Chapter 8
Long Overdue
Maverick
“How’re you feeling, Pop?” I asked as I took the seat next to my father’s bedside.
His eyes fluttered open as he smiled at me. “I’d feel better if these damn doctors would discharge me so I could get the fuck home.”
“All in due time. They said you’re making really incredible progress.”
Lifting his head off his pillow, Dad shifted to sit up a bit more. “The food in here is crap and I need a damn drink.”
“You’re going to have to lay off the whiskey, Mr. Steele,” the nurse reminded my old man as she walked in to check his vitals.
“He’s just being his stubborn self,” I told her with a smirk.
She smiled at me sweetly. “I’m glad to see you’re getting back to your old self. That’s a good sign.”
“When are you going to let me out of this place?” I could see how antsy my dad was getting, and it broke my heart that he felt trapped in the hospital.
“All in due time, sir. Just keep making good progress.”
She was gone as quickly as she’d come and I relaxed back into the cushioned seat. “The bar is running fine. Everyone keeps asking about you.”
“I need to get out of this hellhole and back where I belong.” He rolled his eyes. “It was just a heart attack—that can’t stop a Steele.”
“Just don’t push yourself too hard. We don’t want you collapsing behind that bar again.”
“How’s Cali?” The knowing grin I was met with made my heart race a little. It was amazing how quickly Cali had assimilated into our family, but it scared me a bit. I was careful to not let people into our little world. I didn’t want someone coming in and messing it up.
“She’s been great.”
“I think you found a good one with her, son. Don’t go fucking it up.”
“There’s that charm I’ve been waiting for, Pop.” I laughed a little.
“You deserve to be happy and settle down with a nice girl like her.”
“It’s not that simple.”
My dad waved me off dismissively. “Everyone has their shit. Everyone has baggage and fucked-up pasts. The fact that she didn’t run for the hills and jumped in to save the day time and time again proves that no matter what skeletons she has in her closet, she’s worth it.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“I know you’re scared of getting hurt again, but even if it crashes and burns, aren’t the highs worth the lows? You can’t keep just existing, son. You have got to start living. Your life ended in high school, and that’s not fair to any of us.”
“What do you mean?”
“Think about it: we all lost someone that day. I lost a girl that was as good as a daughter to me, so did your mother. Dane lost a sister. Julie lost her best friend. You lost the love of your life. Colt, Rodney, Sheila—they lost their friend. Newsflash, kid: you’re allowed to be happy. No one is going to resent you for finally moving on.”
Getting up, I took his statement to heart. My father was right. At the end of the day, my self-pity was selfish. I wasn’t the only one who grieved and missed Leilani, but I was the only one not getting over it.
“Thanks, Dad.”
* * *
I rushed into my house,grabbing Cali off of the couch.