“Good.”
The second Josie let go of my balls, I fell to my knees, cupping my poor dick as my woman spun around and walked out of the station with her head held high.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Josie
Twenty minutes later, I stormed into the family penthouse when I heard my dad chuckle. “Is he alive?”
“Barely,” I huffed, looking around the room, frowning. “Where are the kids?”
“Still with George’s grandmother. She heard what her boneheaded grandson did and thought it best to keep them until the dust settled. She didn’t want them to see their future father emasculated. Rome called. Gator and the others arrived last night. They have opted to stay in the apartment above the Irish Rose Tavern.”
“Of course they have. It’s a damn bar,” I grumbled, taking a seat on the couch, leaning my head back and closing my eyes.
I needed five minutes.
Just five minutes to gather my thoughts and try to relax.
“Josie, I’ve been wanting to talk to you about something but with everything going on lately, nailing your feet to the ground hasn’t been easy,” my dad said moments later in a strange voice that had the hairs on my neck standing up.
Opening one eye, I looked at the man. “About what?”
“The lodge.”
Both eyes open now, I sat up. “What about it?”
“After the wedding, I’m signing it over to you. I don’t want it anymore.”
“What do you mean, you don’t want it? Dad, you built this place from the ground up. It’s all you’ve cared about since Mom died.”
My dad nodded. “You’re right and this place got me through some hard times, but in two days, I’m marrying LeeAnn, and I have a chance at my happily ever after. I want to spend what time I have left with her, not arguing with vendors, suppliers, staff or guests. I want to relax and see the world with LeeAnn.”
I couldn’t believe it.
He was leaving me. After everything I’d done, he was just going to hand it over and walk off into the sunset?
“Baby girl, look,” my dad continued. “You run this place better than I’ve ever done. You put down roots here. Made friends and have fallen in love with your best friend. No. Let me finish.” My dad held up his hand when I tried to interrupt. “When your mother and I conceived this place, it was meant to be a home. Not some five-story monstrosity that caters to the rich and famous. We wanted a home where we could raise our kids and one day watch our grandchildren run around happily. You were born here, Josie, and I should have raised you here, not sent you away to some boarding school abroad. For that, I am truly sorry. Grief makes people do crazy things they normally wouldn’t do. When your mom died, I lost a part of myself. A part I thought I’d never get back again. I was young and grieving the loss of my wife. I had no business raising a little girl, so I took the easy way out and sent you away and turned your mother’s house into this. But now I have a second chance and so do you. Freddie was never good enough for you, and I’m sorry you had to learn that the hard way, but you have a second chance with George. That man will walk through fire for you, Josephine. He loves you like I love LeeAnn, and I want you to have what your mother and I wanted for you all along. A home.”
“This isn’t a home, Dad. It’s a damn ski resort.”
“No, Josie.” My dad shook his head. “This is still a home. Just a very big home. What I meant by that was I’m giving you Rosewood.”
“Huh?”
“I’m giving you the town, the people, the lodge, the place that should have been your home in the first place. If I had done right by you, you would have grown up with half the people here, had friends, made your own roots. I failed you in that.”
“You didn’t fail me, Dad,” I whispered.
“Yes, I did. This town and the people that live in it are family. They will bend over backwards for you when times get rough. When you need them, they will be there. George has roots here, Josie. He’s got his clinic, the hospital, the Sons of Hell, his grandmother, brother, sister, and now he has you. His best friend. That’s a solid foundation to build upon, Josie, and I can’t wait to see what you build.”
Sniffing, I knew what he was trying to say.
“So, after the wedding, the lodge will be yours, baby girl. Consider it an early wedding gift.”
“This place won’t be the same without you, Dad.”
“Oh please.” My dad grinned, getting to his feet. “This place will be just fine, and so will you. Now, I need to find my betrothed. Apparently, there’s a crisis with the flower arrangements.”
