The fact Ashley sounded so matter-of-fact about it all only hurt worse.
He’d been neglecting his daughter. He’d been trying to give them a better life and in the process he’d done just the opposite. He’d walked away from the best shot at happiness for both of them.
“Let me show you something,” he said, clicking on his phone and showing Ashley the text from Tara on the screen. “She invited you over to help her plant a butterfly garden later. Do you want to go?”
Ashley squealed and clapped. “Yes, Daddy! Please, can I go?”
Days ago, his reaction would have been no. It would be too messy and too complicated and too risky, considering his feelings for Tara. But now, how could he deny his baby girl this chance at joy?
How can I deny myself?
That thought brought him up short. His pulse raced and sweat prickled the back of his neck. Tara had given him joy. Joy and love and happiness. And now it was like the sun had gone out without her. He loved Tara Crumb. Loved her with every fibre of his being, and damn if he wasn’t going to try and win her back. He wanted to have the chance to pro
ve his love to her every single day for the rest of their lives.
She’d invited Ashley over, not him. Tara had to know he’d be dropping her off, though, right? It wasn’t like she’d told him to stay away. Maybe if he was there, they could have a chance to talk and work out some of the issues between them. If nothing else, it might give him a chance to apologize and beg for her forgiveness.
He found himself grinning just like Ashley as he nodded. “Yep, you can definitely go. Let me just text her back.”
Clint typed out the word and stopped, his thumb hovering over the send button. It was just a simple text response, but it felt momentous, like a turning point or another threshold he was crossing. Once he clicked, he’d be putting himself out there, putting his heart and his emotions on the line.
Was he ready for it? Not really. Was it necessary? Absolutely.
Tara had helped him realize that too. She’d helped him in more ways than he could count, and now it was payback time.
“All right, kiddo,” he said, putting Ashley down and standing. “Go clean up your toys and we’ll get going.”
It was still early, but if Clint wanted to make a good impression tonight and show Tara that he’d really changed, he had some preparing to do.
Twenty minutes later, they were walking out the front entrance just as Noah and Levon were walking back in. The guys stepped aside and held the door for him and Ashley as they headed out into the parking lot.
“Where you headed to this early on a Friday afternoon?” Noah said, shielding his eyes from the sun with his hand.
Clint started to say, “Got some errands to run and—”
“We’re going to see Tara tonight!” Ashley said, cutting him off.
She skipped off to his car, leaving Clint to stare at the guys as they both raised eyebrows at him. Cheeks hot, he scowled down at his keys in his hand. “Don’t say it.”
The guys laughed and Levon shook his head. “Nothing to say, dude, except that it’s about damned time.”
He mumbled something under his breath as he turned away and headed to his car, biting back a smile as the guys yelled from behind him, “Go get her, man!”
Yep. That’s exactly what Clint hoped to do. Win back the woman of his dreams.
21
“We’re here,” Ashley yelled, managing to get out of her booster seat and out the door before Clint could stop her.
He watched her race up the front walk to Tara’s porch from where he sat, still in the car, steeling himself. He shouldn’t be nervous, not after spending weeks with Tara, but he was. Probably because this was important to him. Maybe the most important thing in his life—second only to becoming a father.
Clint glanced over and saw the front door open to reveal Tara, looking amazing as always in her jeans and a T-shirt. If he was honest, she looked better in casual clothes then any woman he’d ever seen in a full-out evening gown and jewels.
Of course, he might be a little biased too.
Tara bent and hugged Ashley and his throat tightened a little bit. He loved his daughter so much and over the years, he’d wondered if he’d ever find someone who felt the same about his wonderful little girl. She was a lot to take sometimes, with her strong opinions and her wicked smart brain, but he wouldn’t want Ashley any other way. To see Tara embrace her so completely, just as she was, only confirmed to him that he was making the correct choice.
Right. Okay. Time to do this.