Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 25071 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 125(@200wpm)___ 100(@250wpm)___ 84(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25071 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 125(@200wpm)___ 100(@250wpm)___ 84(@300wpm)
“I know, baby girl. You’re right. And I should have taught you to ride.”
“It really doesn’t matter,” she told him, reaching over to take his hand. “I still think we should sell it. I’m not sure I want to ride it anymore.”
“You shouldn’t let this scare you off, Sunny. It was just an accident.”
“An accident which scratched the bike and dented the garage door and my head?”
His face grew serious. “Don’t joke about dents in your head. That’s not funny.”
“Sorry, Daddy.”
“Let’s just keep your bike for now. We’ll take that money for your parents from the emergency fund. Who knows, maybe there’s nothing wrong with the RV. They probably didn’t put gas in it.”
She groaned. Because it could totally be that.
“You’re right,” she said. “Thank you for understanding. They’re not the best parents in the world, but I don’t like to think of them being stranded and homeless.”
Duke stood and started pacing back and forth. “Honest truth is that if it was up to me, I wouldn’t do shit for them. They’re crap parents, Sunny. They’re neglectful and uncaring. And I know you think that because they didn’t harm you physically that you don’t have the right to call them abusive. But neglect is abuse, baby. So yeah, if it was up to me, I wouldn’t help them. And I fucking hate that the only time they’ve called you since I’ve been with you is to ask for money.”
She gaped at him. Then she pushed herself up, so she was sitting.
“Easy, baby.” He came over and sat facing her. “You should stay lying down.”
“I’m all right. I just . . . I didn’t realize you felt that way about them. You never said anything.”
“I should have. But I know you love them, faults and all. However, they don’t get to call you and ask for money and pay no attention to the rest of your life.”
Sunny chewed her lip. “You’re right. They got Greg’s name wrong. They thought I was still married to him. And they didn’t even know about the wedding when I left countless messages. I don’t even think they have the same phone, since Serenity called me on an unknown number. They don’t care about me at all, do they?”
Tears dripped down her face as she stared up at him in misery.
“Oh, my baby.” He carefully pulled her onto his lap, holding her gently. Brushing the hair off her face, he grabbed her chin and tilted her head back. “That’s why I never said anything. Because I didn’t want you to be sad. But I won’t let them use you. Understand?”
“So, we shouldn’t send them the money?”
Duke sighed as she rubbed at her cheeks, wiping away her tears. But they kept flowing. Turning, she buried her face in his shirt and let go. All the emotion she’d held back burst out of her.
She wrapped her hand around his shirt. Duke was right. Her parents didn’t care about her and it was time she came to terms with that.
“Baby, calm down. Shh, it’s all right. Hey, listen to me. Maybe your parents are shit, but you know what?”
“What?” she asked.
“You have a family who loves you so much. Our friends are our family. And they’d do anything for you. You don’t need Serenity and Phoenix because you have people who adore you.” He reached over to the nightstand to grab some tissues.
It hurt to realise that her parents were never going to be the people she thought they might be. But maybe it hurt a bit less than she’d expected. Because she’d known for a while that they weren’t ever going to change. It was just time to stop hoping for the best and settle with her reality.
They’d always be who they were.
And they weren’t people she needed in her life.
“You’re right. My real family are the people who are always there for me. Who would drop everything to help me.”
He cleaned her face and held the tissue to her nose. “Blow.”
She blew her nose, groaning in pain because that hurt. Duke wiped her nose, which was a bit gross. Then he placed the tissue aside before lightly grabbing hold of her chin and tilting her face up.
“You’re amazing, Sunny. So kind and caring and sweet. It’s their loss, not having someone as special as you in their lives.”
He was so sweet.
“What should we do? Not send them the money?”
“No, I think we should send it. But I’m going to make it clear that’s it. That we’re not helping them with anything else. And that they’re not to call you unless they suddenly want to become decent parents.”
“All right. Let’s do that. Thank you, Duke. For being my family. For loving me.”
“You don’t ever have to thank me for that.”
6
Four days before the wedding . . .
Son-of-a-freaking-peach!
What was going on?