Page 6 of Missing Pieces (Men of Manhattan 3)

"You being born asked that of me." He touched the bottom of my chin again. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. But I'm glad you're home now, though. I could use the extra help around the bar. I haven't been feeling up to it."

I nodded. I suddenly saw the wrinkles around his mouth and the hollow look of his eyes. He looked sick. He looked like a shadow of the man I had left behind to go to college. And he was telling me not to feel guilty about that. But I felt horrible. Had I really been so self centered that I hadn't noticed he was hurting?

"I'm sorry about the bar. I thought...well, I thought I'd get better."

I shook my head. "Don't worry about the bar, Dad." I embraced him in a hug. I didn't give a shit about the bar. All I really cared about in this whole world was him. He was it. I had to figure out a way to get the money for his treatment.

"Now get back to work, your old man needs to sit down."

"Okay." I wiped away my tears. All I could think about was that he'd never get a chance to truly grow old. I watched him sit down. He coughed again. How had I not realized he was sick?

"It's going to be okay, hon. You're going to be okay."

Without you? No, I wasn't. I nodded my head, but it was more of a reflex than an actual agreement. I wasn't a child. I knew that life wasn't fair. But this? My dad didn't deserve this. I swallowed down the lump in my throat as I made my way back to the bar. If the bar did well the next month, that wasn't going to change anything. That wasn't going to be enough money.

"Here," I said and put Tyler's phone and charger down on the counter.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine." I put on my fake smile. The one I so often used around customers. The one I so often used around campus. The one I seemed to use way more than my real smile.

"Thanks for this," he said and grabbed his phone. For a brief second his fingers brushed against mine.

I felt a spark. This tiny spark that suddenly made me not feel like crawling under the bar and crying my eyes out. I frowned.

He immediately moved his hand away. "And for directions," Tyler said. "I owe you one."

I started at him. He owed me one? I'd never see him again. "Have a safe drive." I folded my arms across my chest.

"Thanks." He hopped off the bar stool and walked out the door where he had come.

I glanced back toward my dad's office. I wasn't ready to give up like he was. And staying here wasn't going to fix anything. I needed to see Elena. Despite what he said, she owed me. She owed me this one thing.

I couldn't let my dad die. I couldn't. I united my apron, threw it on the bar counter, and ran after Tyler. He was just climbing into his car.

"Let me come with you!"

He turned his head toward me. "Um...what? I didn't think you were serious about wanting to hitchhike."

"You said you owed me one. Let me come with you."

"That's just an expression."

"Please." I could hear the exasperation in my voice. He was going to think I was completely crazy.

"Look, I don't even know where I'm going."

"It doesn't matter. As long as you end up in California."

"Why don't you just take a flight?"

"I don't have the money. But, I mean, I have some. I can help pay for gas. Or whatever you need."

"I don't know if..."

I grabbed the handle of the passenger side door and climbed into his car. He was fucking taking me to California whether he wanted to or not.

Chapter 4

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