Page 60 of Crashing the Altar
Dragginginadeepbreath, I raised my hand and knocked on the front door of Penny’s parents’ home. You’d have thought they knew I was coming with how quickly it was swung open, revealing Caroline Atkins.
Instantly, her eyes lit up, and she rose on her toes to peek around my shoulder. When she saw I was alone, disappointment replaced hope in their green depths, and her lips turned down in a frown.
Taking my hat off and holding it over my heart, I ducked my head. “Afternoon, Caroline.”
“Where’s Penny?” She didn’t waste any time with pleasantries. Not that I could blame her. She hadn’t seen or heard from her daughter in over a month.
If my dad was pissed, I could only imagine the wrath that awaited me from the Atkinses. Penny was their baby girl, their only child. And I was the man who had stolen her away—quite literally.
“She’s here, on the ranch. Getting settled in.”
Caroline’s brows drew down. “Getting settled in where?”
“The cabin.”
She inclined her chin. “Ah, I see.”
I shifted on my feet. “If it’s not too much to ask, I’d like to come in and explain myself.”
Eyes softening at the nervous tremble in my voice, she stepped away from the doorframe, granting me entry. “Of course. Are you hungry? For some reason, I can never quite adjust the portion size on my recipes when the team is on the road, and there are always leftovers from the bunkhouse.”
The entire Atkins family worked for my father. Wade had been his foreman since day one. When he married Caroline and they built this house, she began cooking for the ranch hands. Then, after completing her vet training, Penny was added to the payroll.
They’d given their life to this ranch and look at how I’d repaid them.
“No, ma’am. Thank you, though.” I removed my boots while she latched the door. “I’m sure Wade’s out on the range somewhere—“
“I’m right here.” Heavy footfalls sounded a split second before Wade rounded the corner, coming into view.
Shit. I thought I’d have a few more minutes to prepare my speech.
Not that it mattered. I’d had six weeks to think about what I would say when I came face-to-face with Penny’s parents, and I still didn’t know where to start.
Caroline placed a hand on my arm. “Why don’t we sit down in the kitchen?”
“Yeah.” My voice came out rough as I agreed to her suggestion.
Seated at the kitchen table with my fingers curled around a mug of coffee I hadn’t been allowed to refuse, I made sure to meet their eyes as I took accountability for my actions.
“I want to apologize for the scene I caused at the wedding. I’m not sorry that I did it, but I do regret that it may have put you in a tight spot. If you’lllet me, I would very much like to compensate you for any financial loss as a result.”
Wade’s eyes narrowed. “You only came here to offer us a check?”
I shook my head. “No, sir. I came to beg your forgiveness for marrying your daughter without doing you the courtesy of declaring my intentions first. I love your daughter. I always have. The thought of living one more day without making her mine made it difficult to breathe. My heart overruled my brain, and I can see how that was downright disrespectful to you. I take full responsibility for how I mishandled the situation.”
Pursing his lips, Penny’s father hummed. “You done?”
“Yes, sir.” I couldn’t think of anything else to say.
He folded his arms atop the table and glanced at his wife. “Son, you’ve been covering for that girl for as long as I can remember. You really going to sit here and tell us that runnin’ off and marrying her wasyouridea?”
Um . . .
Either I was more transparent than I realized, or they knew their daughter too well. My money was on the latter.
Doubling down, I gave a firm nod. “Yes, sir.”
Wade guffawed as Caroline failed to hide a smile. “I love that girl with my whole heart, but she’s as wild as the horses we raise. She can’t be tamed.”
