Page 90 of Second Chance Wedding
“I have online orders to prep,” she said, wincing when she heard how defensive she sounded.
It wasn’t a lie. It was Cyber Monday and she did have orders to do…but nothing that couldn’t wait a few moments.
“I won’t take much of your time. Perhaps we could get some coffee?”
Ana swallowed and shook her head. “I can’t leave the store. Sasha has today off since she covered for me all weekend.”
“Yes, the bachelorette. That’s why I’m… I was disappointed to discover Ben didn’t ask to stay with us, but I suppose that’s my fault.”
“You could suppose that,” she said, somehow managing to keep her tone even. “What do you want?”
Her father locked his hands behind his back, looking every bit as uncomfortable as she felt.
“After church last evening, someone pulled me aside to speak with me. I keep a picture of Ben on my desk at work. This person recognized Ben when they saw him at a restaurant with a man on Saturday night and that Ben seemed to be upset.”
She so didn’t have the patience for this today. “Ben…was upset,” she said softly. “Look, Dad, I know about the restaurant and what happened, but I can assure you??—”
“Let me finish,” her father said, apparently sensing her desire to end the conversation. “My friend is…observant and was concerned, so he followed them to the parking lot when they left. He kept his distance to give himself time to assess the situation when he overheard the reasons for Ben’s upset.”
Ben had told her bits and pieces of that conversation. How Cole had said family wasn’t only made by blood. “Dad, Ben has been going through some things lately. If his behavior somehow embarrassed you…”You’ll have to get over yourself.
“I am embarrassed by my own behavior, Analise.”
Shock rocked her to her soul. Her father wasn’t a quiet man. He was large and loud with a deep voice that carried authority and strength. Except now he spoke softly, the deep tone trembling with the words.
“Your mother has very astutely pointed out that I have failed you and Ben in so many ways. I’ve let my pride keep me from seeing…so many things. Kept me from being the man I needed to be for my family.”
It had. His pride had won out because his pregnant teenage daughter, the college drop-out and single mother, had embarrassed her very conservative, very prominent and very driven father. “Yourfriendtold you why Ben was there that night?”
Her father’s chin trembled as he visibly struggled to control his emotions. Ana took a slow, deep breath and forced herself to walk across the sales floor to the door, locking it and flipping the Closed sign. That done, she dimmed the lights and retraced her steps on shaky legs, leading the way toward the far side of the space where two chairs sat near a full-length mirror outside the changing rooms. “Sit down, Dad.”
Her father did as requested and seated himself on the edge of the elegant chair with his elbows on his knees, hands clasped in front of him. She inhaled and sighed again. “Your friend…must have been someone close to you if he recognized Ben.”
A low huff emerged from his chest, and he nodded. “My bailiff. I’ve spent more time with him over the last twenty years than your mother.”
“I’m still surprised he would recognize Ben.” She didn’t send her parents pictures. Hadn’t because of their response to her pregnancy and the aftermath and theyearsof discord ever since. They weren’t the card-and-picture-exchanging type of family.
“I download and print Ben’s photos from social media. Kids these days post a lot of pictures.”
His words brought a reluctant smile to her lips. “That they do.”
“Ana, your mother told me about the conversation you had at the bridal shower for Quinley. She wanted Thanksgiving to go well, and I-I didn’t allow that to happen. I can’t say that I won’t have opinions on things, but in the future, I will try my best to offer them only when asked, and I’d like to formerly apologize as well for…everything that happened between us back then. There are graceful ways of handling situations such as the one we found ourselves in, and I didn’t handle any of it with grace. I have numerous regrets for how I treated you, the things I said in my anger and upset. If there is any way we could put our differences aside and start fresh, I would very much like to do so.”
She stared at her father in silent shock. He seemed sincere. As genuine and apologetic as she hadeverknown him to be in her life. He looked wrecked, broken and nothing like the man who couldn’t accept that his baby girl had fallen off the pedestal he’d put her on and proven she was human after all.
But did he truly mean what he said? “I know where Ben was and why. But I can’t help but wonder if hearing your friend say Cole was there with Ben during that moment didn’t simply…bruise your pride again?”
To her horror, tears filled her father’s gaze, and a rough sound left him.
“My pride, no. My heart? It destroyed me. Because it should have beenme, Analise. I should have been the one at Ben’s side when he sought out his father, and in my foolishness andstupidity, I wasn’t even a thought. I know I was wrong. I was wrong about so many things. I see that now. But knowing neither of you feel that you can depend on me for help or…anything, it breaks my very soul. If you’d allow me, I’d like to offer again, to pay for the damages done to Cole’s business.”
“No.” She fisted her hands and shook her head. Letting him pay for the damages would end her contact with Cole, but she couldn’t allow it. Ben had a lesson to learn from what he’d done, and despite what had happened, Benneededto work off what he owed. Even if it meant spending more time with Cole. As hard as it was to hear Ben say how much it meant to him that Cole had understood, she couldn’t—wouldn’t—take that time away from Ben. Not when her son needed it so badly. “If that’s a condition of your apology, I don’t want it.”
“It’s not a condition, Analise. Just an offer. It’s hard getting a business off the ground, and I would imagine money is tight right now. I’d like to help.”
“The answer is no. Ben is working off the cost and being held responsible for his actions. I believe it’s good for him.Heneeds to do this. Please respect that and don’t ask again.”
Her father was visibly reluctant, but he nodded. “I understand.”
