“I’m here,” I called out to him, out of breath because my heart was still pounding after what had just happened.
He snapped his head around, and relief washed over his face before he was scooping me up and holding me against him. “Are you okay?” he rasped out, half crushing me against him. “You’re so pale.”
“I…” Tears spilled over my lashes. “I want to go home.”
Touching his lips to my forehead, he started walking out of the bar. “What happened?” he demanded once we were outside.
“The craziest thing,” I told him, feeling emotionally drained all of a sudden.
Putting me in the passenger seat of his Jeep, he bent so he could see me. “You’re scaring me.”
Gulping, I told him everything that had happened in a rush, and his eyes widened more and more with every word out of my mouth. A couple times, he glanced back at the bar, but only for a second before his eyes were back on me, scanning over me from head to toe, as if he were looking for any signs I’d been physically harmed.
“Jameson’s has been here since before I was born,” he muttered when I was finished. “It’s an icon. My parents met here, for Christ’s sake. How did you end up here, of all places?”
“I-I don’t know.” I shivered, and he pulled off his jacket. Wrapping it around me even though I was already double-layered, he rubbed my arms to keep me warm. “Maybe it was just meant to be?”
Maybe one of those gods had finally listened.
Chapter 24
Mia
I didn’t call my mother as soon as I got home with what I’d learned. Instinctively, I knew it would freak her out and send her into a tailspin. Momma’s younger years were so nightmarish that once she’d created a better life, changes of large magnitude terrified her.
What I had to share with her was as life-changing as it came.
For the rest of the weekend, I worried about how she would react once I did tell her, and I tried to plan out how I would break the news to her. When Monday, my birthday, dawned, I was so stressed over it that I only wanted to hide in bed with Barrick all day and skip dinner with my family.
Their flight was delayed, so Momma called and told us just to meet them at the restaurant. Braxton and Lyla—whom I’d made up with the day before—tagged along, but they could tell I wasn’t completely in the present as Barrick drove us to dinner.
Barrick kept his hand linked with mine, feeding me his strength as we walked into what had become my favorite place to eat since starting college.
I was so consumed with how to handle the whole Eddie thing, I’d forgotten about not wanting to see my own dad. When I spotted him in the back of the restaurant, my heart clenched, and I ached to have our old relationship back. Maybe if things were better between us, I could have called him and asked for his help telling Momma I’d met her long-lost father.
My mom jumped to her feet as soon as she caught sight of us and practically skipped through the tables in her happiness to see me. As soon as she was within touching distance, I wrapped my arms around her in a tight hug. Closing my eyes, I inhaled deeply, and I felt her doing the same.
“I know it’s only been a little over a week since I last saw you,” she said with a shaky little laugh. “But I’ve missed you so much.”
“I missed you too,” I whispered.
When the hug continued longer than it should have, Barrick nudged me, letting me know I needed to release my mom so she could breathe. Stepping back, I gave her a smile that trembled. “How was your flight?”
“Bumpy. There were storms all across the Midwest,” she complained. She greeted my friends and Barrick, then linked her arm through mine. “Are you ready to face your dad? He’s practically shaking in his boots because he’s so worried about how this is going to go.”
“Yeah,” I muttered hesitantly. “Can’t wait.”
“Please, try to be nice.”
Walking beside her, I promised I would try.
Dad stood as we approached, and I wanted to drag my feet and make him wait. Or better yet, turn and walk away. But then I saw tears fill his eyes, and my heart started to sob. With a whimper, I threw myself into his arms.
Daddy trembled as he enfolded me in a hug. “I’m sorry, baby girl. So damn sorry.”
Clenching my eyes shut, I nodded. “I know.”
“Can you forgive me?” he asked hopefully.