“No time like the present, Ender.” She doesn’t take the message to heart, not yet at least. Too busy sipping on her diet coke and Malibu rum, a nasty-as-fuck combination.
“Yeah, and how about Aunt Sadie, then?” Ender twirls the straw in her cup with her tongue, sidetracking me from answering, my mind going back to how she woke me up with that sweetness she gives to me so willingly.
“Ryder? Hello, is anyone home?” I squeeze her closer to me, whispering in her ear, “You take care of shit with your father, I’ll tackle Aunt Sadie, though gotta tell you, I think Ruger is fixin’ that, so it won’t take much. I’m thankful as hell she had your back. It was a fucked-up situation, but you needed your family, baby. Don’t forget that, yeah?”
“Fine, I’m going. I guess now is a good time as any.” My lips touch hers, giving them a quick kiss.
“I’ll be doing the same. If anythin’ goes south, come find me, but I think you’ll be surprised. Not tellin’ you what we talk about in private, so don’t give me that look. I will say the only time he perks up is when your name is mentioned,” I tell her.
“When did you become a mind reader, hmm?” Ender asks.
“I know my Ol’ Lady.” She rolls her eyes at that, knowing having that title is nothing but a sign of respect. Doesn’t mean Ender cares to be called old either.
We are looking in one another’s eyes, like we’re not surrounded by the club hanging out in the background, bonfires going in a few barrels, couples sitting in lawn chairs, others hanging by the cooler and where the food is stationed. Yep, it might have taken us too many years to count to get to this place, but fuck do I love that we’re here now.
CHAPTER 20
LAVENDER
“Hey, Daddy, do you think I could take a minute of your time?” I walk up to him slowly, so slowly I thought Ryder was going to pick me up and carry me over here. Mom stands up and squeezes my shoulder, kissing my cheek as she walks by. Uncle Razor, Aunt Raven, Uncle Ruger, and Aunt Sadie do the same. I almost say something to Aunt Sadie, but it’s really not my place, and hopefully, Ryder gets that straightened out, too.
“Hey, sugar, of course. I guess this is long overdue, isn’t it?” My dad is still handsome in that older gentleman way, softer around the eyes and midsection. The years have been kind to him. Between him and Mom, Daisy and I lucked out.
“You could say that.” I take Mom’s vacated seat, settling in and wishing I had made another drink to calm my frazzled nerves.
“Yeah, not my proudest moment with that stunt. I thought it was the right thing to do. Learned my lesson if the past week or so is anything to go by. I hate that I created this crater between the two of us.” Dad takes a deep breath then lets it out and continues on, “All I can do is apologize, which I’m shit at doin’. Daisy and your mother told me that plenty of times. I’ll tell you one thing. I couldn’t be prouder of you. No matter the shit I put you and Ryder through, you two prevailed. I’ve got a lot to atone for, and I imagine the day I make it outside those Pearly Gates, the Man will have a word or two to say. I love you, sugar, and I’m so fuckin’ sorry that I tore you and Ryder apart.” I can’t take it anymore, this distance between me and him. He’s my daddy. Even when he’s not perfect, he’s still my daddy, which is why I’m launching myself into his arms. The unique scent of his cologne mixed with motor oil and a hint of smoke, it’s still the same from when I was a little girl and we’d have a family barbecue. Of course, it was on Sundays, a day when kids would run around, wreaking havoc, Ryder doing wheelies on his dirt bike, showing off, Jackson right behind him attempting to do the same, if not better. Of course, even back then, in our early teen years, my eyes were always on Ryder. We didn’t start dating until I was sixteen, Mom and Dad’s rule, or I would have been with the man I love a lot earlier.
“I love you, Daddy, and I forgive you,” I say into his neck, where his hand is holding the back of my head. The way his shoulders drop in relief tells me I held my grudge long enough.
“I love you, sugar. Thankful as fuck you’ve accepted my apology. I know it’ll take time to get us to where we were before, but I’ll bust my ass till it happens, okay?” I pull away from his neck. Tears are dripping down my cheeks. The smile on my face has him giving me one in return.