Okay, I had to admit, that one got me in the heart. I had no doubt that my brothers loved me and cared about me.
“Thank you for that, Daddy.”
“Waylynn, I think what your brothers think about your dating situation should be the last thing on your list of give-a-fucks.”
I chuckled. “You’re right on that one.”
He pulled over and turned the truck off. “Let’s go for a walk, shall we?”
I warmed as yesteryears with my father flooded my memory. One of my favorite things to do was walk along the Frio River with him, skipping rocks and just talking about things.
“I’d love to go for a walk! We haven’t done this in forever!”
His face lit up. “The last time was right before you married Jack, I believe.”
“I should have listened to your advice when you said you didn’t think Jack was the right man for me.”
He stared ahead, his arm draped over my shoulder. “Some things you have to learn on your own, sweet pea.”
We walked for a few feet in silence. “And what is your advice for me today?”
“Are you asking for it?” he asked as we stopped and faced each other.
“I’m assuming you want to give me some if you tracked me down and invited me for a walk.”
He chuckled. “Nonsense. I don’t need a reason to spend time with my beautiful daughter. But now that you mention it, I will give you my two cents, for what it is worth.”
I held my breath and waited. My father’s opinion had always mattered and the one time I chose to ignore it was the time I’d needed it most. But now—now I was scared he would tell me that he thought me dating Jonathon was a bad idea. That it would only bring heartache to both of us if we started up a relationship with all the rumors it would inspire. My heart didn’t want to hear that advice. Not one bit.
“First, I think you need to figure out what is scaring you about a relationship with Jonathon.”
A lump formed in my throat, and for a brief moment it was hard to talk. How in the world could my father know this? Hadn’t he found out about Jonathon and me only this morning?
“Are you a mind reader now, Dad? What makes you think something is scaring me?”
He took my hand, and we walked down the path to the river. It was the same path we had walked hundreds of times, but this time something was different.
“You know all those years you wore that pretty smile of yours, your mother and I knew you weren’t happy. We knew you weren’t going to give up on your marriage because we raised you to fight for the things you want. And it didn’t take me long to figure out there was something between you and Jonathon. I think I knew when I saw the two of you together for the first time.”
My mind drifted back. “When did you see us together?”
“Well, you weren’t together romantically, but it was the way you looked at each other the day your mother and I stopped by the dance studio. I’ve known that young man since he was in diapers, and the way he was looking at my daughter was screaming ‘I’ve got a thing for her’.”
I hit him lightly on the stomach. “Daddy!”
“It was confirmed at the boys’ birthday party. You plastered on a smile, but boy howdy, you were throwing darts at the poor girl on Jonathon’s arm.”
“I was not!” I said, scrunching my nose and stomping my foot. I was acting like a five-year-old, which made my father laugh.
“Same old Waylynn.”
“I was not throwing darts at her.”
He lifted his brow.
“Fine, so maybe I glanced their way a time or two. I still don’t get how you figure I’m scared.”
After leading us over to a rock, my father and I sat down.
“It wasn’t hard to put it together, Waylynn Parker. I have been around the block a time or two. That boy owns his own construction company and has men to do the work but seems to be the only one working on your job. Plus, the little incident with old lady Hopkins.”
My cheeks burned, and I looked away. “I thought we agreed to never bring that up, Daddy.”
“I never agreed to it.”
Sighing, I turned to face him again. “Fine. So you pieced it together long before you officially found out. Only tells me my hiding skills are not up to par like they were when I was younger.”
“Even way back then, Waylynn, your mother and I knew more than we let on.”
His revelation had me combing through years of things best left hidden, praying that he didn’t know too much.
He bumped my shoulder. “Talk to me, sweet pea.”
I watched as the water rolled over boulders both big and small. “I’m conflicted on a few things.”