“So, when you look at all that, Dad, I’m not sure how I could be bothered by your preferences. But, if you want me to be completely honest, there is one thing I’m bothered by.”
Her father’s eyebrows lifted, interest mixed with what looked like fear lighting up his gray eyes. “What’s that?” he asked, his deep voice gruff with uncertainty.
Taking his hand in both of hers, Kennedy faced him. “I’m only bothered by the fact that you’ve had to hide who you are from the world. It’s not fair, if you ask me. I don’t understand how people could look at you any different than they look at someone else. What gives them the right to judge you? That’s what bothers me. That you aren’t free to live the life you want to live, to find the happiness and love that you need just as much as the next person.” Kennedy swallowed past the lump in her throat, the emotions she saw warring on her father’s face making her heart ache. “I love you, Dad. You should never, ever doubt that.”
“I love you too, girl,” he whispered.
Her father wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly. Kennedy fought the tears that formed in her eyes. She didn’t want to cry for him. She wanted to prove to her father that she was as strong as he was. And she wanted to help him understand that he couldn’t spend any more of his life running away from what he wanted.
When he pulled back, he wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and Kennedy gave him a moment. She knew he wasn’t overly emotional, and she respected the fact that he didn’t want her to see him cry. After a few minutes, when he seemed to have pulled himself together, Kennedy asked him the question she’d had since he started talking about Mack.
“Did something happen between you and Mack?”
Jeff swallowed hard and got to his feet. “Mack’s decided that we shouldn’t see each other anymore,” he said bluntly. Although his tone said he didn’t care that Mack had broken things off, Kennedy could see it was tearing him up inside.
“Because Mack’s son doesn’t like the fact that his father is gay?”
“Mack doesn’t want to ruin his relationship with Daniel. And I respect that.”
Kennedy shot to her feet. “That’s bullshit, Dad. You and I both know that,” she told him, keeping her voice low, trying to hide the anger that surged inside her. “Daniel doesn’t have the right to tell his father what is and isn’t appropriate.”
“No, he doesn’t,” Jeff agreed. “But that’s not enough to change Mack’s mind.”
Kennedy’s hands flew out to her sides and then smacked against her thighs as she turned away from her father. This was bullshit.
When she’d calmed herself enough to speak, she turned back to her father. “How long have you been seein’ Mack?”
Jeff didn’t answer right away, his throat working as he swallowed.
God, it was so hard to look at the stoic man who’d spent his entire life being strong for her having such a hard time dealing with his emotions.
“Three years,” Jeff said.
Kennedy’s mouth fell open. “You’ve been seeing him for three years? And you kept it from me until a couple of months ago?”
Her father’s spine straightened and he stared at her, his mouth a hard line. “I didn’t keep it from you on purpose, Kennedy. I just figured what you didn’t know wouldn’t hurt you.”
“Do you love him?” she asked, ignoring his statement because she didn’t agree with that way of thinking.
Long seconds passed before her father spoke again, this time, when he said, “Yeah,” he didn’t meet her gaze.
“And you don’t feel the need to fight for him?” she questioned.
She could sense that her father was getting angry. Probably not with her, but certainly with the conversation. Not that she cared. This was important. This was his life, his happiness, and she damn sure wasn’t going to sit back and watch him suffer because he was worried about what other people thought.
Oh, damn.
That thought was like a slap to the face.
Hypocrite much?
She was suddenly very aware of the fact that she’d dodged Sawyer so long for the exact same reasons. She didn’t want to endure the skeptical looks, or other people laughing at her expense. But that was exactly what she’d done, what she’d been worried about in recent weeks even. All the while she’d tried to convince herself that it was because of how he’d treated her in high school.
Although her relationship with Sawyer was progressing, she still had her doubts. Still battled fears that she knew were irrational based on how good things were between them.