“Wow, thanks for the glowing review, Karen.”
“I mean it, Sean. You’re ridiculous, a little insane—”
“It keeps getting better.”
“But deep down, like really, really deep—”
“Does this end?”
“Down, you have the biggest heart of any of us. I saw how upset you were when you came home. I’ve never seen you like that. I think you’ve finally found the one that changed everything for you.”
“Ugh, this is getting mushy.” I steal the ball from him.
“Just…don’t give up. That’s the worst thing you can do.”
That was never even a consideration. I’ll never give up on London. I'll never stop trying to be enough for her.
“Sorry I’m late,” Michael yells as he busts through the doors. “My beautiful wife made steak. Have I mentioned how much I love that woman?”
That's it. This court is no longer sacred. I give up.
Chapter 25
London
Aftercryingonthephone with Monica for an hour, I got the nerve to go home and face this head-on.
I unlock the door and tiptoe inside.
Kind ofhead-on.
My foot hits the spot in the wood flooring that always creaks and I cringe.
“London?” my dad calls.
“Yep.” I purse my lips and resume a normal walk.
The TV shuts off and he cuts me off in the hall before I can make it to my room.
“We need to talk,” he says.
“I know.” I fold my arms and wait for him to do the talking.
“I…” he scratches his neck. “Am I overbearing?”
I squeeze my upper arm. “I know you love me, Dad, but I’m an adult now. I have been for years. But you still treat me like a kid.”
“Because you’re all I have left.” His voice cracks and I reach for him. “When your mom died, I promised myself that I’d protect you.”
“But you can’t protect me from everything in life.”
He sniffs. “I wanted to anyway. It’s hard not to. You’re my little girl. I’ve been over it a million times how I could have saved your mom, and I’ve thought of everything I could have done, and I’ve used it on you.”
“It wasn’t your fault she died, Dad.”
“I know. That’s what my therapist says.”
My eyebrows shoot to the sky. “You have a therapist?”
