heard about the accident, and I was trying to figure out how to grovel. How to come back and tell you I’m sorry and I shouldn’t have left, that I was standing in my own way. I didn’t know how to fix it. And then Paisley called.”
I sat up so quickly that I hurt my ribs. Heath was suddenly there, gripping my hand.
“No, sit back. Don’t hurt yourself.”
“Sorry,” I said through gritted teeth. “Paisley called?” I asked.
“She called August,” he said dryly.
My eyes widened. “Oh my God.”
“Pretty much.”
We both smiled, that shared connection pulling us, even though I was scared he was going to walk away again. I didn’t know what I was supposed to do or what I was supposed to say. I had never been in this situation before. I didn’t have answers. I didn’t know if there were any.
“Devney. I’m so sorry. I got scared. I saw who my parents were, realized the loop they were in, and it just blinded me. It always has. It’s why I cling so hard to my family now and I feel like I can’t protect my sister. That’s why I feel like I’m constantly failing all of them. And I know that’s on me, and I need to get over it, and I’m working on it. Or, at least I thought I was. But then I realized that I fucking love you and I was so afraid that love was going to twist into something like theirs that I pushed you away.”
I held up my hand. “Did you just say you loved me?” I asked, the words coming out slowly as I tried to figure out what the hell was going on.
“I do.” He stood back and pushed his hand through his long hair. “I love you so damn much, it scares me. When you came into the bar the first night, I knew there was something special about you, but then I didn’t get your number, and I never saw you again until you were there, hands out, trying to ward off your family. I think I fell partly in love with you that night.”
“You have to be joking.”
