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She waved off my words. “I’m just happy to have you home and doing something you’re passionate about.”
After I put the second earring in, I turned and sat on the small vanity stool. “But Dad is giving me so much land to use for gardens.”
Smiling, she said, “This ranch is just as much yours as it is Bradly’s. Just because he’s following in your father’s footsteps, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get to do what you want with a piece of it too. Besides, the cows have plenty of grass to eat.”
I laughed. She glanced around again, and her other leg joined in on the bouncing.
I sighed. “I know you’ll say it’s too soon, but I really care about him, Mom. He tried to push me away already, saying I was too young, but that argument didn’t last long.”
She smiled. “It is a big age difference.”
“Is it? When I’m twenty-eight, he’ll be thirty-seven. When I’m thirty-eight, he’ll be forty-seven. When I’m—”
Holding up her hand, she shook her head. “I get it, I get it. I think it’s just because you’re only eighteen right now, Avery. Don’t you want to live your life a little?”
“Mom, I lived in Paris, France, for three years. I traveled all over Europe. I had men twice the age of Beck flirting with me when I was fifteen years old. I attended parties with famous people. I was at a dinner once, and Selena Gomez was there!” I laughed. “I’ve already lived more than some people will for their entire lives. And I lost my virginity to my best friend’s brother when I was seventeen.”
She buried her face in her hands. “Oh no…I don’t want to hear that, Avery.”
“Why? It’s true. Mom, I’m not a little girl who needs to be bundled up in bubble wrap and kept safe. I grew up a long time ago, and the only reason I was able to take care of myself in France was because I knew you and Daddy trusted me. I need you to trust me now with Beck.”
The door opened suddenly, and my father walked into my bedroom. His face looked drained of all color.
“Dirk?” my mother asked, rushing over to him “What’s wrong?”
He closed his eyes, and I swore he swayed a little. “Karma. It’s made its way back around, Merit. I knew it would the moment we found out we were having a little girl. It’s finally found me.”
“What are you talking about, Dad?” I asked.
Holding up a finger to silently ask me to stop talking while covering his stomach with his other hand, he looked at my mother. “She was seventeen, Merit.”
Mom pressed her lips together tightly to keep from smiling. Turning to me, she said, “I believe your father overheard our conversation.”
“Oh! Daddy, here, sit down,” I said as I rushed over and took one arm, while my mother took the other. My father dropped to the bed and leaned over, arms on his knees as he took deep breaths.
After several seconds, he lifted his head and looked at me. “He wasn’t out with your brother this morning, was he?”
I chewed on my lower lip. “No. But we didn’t…that didn’t happen.”
My mother mumbled something under her breath that sounded like, “Only because we came back home.”
When I scowled at her, she smirked.
“But something has happened between then and—”
My father started to stand, but I put my hands on his shoulders to push him back down.
“Wait. Let me talk, Dad.”
He looked at my mother. “Now I’m Dad. I was Daddy not five minutes ago.”
Rolling my eyes, I went on. “I felt a connection with Beck the second I sat down next to him on that plane. Yes, I thought he was handsome, and I flirted with him. But then we got to talking, and even before I found out who he was, I liked him for the man he is. And I believe it was fate that put us together on that flight.”
My father closed his eyes briefly, then he looked at me. “I never wanted to be that father…like your uncle Ty.”
“Dirk!” my mother said, hitting him on the shoulder.
“What? He scares the shit out of poor Bryson to this day! Poor kid can’t even hug his own wife without Ty sending him death glares.”
I laughed, as my mother reluctantly nodded in agreement.
“Anyway, I don’t want to be that kind of father…but that doesn’t mean that I don’t want the perfect man for you, Avery. I want you to be happy. And can you honestly say you’ll be happy when Beck heads back down to Texas? Do you want a long-distance relationship? Have you two talked about it?”
Ignoring the sudden pressure in my chest, I answered my father. “I don’t know what will happen when Beck leaves. Dad, I’m not asking him to marry me or make a lifelong commitment. I like being with him, and despite the fact that I believe fate had a hand in our meeting, I’m still trying to keep in mind that it was just a few days ago. But if I fall…then I fall. I’ll deal with my heart when I have to.”
