Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 95816 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95816 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
I gaped at her, shocked at her thinking. Maddox had been right.
“Gracie,” I admonished. I slid my fingers under her chin, forcing her to meet my eyes.
“Ashley is not replacing you, baby girl. Chronologically, she may be my eldest, but you are my firstborn. First born out of love. First to make me a daddy. First thing I ever did that was perfect and right from the very moment you came into my life. You will always hold that spot. We will always have that connection.” I shook my head, my voice oddly thick as I spoke. “You will always be my Gracie-girl. My baby.”
“I was jealous,” she burst out. “I thought she’d take my place. That maybe you’d love her more than me. Want her more than me to try to make up for missing her childhood. With Ashley around, I was no longer the eldest sister. What if she took my place with my siblings too? And you hurt Mom. It upset me. And I was worried for Penny and Gavin. Matthew. Heather…” Her voice caught. “I knew they would be upset, and that made me angry. It all made me angry. And I disliked Ashley. The thought of her angered me. The discord she brought with her angered me.”
“I could never love anyone more than you,” I said quietly. “Everyone knows that. I love all of you with my entire heart, but you and I share something nothing and no one will ever break. I’m shocked you would think so, Grace. I have never given you any reason to think otherwise.”
“I know—but it was how I felt. And just as I started to calm down, I got into a fight with Heather.”
“You had a fight with Heather?”
She sighed. “Yes. She came to see me the other night. I thought we’d bond over our dislike of Ashley, but she defended her. Told me I was being the troublemaker, not Ashley. She said Ashley was a great person and I needed to get my head out of my ass and stop being so selfish.”
I had no idea my daughters had been fighting.
“Sounds unpleasant.”
“It got heated. I called her disloyal, and she called me a bitch. We were practically spitting in each other’s faces before Jaxson stepped in.”
“What did he do?”
“He told Heather if she called me a name again, he’d have to ask her to leave. She told him he was an overprotective windbag who needed to shut up and stay out of it.”
I tried not to smile, but I couldn’t help it. “I don’t imagine Jaxson liked that.”
“No. He was shocked. Then she said he was worse than you and she didn’t mean it as a compliment. I told her to get out.”
“Please tell me she stayed and you made up.”
“We will.”
“Don’t let my past pull you and your sister apart. You need to make up. That’s an order.”
She lifted one eyebrow. “Pulling rank again, Dad?”
“Yes.” I took her hand. “Gracie, Heather knows Ashley already—they were on the way to becoming good friends. She liked her before she knew there was a family connection. Luc adores her. Despite our hostile meetings, I think she is incredibly intelligent and independent. What happened isn’t her fault either. She didn’t ask to be born.”
“I know.” She swallowed. “What do you want me to do, Dad?”
“I’m not asking you to throw her a welcome to the family party. I’m asking you to keep an open mind. To stop being mad and talk to me. Talk to your mother. Maybe one day talk to Ashley. She will never replace you in my eyes or your siblings. But she doesn’t have to be the enemy either.” I sighed. “She’s angry with me too. I don’t know if there will ever come a time she wants to be involved with us as a family. If she’ll ever be comfortable around me, accept me as her father. Or if she’ll always treat me as the enemy.”
“She’s lucky to have you as her dad.”
I smiled sadly at her words. “She doesn’t think so. She hates me for the truth as she believes it. I can’t fight a dead woman. I can’t change the past. I only hope once she gets over her anger, we can move forward.” I squeezed her fingers. “I think she’d discover she has the best siblings in the world.”
“And the best dad.”
“You think so, Gracie?”
“I’m sorry,” she offered. “I can’t excuse my behavior, but I’m sorry, Dad.”
“So, you’re not mad anymore?”
“No. I need to work through my feelings about Ashley, but I’m not mad.” She paused. “I’m sorry about what I said to you, Daddy. I didn’t mean it.”
I lifted her hand and kissed it. “Forgiven. Just promise me you’ll come over again. Spend time with us.”
“Yes.”
“And make up with Heather.”
“I’ll go see her now.”