Delicate Promises (Southern Bride 2)

“Miles, it’s good to see you. I heard you were home from the Marines.”

It didn’t take me long to react, and apparently Rich had been at the ready because he grabbed me when I went after my father. He held me back as I shouted. “What the fuck are you doing here? You’re not welcome here, asshole!”

“Miles, that’s enough,” my mother said, walking over to me.

“No, Mom. I’m only getting started.” Focusing back on my father, I snarled at him. “What’s wrong, Dad? Girlfriend leave you high and dry? Now that you found out the farm is paid for, you thought you’d come back home and take it?”

Dalton Adams stepped forward. He was the attorney in town. The guy who had helped me save the farm.

“Miles, I know how you’re feeling, believe me, I know,” Dalton said.

My eyes caught Dalton’s. He did know. His father had up and left his momma and six kids. That was why he had worked so hard with me. It was Dalton who convinced the bank to give me an extension on the loan. Once they found out I was joining the Marines, they gave me a four-month extension, and if I hadn’t come up with the money at the end of the time period, they would have foreclosed on the farm. Needless to say, I came up with the money.

I relaxed, nodding to Rich that it was okay. I’d gotten the worst out of my system. I still wanted to beat the shit out of my sperm donor, but I’d let it go. For now.

“Why are you here?” I asked in a calmer voice.

“Miles, as you’re aware, we’ve been searching for your father since you paid off the farm to get the title transferred into your name,” Dalton said.

I nodded. “Yes, and it looks like you found him.”

Dalton pulled in a deep breath and let it out. “Yes, well, we have a problem.”

“What sort of problem?” I said, looking at my father. He smirked, and I fought the urge to punch that fucking smirk off his face.

Dalton cleared his throat. “Your father has stated that your offer is not something he can entertain.”

Rich moved closer to me, clearly expecting me to go after our father again. Instead, I laughed and folded my arms over my chest. “Why am I not surprised?”

A look of anger passed over my old man’s face.

“How much more do you want?” I asked.

“Miles, may I speak with you alone?” my mother asked.

Turning to her, I nodded.

“Let’s go outside,” she said.

After giving my father a look that I hoped screamed I hated him, I followed my mother outside.

We walked off the porch and over to a swing my father had put up years ago when Rich and I were younger. My mother sat in it. She closed her eyes, dropped her head back, and drew in a deep breath through her nose before she let it out.

“Mom, what did you want to talk to me about?”

She cleared her throat. “If it were up to me, that man wouldn’t get a dime. He has done nothing to contribute to this farm for over fifteen years.”

“I agree. I thought my offer to buy him out was fair.”

“And unnecessary.”

“But needed. Mom, his name is on the title. He could sell this place out from under us.”

She wiped a tear away. “Yes, and I have no doubt he wouldn’t do that simply to be an ass.”

“More like a motherfucker.”

Her eyes snapped up to mine. “I’m sorry.”

“Miles, there’s something you need to know before we go back in there.”

“Okay.”

“Your father and I split up a few years after we got married. When I caught him cheating on me.”

“What?” I wasn’t sure why I was surprised, but to know that he was a cheater the entire time made me feel ill.

“I look back now and think what a stupid fool I was to believe him when he begged me to forgive him and come back. None of you were born yet, and I was still young and foolish. I moved back in with my folks and started to go out a lot with some friends, and I connected with an old boyfriend from high school. I had filed for divorce from your father, so I didn’t feel like I was cheating. We went out a few times and I ended up sleeping with him. A month later I found out I was pregnant, with you. Miles, Peter is not your father.”

My entire world spun, and I found myself fighting for air. I held up my hand and motioned I needed a few minutes to let this soak in. Mom simply nodded and waited for me to come around.

“Does he know?”

She nodded. “Of course, he knows. Your father said we would put it all behind us, and he would raise the baby, raise you, as his own. He begged me to forgive him, and I did because a part of me felt guilty, as well. I think we both felt guilty and were trying to fix things. I got back with him, had you and life settled down perfectly for us. I was actually happy, and your father was happy. We had Rich and we didn’t wait long to try for another baby.”