I’d bought it as my huge step out on my own. I’d thought I needed to be on my own to find myself. It had turned out that I wasn’t searching for myself. I had been searching, reaching, and clawing my way back to Garrett. There were pieces of myself I still had yet to discover, but I hadn’t done it alone. Coming back here to this house, this city, and this man had helped make all of that possible. I was whole again because he helped make it possible.
I no longer dwelled in the past, afraid of my future. I had no idea what our future would bring, but that was part of life, wasn’t it? The great unknown. I knew there would be more tears, more struggles, and more heartache. But with them, there would also be tears of joy, happiness, and love. Life was a balancing act. Sometimes, there were moments that tipped the scales, and we found ourselves walking in shadows, but as long as we had those who loved us, we’d always find the light again.
“What are you thinking about?” Garrett asked against my ear as his arms wrapped around my waist.
“How wonderful you are,” I said with a grin as I snuggled up against his warm body.
“Mmm…is that so? I think you should show me.”
His hands tightened around my waist, and he spun me around until we were face-to-face. His eyes glimmered, and his mouth was curved into a wicked grin.
“Oh, yeah? And how exactly would I do that?” I asked, feigning innocence. I might have batted my eyelashes for effect.
His hands went to the hem of my dress, and he started to pull it up, higher and higher, until my black thigh-highs were exposed.
“Fuck, it’s a really good thing I didn’t know about these when my mother was here.”
A giggle escaped my lips. “That would have not happened while your mother was in the house!”
He gave me a dubious look. “Do you not remember the many study sessions in my room or that time in the garage when my parents were inside making dinner?”
My cheeks instantly heated at the memory. He always had been a bit of a daredevil.
“Okay, point taken. But we’re older now and responsible!” I added.
“Mmm…challenge accepted,” he purred in my ear as he curled his palm around my backside.
“You’re seriously deranged.”
“That’s why you love me,” he said.
His lips met mine, and his hand slid up my thigh and over the lacy edge of my thigh-high. He pulled my leg around his waist. He lifted me and carried me over to the couch, and as my head hit the freshly fluffed pillow, the doorbell rang.
“Seriously? I just can’t catch a break today!” Garrett cursed, causing me to snort out a laugh.
I stood, adjusting my dress and smoothing out the wrinkles, and I walked the short distance to the front door.
“It’s probably Leah or Liv. They must have forgotten something,” I suggested.
I looked around for any missing toys or Tupperware. I didn’t see anything, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t anything lurking around. There were tons of hiding places.
As I pulled open the door, a gasp escaped my lips, and I froze. There, standing before me, was someone I hadn’t seen in years, someone I hadn’t expected to see again.
“Dad!” I exclaimed as Garrett’s hand curled around me.
He didn’t look anything like the man I remembered. Standing before me was someone I would have never recognized as my father if I happened to pass by him on the street or in a congested crowd.
He was dressed down, wearing jeans and a black button-down shirt. He still looked put together and handsome, but I couldn’t get over the jeans. Never in my life had I ever seen my father in denim. My mother would have had a stroke.
“What are you doing here?” I asked. I was still completely bewildered by not only his physical appearance but by his mere presence alone. I hadn’t even known he knew where I lived.
“Are you going to invite me in?” he asked with a slight grin. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he rocked back on his heels in what appeared to be a nervous gesture.
“Oh, of course. Please, come in. Would you like some coffee? Dessert maybe?” I offered awkwardly.
Maybe you’d like to explain why you are standing in my foyer after eight years of silence?
He politely declined, and I took note that his impeccable manners hadn’t diminished over the years. He’d always carried himself well even if he was on the quiet side.
“You remember Garrett, don’t you, father?” I said, nearly choking on the rusty paternal word for the man standing before me.
My father nodded, and I watched him turn his attention to Garrett, who had remained noticeably quiet since my father had made his grand entrance. His body was tense at my side, and I knew it was taking great restraint not to take charge of the situation and defend me against the man who had caused me so much pain. Instead, he was pulling back and allowing me to lead. He was allowing me to make up my own mind, and it was one of many reasons I loved him.
“Yes,” my father answered, sticking out his hand in a formal gesture toward Garrett.
Garrett stared at his outstretched hand for a moment before finally giving in and taking it in the quickest handshake known to man.
“Good to know you two made it back to each other,” he said.
“It wasn’t without difficulty,” I said, firmly meeting his gaze.
He let out a deep breath and turned away, shoving his hands back in his pockets again. He paced the small space in circles, like he was churning up the courage to speak.
“I left your mother,” he finally said to my utter astonishment.
“What?” Garrett and I both said in unison.
“The divorce was finalized last week. I’ve been living in a separate apartment for five months, waiting for everything to be settled. I wanted to be sure before I contacted you.”
His pacing was driving up my anxiety, so while I tried to process everything, I ushered us into the living room. I watched him take a seat in our flea market chair we’d recently bought. It was antique and had needed a bit of love, but after some new fabric and a bit of elbow grease, it had turned out great. Seeing my father in my living room, sitting among my things, was odd.
“Why? Why did you leave her?” I asked finally.
He cocked an eyebrow as surprise spread across his features, so I amended my question. “I mean, why now? After all this time?”
He nodded in understanding and settled back in his chair.
“It was you honestly. It should have always been you. I should have left her a long time ago, but I was too weak and afraid of what would happen to my life if I did. Everything I did completely and utterly revolved around that woman. I feared what would have happened to me. Hell, I feared what she would do to me if I left. I let her run my existence. I even let her destroy the one relationship I cherished more than anything. That was you.”