Hunter (Stud Ranch 2)

And then her mouth dropped open.

“Daddy?”

The man winced at her words and turned away as she ran forward and grabbed his arm.

It was him.

“How…?”

He looked healthy. His skin was flushed a healthy pink and he was on his feet—far from the emaciated man who couldn’t even sit up in bed by the end.

“Isobel.” Her name was heavy on his lips. His head sank to his chest as he said it and he lifted a hand to his temple like he was in pain. Because of her.

Her elation at seeing him again sputtered. Even in this miracle place where her father was healthy again, he still couldn’t stand to be around her. His own daughter.

“I’ll go.” She backed away from him, her voice thick.

But as she started to turn, her father’s hand shot out to stop her.

“No, Isobel.” He finally lifted his head and what she saw on his face froze her in her tracks. Tears welled in his eyes.

“I’m so sorry. I don’t expect you to ever forgive me. But I’m so, so sorry.”

Isobel blinked, struck speechless.

“I failed you for years. Didn’t believe you when you said—” He turned his face away from her. “I was too much of a coward to face things and make it right. And then it was too late. I know money can’t make up for how I failed you but I just needed you to know—you were everything to me.”

“Daddy!” Isobel threw herself into his arms and he wrapped her up in his embrace. She’d never felt such soul-deep warmth in her life.

“I needed you to know that, baby. I love you and I’m so sorry for how I failed you. But now you need to make a choice.”

He pulled back from Isobel and pointed behind her.

She turned around and saw her body on a hospital bed, doctors working frantically all around her. And Hunter near the door, an orderly holding him back.

She swung back around to her father. “What? I don’t underst—”

“Sure you do,” her dad said, putting a gentle hand on her arm. “You’re so beautiful.” He reached out and touched her cheek. “Just li

ke your mother.”

Isobel jerked back from him. “Exactly.”

Her heart sank as she looked back at herself on the bed. “I’m too much like her, Dad. This will be hard on Hunter. But,” her voice cracked and she had to swallow before going on. “But maybe it’s better this way—before I go crazy like mom and screw everything up. Or if we ever had children…” She shuddered at the thought. No, she’d never put a child through what she’d gone through. Better her heart stop beating while she lay on that hospital bed right this second.

Maybe this was what loving Hunter meant. Hurting him now to save him from the far greater hurt she might inflict later on.

“Baby, you aren’t your mother,” Dad said, his eyebrows furrowed. “All I ever wanted for you was to live your own life. I never wanted that single day to define you. It’s why I tried to get you help.” He shook his head but then took her hands, entreating her. “You’re perfect just the way you are. Whether you come with me now or many, many years from now, please know that. You’re perfect.”

There was such sincerity in his eyes as he repeated it over and over. That she was perfect and he loved her just as she was.

But then he glanced over her shoulder.

“Not much time now. You’ve got to make a decision.”

Isobel’s throat went tight as she turned, looking back and forth from the hospital scene to her father. She didn’t know what was the right thing to do.

“What if I can’t decide? I mean, this is too big. I can’t—”