Page 5 of My Mistake To Make

‘This bloody village,’ I muttered. I loved it. I really did, but they had absolutely no concept of privacy. ‘Yes, I sold my house. I colored my hair. I pierced my nose, and I think I might well get a tattoo.’ Not today, and probably not until I’ve spent months considering what to get, but I would get one. ‘There’s nothing wrong, Dad. You’re always telling me to go out and live, and that’s what I’m trying to do.’

‘I don’t want to see you making a mistake, darling.’

‘What’s so wrong about a mistake, Dad? I am one, after all.’ I snapped…I never snapped.

‘Cara Marie,’ Dad gasped my name, recoiling as though I’d slapped him.

‘I’m sorry, but you’ve spent my whole life calling me a mistake, Dad, and then you act as though a mistake is the worst thing that can happen to a person.’ I saw the way my words registered as hurt, and realization slid over his features.

‘I never meant…’

‘I know you didn’t, but you said it—a lot. I’ve made some changes, Dad. I’m trying to get out of my comfort zone a bit and do the things I always thought were great but never thoughtIcould do. I’m Cara McKenzie. I’m safe and organized, and I’m plain and boring. Well, I don’t want to be that anymore, Dad.’

‘You’re not boring.’ His voice was soft, and I knew he felt terrible. ‘And you’re not a mistake. You were… a surprise.’

Tears pricked my eyes at his words, words I’d longed to hear my whole life.

‘Oh, Dad. You old fool.’

I moved to hug him, releasing those tears as he held on to me for dear life.

‘Less of the old.’ He let me go, and I wiped my cheeks. ‘I’m sorry if I ever made you feel like you were a regret for us. I used that word without thinking. Trust me, you and your mum are the best things to ever happen in my life.’

‘Thanks, Dad.’

I smiled softly and took in his words.

‘Well, I have to go. I’m going to see Jamie.’

‘Cara.’ There was a warning tone in my dad’s voice. ‘Be careful, okay? If you weren’t enough for him before, I don’t think he deserves you now.’

‘Oh, I know.’

He looked away, a worried look in his eyes as he pressed his lips together, and I turned, kicking off my slippers and stepping into my trainers before heading out.

Jamie lived just outsidethe village and only really came in to go to work. He hadn’t done that in a couple of weeks, so I doubted he’d heard any of the gossip.

I saw the lights on as I headed up the path and knocked on the door. Excitement rushed through me like nothing I had ever felt before. Oh, that’s what it was, not nerves. I was thrilled to be doing this.

‘Cara?’

My name was a question as he answered the door, his gaze lowering down my body and back up.

‘Hi. Can we talk?’

‘You look—’ He shook his head like he didn’t know what to say, and I loved it. ‘Cara, I don’t think we have anything to talk about. Wait, you’re not pregnant, are you? Oh god, tell me you aren’t pregnant.’

Now I didn’t know what to say. I thought for sure he’d be intrigued enough by the changes to let me in to talk. Instead, he was filling the doorway as much as he could.

‘No, I’m not, but I just…’

‘Cara, we broke up. I’m leaving.’

That shocks me. ‘What? How?’ Considering he was also my boss, I would have expected to have heard that news.

‘I have an old colleague coming in to run the practice for a year. I’m going traveling.’

‘I sold my house.’ This is not going how I thought it would when I planned it all out in my head. Get it together, Cara. He’s turning me into the same weak, bumbling mess he always did.

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