“You’ve got this, babe.”
“Thank you,” I say and ease myself off the bike. I’m already starting to get used to the feeling of it rumbling between my legs. “I’ll be right back.”
Inside, I find my father in his office. It would be easier to grab some of my stuff and get the hell out of here without having to make a scene, but that’s the coward’s approach. I gently rap my knuckles against the solid oak wood.
He doesn’t look up from his laptop. “Can I help you, Winifred?” I almost laugh at the irony of his chosen words. Help me? The man hasn’t done anything for me in twenty-two years other than being a sperm donor.
“I wanted to let you know that I’ve made a decision.”
“In regard to?”
Is this man serious? “I’m not marrying that twit, Cane Danson. It’s an insult that you even think I’d consider it.”
He narrows his eyes at me, and for the first time, I see he’s just a different version of a Cane Danson, a rich man who thinks that because he owns a bunch of stuff, that he owns everyone’s world. “I thought I made myself clear. No marriage, no money.”
“Oh, you did.” I take a step inside, feeling the confidence growing. “And you can keep your money. I will not let you hold it over my head to control me. For the first time, I’ll be free. Free of this whole life.”
“Be careful what you wish for, Winifred.”
“There are no wishes, Daniel. There’s only truth, and it’s sitting outside in the driveway right now. I’ll get my things and be out of your hair.”
My father goes to the window. Jase revs his engine as I head out of my father’s office and into my childhood room for what may be the last time.
I pull my suitcase from under the bed. My fingers shake as I grab only the things that mean something to me, which honestly isn’t much. Things can be replaced, but truth and integrity cannot. Also, it doesn’t hurt to bring a bunch of clean underwear.
I laugh at myself, knowing that the road ahead of me won’t be easy but no doubt rewarding. For the first time in my life, I’m completely my own person. As I head down the stairs, my father stands in his office doorway, staring me down. He doesn’t even say goodbye. Instead, he closes the door as I head out.
As always, my mother is nowhere to be found. Honestly, I can’t say I blame her. At least I’ll never end up in the same situation.
Jase hops off his motorcycle and meets me halfway down the drive. “You okay?” He asks as he carries my suitcase to my car for me.
“I will be,” I say, a swell of mixed emotions coursing through me.
“Yeah, you will. I’ll make sure of it.” He loads my trunk and wraps his arms around me. I don’t let him hug me too long; I don’t feel like crying anywhere my father could potentially see me. “You can stay with me for as long as you want.” He brushes a strand of hair away from my face.
“Thank you,” I say, and Jase plants a soft kiss on my forehead, and I breathe him in before he heads back to his bike.
I hop in my own car and turn the key in the ignition, prepared to follow him back to his cabin, but only for a while. I need to sort things out on my own, get my own place, get a job. With Jase by my side, I know all things are possible. My new life starts right now.
Epilogue
Winnie
Five yearslater
“Babe,come in here and make sure the banner’s straight.” I raise high up on my tiptoes. Jase’s heavy footsteps stop behind me. I look over my shoulder, and his eyes are narrowed, assessing the situation.
“Looks good to me,” he says, “but will you please get off that chair. You could fall and kill yourself and leave me a widower, and that would really piss me off.”
“What doesn’t piss you off?” I tease, rolling my eyes as I pin the banner into place. Jase has been a bit testy lately, prepping for the grand opening of his new shop.
“You’ve got a smart little mouth on you.” I let out a little squeal as he throws me over his shoulder and lifts me from the chair onto the floor. He buries his nose in my neck. “You smell fucking amazing.”
“Easy, big boy. People will be here in a half-hour.” Jase merely grunts in response. I press my palm against his chest and playfully push him away. He pops a cracker in his mouth from the snack table and straightens a few things near the front of the shop.
It hasn’t been an easy road, but we’ve made it through together. My father did exactly as he threatened and cut me off, but not before I was able to pull a little money from my account before he froze it. The trust? Gone, like he said. Sometimes I think of how we could’ve used that money on our move, but we did it, just the two of us, and we’re all the better for it.
After a few weeks of living with Jase, we decided that maybe our time in Thunder was over. My father found out who he was and doubled the rent on his business, making it impossible for him to pay it. It broke my heart to leave, but living a few towns over is just as good, and I still get to see my girl, Abbie, though things have changed a bit between us. In a crazy twist of fate, Abbie ended up marrying Cane Danson, two kids, and a billion dollars later, she consistently vents to me about what could’ve been.