Chapter 52

52

DEAN

M o looked like he wanted to throttle me—or bash my skull in with the wrench in his hand. Either would suck. But he and I had too much history for me to let it all end without one more chance at reconciliation.

In the last couple of weeks since Sarah and I split, I'd found my clarity. I knew who I was, what I wanted, and what I was willing to give in order to get it. But it all had to start here.

Mo didn't say a word. I leaned against a cabinet that held tools. A plate of cookies sat on a nearby table. I remembered Sarah's advice and ignored them.

The tension was thick. I needed to break through it. This thing between us could not keep going. I didn't know what was happening when I pulled up, but I saw the hurt in her eyes, the tears staining her cheeks. I saw her come out of the garage, which told me she'd been talking with her dad. I couldn't begin to imagine what she was dealing with during her trip home. It pissed me off that her father didn't see how amazing she was, and if he kept making her cry, it would be my turn to punch him .

I took a deep breath. "Mo, I've got a lot I need to say. I have no expectations you'll be willing to have a conversation with me, but I'm going to say my piece anyway. After, the ball is in your court."

He snorted. "Did the two of you organize this?"

"Organize what?" I asked.

"Everyone needs to say their piece to me today." He shook his head. "Am I being held in here?"

"In your garage?" I asked with confusion. "No. No one is holding you, but I am going to say what I have to. You got to say your piece, and if I remember correctly, you got in a swing that went unreturned. You owe me this."

"I don't owe you shit." He scoffed. "The way I see it, one punch wasn't enough."

"Are you going to be a man about this or not?" I snapped.

He finally looked at me, his eyes narrow and shooting plenty of anger. "You came a long way just to be told to piss off. So speak."

I let his anger roll off my back. I was giving him a little leeway on that, but it wasn't going to last forever. "I'm sorry for betraying you, Mo. I know what I did was wrong, and I don't deserve your forgiveness. I have no excuses. Only an apology. I knew better. I had every opportunity to make a different choice, but I didn't. And I know I hurt you, and my actions have had ripple effects that have also hurt Sarah and your family. I never wanted that. I know you may not understand it, or believe it, but I really didn't have a choice. I tried to stay away from her, but she's special."

Mo's jaw tightened, his grip on the wrench flexing. "Sarah isn't your concern anymore. She's my daughter. She will always be my daughter and my responsibility. I'm handling things after you nearly destroyed her career."

"Okay, rein it in, drama queen," I said with a shake of my head. "Her career is just fine. You are the one intent on destroying her career and her confidence with all of your accusations. No one needs to know about Sarah's private life."

"Sarah doesn't have a private life," he shot back. "She's a pilot. She's a Thomas. She is looked up to and held to a different standard than everyone else. Her private life should never have anything in it that disrespects her name or her reputation. Like I said, it is none of your concern what happens to her from this moment on."

"She'll always be my concern because I'm in love with her."

Anger flashed in his eyes. He took quick strides and closed the distance between us. I didn't move. I let him get in my face. If he wanted to hit me again, I would take it. One more hit. That was what I would let him get away with. If he thought I was going to go limp and let him beat the shit out of me, he was dead wrong. I looked right into his eyes, challenging him. Daring him.

"Don't say that shit to me," Mo hissed. "Love her? She's a child!"

"You're a child!" I said firmly. "Sarah, on the other hand, is an impressive woman. She knows who she is and where she's going. She's strong. Capable. Clever. And perhaps one of the best flyers I've ever met. She will always be your baby, Mo. I get that. But to me? She's my second chance."

"Your second chance?" Mo seethed, his face scarlet under his thinning gray hair. "What makes you think you get to have your second chance with her? She's innocent. You're nearly ten years older than her. I'm not letting you run off with my little girl."

"I genuinely care about her. I'm not running off with her. I'm standing here in front of you, trying to talk to you like a man."

"Care?" Mo spat the word at me, as if it left a bad taste in his mouth. "You don't know the meaning of the word."

