Page 59 of Spencer and the Younger Girl
He looked out at the rolling waves. “Hadley—”
“Let’s talking about something else. Anything else.”
“Are you enjoying your time on the ranch?” He stopped a few feet from the edge of the water and lowered himself to the sand.
“Next question.”
“You and I have barely had time to talk for days.”
“Papa, that’s because I wake up before any reasonable person should, and by the time I get home, I’m too exhausted to speak.”
“Yet, every day you go.”
“Because I have to.” She dropped down beside him and focused on the colors trying to break free of the gray clouds.
“I failed with your mother, Hadley.” He went quiet for a moment, and she sucked in a breath at the confession.
He cleared his throat. “I gave her everything she wanted, and I don’t think it’s a secret that she’s now a spoiled woman who has no appreciation for what she has.”
“Is that why it was so hard to get you to let me go to Paris?”
He bumped her shoulder. “I want you to see the world, to have that opportunity, but I’m so scared. You’re my second chance to get this right. I’m not your parent, but your wellbeing falls to me.”
“I get it, Papa. I don’t want to end up like her either.” A thought struck her, but it couldn’t be true. He wouldn’t manipulate her like that.
But if Mrs. Lee knew Hadley didn’t steal those goats… “Papa… tell me working on the ranch wasn’t your idea.”
He winced, and she had her answer.
Jumping to her feet, she paced to the edge of the water and back. “You lied to me.”
“Hadley, Mrs. Lee is a friend. I buy jams and fruit from her at the farmers’ market. That family… they’re good people who work hard. I thought if you worked with them for just a week, it could save you from going down the same path as your mom.”
She put her hands on her hips and stared down at him. “Have you ever thought maybe I wouldn’t go down that path because I don’t want to? Just because I’m not dying to go off to college doesn’t mean I won’t do anything with my life. I thought you understood me better than that.”
She turned away from him. “So, I could stop working at the ranch today, and it would be fine?”
Just saying that out loud twisted something inside her. Could she really live with not seeing Spencer every day? Or hanging out in Mrs. Lee’s kitchen with Gabe?
What about Stammer?
“If that is what you decide, then it’s okay with me.” He stood and dusted off his butt.
A raindrop hit her cheek, and she lifted her face to the sky where a few more broke free.
When she lowered her gaze to her grandfather once more, she released a growl. “You knew I’d have to go back, didn’t you?” She hated how easily he could read her.
He was right. The parenting had always fallen to him. Between her unknown father and selfish mother, he was all she’d had.
She turned to walk back up the beach. Pausing, she glanced back over her shoulder. “You know you’ve been more than enough, right?”
He swallowed and unleashed the most grandpa-like smile.
He hadn’t failed with her mom. Her mom made her own choices. And now it was time for Hadley to make hers.
It might only be for this week, but she’d made a commitment to the Lee’s, and she intended to see it through.
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