“I couldn’t wait for you.”
“I know. And you did the right thing. But it doesn’t make it any easier on me. Do me this favor and let them drive you home.”
“Clubhouse or farm, Prez?” Dice asked.
“The farm is fine. I’m guessing Daphne wants to go home before she’s bombarded with people.”
“Say what now?” I asked.
“The girls are going to come check on you as soon as they hear what happened. They’ll want to see Flint, too.”
“Well, I guess we should get going then,” I said.
“We’ll be right behind you,” my dad said.
Dice opened the door for me, and I climbed inside. I was briefly confused when he nudged me over and slid into the seat beside me. “Ink’s driving,” he explained.
I snuggled into his side and closed my eyes. “Tell him to drive slow.”
“Amen to that,” Flint said, leaning back in his seat.
25
DAPHNE
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Dice asked.
“I don’twantto, but I feel like I need to,” I said.
“All right, let’s get this over with,” he said and got out of the loaner SUV he was driving.
“My sentiments exactly.”
After stopping at the front desk to get the room number, I inhaled deeply and knocked on Sean’s door.
As I expected, Glenda opened the door. Her lips curled in disgust when she saw me. “Well, I should’ve known it was you. Who else would visit someone in the hospital without calling first?”
I opened my mouth to respond as Dice took a menacing step forward, but Sean took care of the problem. “Enough, Mother! You don’t have to like Daphne, but she protected my child and cared for her when I couldn’t, so you will give her the respect she deserves.”
She scowled at her son.
He scoffed. “Perhaps you should excuse yourself while she’s here.”
Glenda huffed indignantly. “I suppose I could get myself a cup of coffee.”
“I’m sorry about her,” Sean said once she was gone.
I waved my hand dismissively. “Don’t worry about it. She never liked me. I didn’t expect that to suddenly change.”
“She doesn’t like anyone,” he said and directed his attention to Dice. “If we met yesterday, I don’t remember, but thank you for helping Daphne, and in turn, helping me.”
“Oh,” Dice said. “You’re welcome. And no, we didn’t meet yesterday. I was there, but I was focused on Daphne.”
“This is Dice,” I added. “He’s my?—”
“I’m hers. And she’s mine,” Dice said.
Sean nodded in understanding. “Well, what brings you by?”