"You and I both know that's bullshit," I said. "You know me, Mo. You can talk all the crap you want, but you know I'm not that kind of man. I don't disrespect women. If I tell you I'm in love with her, I mean it."

"Get the hell out of here," Mo said through gritted teeth, his face inches from mine.

"I'm willing to talk if you change your mind," I replied calmly. "But I'm not giving up on Sarah."

"I'm not going to let her anywhere near you, Ryker," Mo threatened. "You're going to London, and she's staying here where I can keep an eye on her. She's going to get herself back on track, and if you dare reach out and try to ruin that, I'll destroy you. You'll never climb into another cockpit again. You'll be riding a desk in some backwoods base, counting paperclips. You don't know how much worse I can make it. If you know what's good for you, get your ass to London and move on."

"I'm not going to London," I said, stepping back toward the garage door. "I quit."

Shock painted his face, even through the rage. I would have laughed if it wasn't so serious. While he was still seething, I decided I would take my leave.

After grabbing a cookie, I walked out of the garage and nibbled on it, wondering if that conversation had swayed Mo at all. Sarah was sitting on the front step of the house, wringing her hands. She popped up to her feet when she saw me coming.

"What did you talk to my dad about? Did he punch you again?" She looked at my face. "Please tell me you didn't hit him ."

I smiled and shook my head. "No punches this time. Come for a drive with me. We need to talk."

She looked around. "Let me tell my mom. I don't want her to worry."

"I'll be in the car."

I got into the rental car I'd picked up from the airport after landing in Colorado. I waited for her, keeping an eye on the garage door. I had no idea what he might do. He stepped out of the garage just as Sarah came out the front door. I gripped the steering wheel, waiting to see what happened next.

Sarah looked at her father and then me. She walked toward the car and I hopped out and opened the passenger door for her. Neither of us said anything until we were down the road.

The scenery passed by in a blur. I drove without really knowing where I was going. We reached a scenic lookout, and it seemed liked as good a place as any to talk.

I parked the car and had to take a moment to appreciate the beauty. The mountains stretched out before us, a beautiful backdrop for a conversation that would change everything, one way or another. I supposed if I was about to spill my guts, it made sense to do it somewhere beautiful.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly.

"I'm okay. You?"

She sighed. "Honestly, I have no idea."

"I'm sorry."

"Dean, what are you doing here?"

"I came to see you," I answered. "Technically, both of you. I thought it would be better to have these conversations in person."

She nodded, blinking back tears once again. "I understand."

"Sarah, are you okay?" I asked again.

"I'm fine." She forced a smile.

"I'm guessing your visit hasn't gone well?"

She let out a small laugh. "No. I found out I'm a horrible sister and a worse daughter. I'm selfish and self-absorbed. I suck all the oxygen out of the room. I play the victim too much and I'm basically awful."

"The hell you are," I said. "That's not even a little bit true. I'm sorry. You shouldn't feel that way. You are none of those things. Whoever said that doesn't really know you. Except sucking the oxygen out of the room. Maybe you do that, but only because when you walk into a room, I can't look anywhere else."

She smiled softly. "Thank you. I still can't believe you are here. Why? Really, what are you doing here? We said goodbye. I don't know if this is helping."

"How are you for real?" I asked her.

She was worrying me. I had never seen her look so defeated. I was pretty sure she had lost a little weight. It was clear she wasn't sleeping. The dark circles under her eyes were a testament to that. Despite all of that, looking at her made my heart soar. She was beautiful. I could smell her unique scent. It brought back so many memories. Memories that had been haunting me for weeks since she left. It was the scent that I dreamed about.

"I've had better days." She smiled softly. "My dad is just not ready to forgive me for breaking his rules. Is that why you're here? To try and get back into his good graces?"

"No." I shook my head. "Not really. I'm here for you."

"Me?"

I turned to her, my heart pounding. "Sarah, I came to tell your father that I'm not giving up on you. I'm in love with you, Sarah Thomas. You've given me more than I ever thought I deserved, and I'd be a fool to let you get away. Even if it costs me the friendship I have with your father, it will be well worth it. So long as you want me, too."