Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 127715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 639(@200wpm)___ 511(@250wpm)___ 426(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 639(@200wpm)___ 511(@250wpm)___ 426(@300wpm)
Harry opened his mouth, but his dad kept talking.
“We understand. Absolutely. But Josh and me want to buy it from you, pull down the stables, put up something we can put toys in, ATVs, snowmobiles, a boat. Spruce up the house. New kitchen. New décor. Amanda and Caroline would love digging into that. I come up in the summer, got a place to stay that’s closer to my boys, real close to you, and Josh has a weekend getaway where he can take his family.” A heavy pause and then, “And you’re shot of it, and what you lost there, but maybe we can make it into something different, for us, for you, so we all can make new memories and keep it in the family.”
“You know Lillian and I are very new,” Harry warned.
His father’s brown eyes grew intent. “I know you. I see her. I know that’s true, and I know where this is going. And I’ll admit, that’s part of it. For me and for Caroline. Lillian lost her father. I’m a father. You’re not. You don’t get what it feels like, even though I don’t know her all that well, to know she’s a woman alone in this world without her dad. Caroline feels the same about Lillian losing her mom. I know Ronetta and George fill those shoes. But you can’t have enough people looking out for you.”
Fuck, but Harry loved his dad.
And Caroline was a damn fine woman.
Greg wasn’t finished.
“And I will be beholden to her until my dying day for making you see there’s life after Winnie.”
Harry felt his chest squeeze.
His father kept going, but this time, his voice lowered.
“I loved that girl like a daughter. She was perfect for you. I miss her to this day. I hurt for you…to this day. I will say, I was a little concerned, what with you meeting Lillian during this sad time, and what that might mean, you being you and what you do for a living.”
Harry spoke, and his tone was steely. “It isn’t that.”
“I know, son,” Greg said quietly. “Again, when you’re a father, you’ll get it. You worry about pretty much everything, especially if it has to do with your child’s happiness. Even if I met her at her parents’ memorial, I saw right away it wasn’t that. Is she leaning on you? Yes. Are you a man who doesn’t feel right if he isn’t strong enough for the people he cares about to lean on? Yes again. But it’s very obviously not about that. And even if I didn’t notice it, the way Ronetta and George are with you two, I would have gotten it.”
Greg took a moment, and Harry let him, before his dad hit him with it.
“Lillian isn’t a thing like Winnie. Doesn’t look like her. Doesn’t act like her. I don’t know how you did it, Harry. But you found another wonderful woman who’s perfect for you.”
Harry didn’t realize he was holding his breath until his father said that, and he let it out.
Greg went on, “It isn’t like the buyback of the house has to happen tomorrow. But I don’t want some asshole to get it in his head that maybe he can trip your trigger faster, say he burns the place down or something. And I want more time with you. I miss my son. I want to get to know Lillian better. And frankly, Harry, I miss home.”
What could he say to that?
“We’ll talk about it more later, but if you stay there, I want those cameras installed.”
Greg Moran grinned.
“Caroline’s going to come up with you?” Harry asked leadingly.
Greg shrugged. “We both thought we could keep it casual. We both were wrong. One of the reasons I can work with Josh on the buyback is because I’m selling the house down in Phoenix and we’re moving in together.”
Harry’s smile was broad at learning that news.
“I dig that for you, Dad,” Harry told him, his words loaded with feeling.
“I dig it too,” Greg replied, smiling his own wide smile.
“We should talk about dinner tonight, if Caroline’s leaving the day after tomorrow.”
“She has an evening flight. We’ve got time. We can do dinner tomorrow night. But I think Lillian needs a break from everyone up in her face and space. They all got good intentions, but we both know, Harry, shit happens, but life goes on. You have to settle into life getting on, because you’re not always going to have people around to distract you.” More intent in his gaze. “And you have to have the space to deal with it without distractions.”
Harry couldn’t agree more. He’d learned that lesson the hard way, distracting himself with work, and not getting on with life.
Lillian hadn’t complained.
The memorial was behind them. Lillian had placed the urn on a chest in her living room with the original picture of her parents that had been enlarged for the service resting in a fancy frame beside it. Sherise had left that morning. Shane had an afternoon flight he was probably on right then.