The Dare (The Bet 3)

Holy shit.

"Grandma?"

"Offered her expertise. How else do you think I was able to plant the media outside the hotel? Grandma can't be in two places at once. She slipped something in your drinks, made sure you made it safely to the hotel, and I took care of all the rest of the details. Right down to sending media to the airport."

"But—"

"Grandma was with you the whole time," Dad laughed, "texting me details."

"But the resort we're staying at? She's a therapist here."

Dad looked at me like I was stupid. I hated being looked at like that. "Titus Enterprises owns several hotel chains. You're staying in one. How else do you think Grandma could infiltrate the staff so effectively?"

"I think I'm going to be sick."

"Good." Dad's eyebrows quirked. "At least you're finally feeling something."

"But…"

"Son... it's when you're at the end of your life that you start thinking about the beginning. Choices made, things you should have said, people you should have forgiven. I don't want that for you. I saw you going down a path that I knew would end in heartache. Travis and I went golfing soon after you confessed about second chances. That's when I put two and two together. It was easily done, and when I saw you at the wedding. I knew…"

"You mean when you drugged us at the wedding."

"My idea was to get you caught in a compromising situation on camera, not drug you, fly to you to Hawaii make you bleed your feelings all over a therapist, and get your first experience with Viagra."

I winced.

"But Grandma had a point. You two needed time to get to know one another, and she provided a safe media-free environment for exactly that to happen. My only question is… did it work?"

"Did what work?"

"Our plan?"

I was silent for a few seconds.

"Son, do you love her?"

"I do." I licked my lips, feeling like a thousand-pound weight had been lifted off my shoulders. "I really do."

"Then chase her."

"What if she doesn't want me back? How do I even know that she would have dated me had my car made it back to the gym?"

Dad smirked., "Son, that's why they call love a leap. It's a bit like faith. You know it exists, though you can't feel it."

"I have no faith in myself."

"That's okay," Dad nodded, his eye welling with tears, "because I have enough faith in you for the both of us."

Chapter Thirty-four

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; "Well," the agent scratched his chin, "you can keep a secret. I'll give you that."

"Thank you."

"But the senator is still missing, and by the looks of it," he checked his watch, "it's been over forty-eight hours."