Page 81 of Before You Can Blink
My wife and I shared a look over our daughter’s head.
Clearing my throat, I explained, “No, sweetheart. I quit because I got hurt one too many times, and the last injury was enough to make me realize that you and your mama were more important.”
“Oh.” I could see her turning that information over in her mind. Hopping down from her perch on the gate, she ran over to me and threw her arms around my waist. “I’m glad you’re safe now.”
I bent down to kiss the top of her head, murmuring thickly, “Me too, baby girl. Me too.”
This little girl didn’t know it, but she’d saved my life. Who knows if I would have ever given up competing if it hadn’t been for her. And if I hadn’t stopped when I did, I could’ve just as easily ended up in an early grave after a ride gone wrong, like Murph.
I would never stop thanking God for the gift of fatherhood—a gift I never wanted but He knew I needed.
Chapter 16
Jett
Age 36
January
Freshfromtheshowerafter a long day, I stepped out of the master bathroom to find Daisy sitting up in bed, eyes moving rapidly as she scanned the text of the novel she held.
Rubbing a towel over my head to dry my hair, I asked, “Whatcha reading?”
My wife let out a little squeak, slamming the book shut and cradling it cover-first toward her chest. “Nothing.”
Sauntering closer, I teased, “Wouldn’t just happen to be the dirty story you and Rose and Caroline and every other woman in this town have been whispering and giggling about for the past week, now would it?”
Daisy lifted her chin. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Mm-hmm. Sure you don’t, darlin’.” Lightning-quick, I lunged, snatching the book out of her hands.
“Jett!” She leapt off the mattress. “Give it back!”
Flipping it over to reveal the shirtless man on the front cover, I chuckled. “How long do you think it took him to wash all that oil off?”
“About as long as it’s gonna take for you to get back in my good graces,” Daisy huffed, stealing back her racy reading material.
“Aw, come on. I was just joshing you, honey. I don’t care what you read. It’s not like those fictional men can jump off the page and steal you away.”
Shoving the book into the top drawer of her bedside table, she climbed back into bed and pulled the blanket over her head. Okay, so she was more than little miffed about me poking fun at her guilty pleasure.
Turning off the overhead lights, I crawled beneath the covers. With a hand on her hip, I tugged gently, urging her to face me. The cutest little scowl twisted her lips, and try as I might, I couldn’t fight the smile that curved onto mine.
“I’m sorry, Daze. What can I do to make it up to you?”
Daisy’s features softened. “Actually, there was something I wanted to talk to you about.”
My heart thrashed wildly in my chest. Nothing good came from a conversation that started like that.
I swallowed roughly, my voice coming out gruff. “Okay.”
Her chest lifted with the force of her deep inhale. “Not sure if you’ve heard, but Principal Taggert is thinking of retiring soon.”
Wasn’t sure what that had to do with us, but I rolled with it anyway. “Good for him. He’s been doing the job a long time.” That wasn’t an exaggeration. He’d been the principal since before I entered kindergarten.
“He has,” she agreed.
Suddenly, it struck me why she was bringing this up. “You wanna throw a retirement party for him here on the ranch?”
