Maybe This Time (Maybe #1)(21)

“Do you need any money?” he asks kindly.

“No, thank you.” I pull out my phone and see a text message from an unknown number.

“Okay, I know you’re stubborn, but you know anything I have is yours,” he says, his gaze never leaving me.

“Except your time, of course,” I say without thinking. Jack looks surprised, and it annoys me further.

“I didn’t think you wanted to spend any time with me. I had to pretty much beg you just to get you here for dinner,” he says, the sadness in his tone making me feel guilty. My dad is pretty scary looking. Tall, built, bearded and tattooed. But he's a real softy, especially with me. He’s never yelled at me or anything like that, although from what I’ve been told, it’s only me he treats like that. I think it’s from the guilt of never being there for me.

“Yeah, and when I do show up you don’t even want one on one time with me, instead you have your girl here who I don’t even like,” I say in all honesty. I emphasise the girl part. When my dad looks shocked, I sigh dramatically.

How can he be so obtuse?

“Tina, leave me alone with my daughter,” he says, his tone picking up strength when he addresses her.

“You can’t be serious,” she whines, glaring at me.

“Now,” he says calmly, and she stands up to leave, making a big show of it. When she finally goes into the bedroom, slamming the door behind her, he looks straight at me, his gaze softening.

I feel like he is looking right through me right now.

“I knew you weren’t fond of her, I thought it was just because of her age,” he says.

“She’s a bitch. She thinks I’m going to come between the two of you,” I tell him.

“She said that?” he growls, starting to look angry. I shrug, not wanting to get into it.

“That’s cos she knows nothing is more important to me than you and Xander. I know I haven’t always been there for you, but not because I didn’t want to be. Your mother told me I could only see you once a year, Summer. And I wasn’t exactly in the position to ask for full custody. I didn’t want to take you away from her anyway. I didn’t want to pull you from the life you knew. I wanted you with me, trust me, but I didn’t want to be selfish. After all was said and done, she was a good mother to you, so I took what I could. God, I used to wait until your birthday so I could see you. See how much you'd grown, how beautiful you were getting,” he says, his voice wistful.

“Really?” I whisper, my voice breaking.

“Of course, Summer, you were my little girl. You are my little girl. There's nothing I won’t do for you.”

“She said you didn’t care about me, you just left me to be with your new family,” I say softly, my voice wavering. He slams his fist down on the table, making me jump.

“She lied, Summer,” he growls, his face contorting in anger.

I exhale deeply, leaning my chin on my palm. “You cheated on her.”

Jack noticeably flinches. “I did. My relationship with her wasn’t working, but it had nothing to do with you. You were the only reason I stayed with her. You were my little princess, Summer, and she used you as a weapon against me.”

“She told me the best thing a father can do for his daughter was love her mother,” I say, my tone now emotionless. When I see a tear drop down my father’s cheek, my own tears flow.

“I messed up, but I never stopped loving you, Summer.” I get up from my chair and walk over to him, throwing my arms around him and burying my face in his neck. I cry as he keeps apologizing over and over again, making me cry further.

“I hate seeing you cry,” he says gruffly, wiping my tears with his thumb.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, baby girl. I want you in my life, I want to show you how much I love you. You make an old man proud.”

“I want that, too,” I admit. “And you’re not that old.”

He kisses me on my cheek.

“I’ve missed out on so much. Your mother sent me pictures and kept me updated, but I missed out on being there for you. I regret that we can’t get that time back, but we have now. You’ve made me so happy by coming here, Summer.”

When the sobs subside, my father and I talk, for what feels like the first time. We listen to each other, and we get to know each other.

And it’s perfect.

“Xander tells me you have eyes for Reid.” He doesn't look too happy about it.

“I had eyes for Reid.” My heart hurts at the mere mention of him.

“He’s a complicated kid, but a good one,” my dad says, watching me carefully.

“He doesn’t want me,” I say, feeling sorry for myself.

“You are the most beautiful girl in the world, of course he wants you,” he says, sounding defensive on my behalf.

“You have to think that, I’m your only daughter,” I say, my lip twitching.

“Doesn’t mean it’s not the truth. I’ve known Reid for years, you know that? I was friends with his parents, before...”

“Before his mother died?” I add when he doesn’t continue.

“Right. He’s got a good heart, he loves his brothers more than anything,” he says.

“Brothers?”