My eyebrows rise. “Woah. You cussed?”
The corner of his mouth lifts. “I figured I’d try to speak to you in your language so you know I’m serious.”
I chuckle. “Ha. Ha.”
“It’s true, though. You could have let what Elliot said about you all those years ago derail you from your passion, but you didn’t. And you’ve handled all the other skeptics since then too. Vinnie was a lesson, but you became stronger and more resolute in who you are after that relationship, and now, you’re on the brink of the highest accolade of your professional career.” His eyes fill with tears, causing mine to do the same. “I am so fucking proud to call you my daughter, Dilynne Marie Clark.”
Launching myself from my chair, I slump into Nick’s lap. “I love you. Thank you for always believing in me.”
“And I won’t ever stop. Just promise me that you won’t let this thing with Elliot change who you are, okay?”
I sit upright and meet his eyes. “So…I’ve actually been checking on him for the past year,” I say out loud to the first person other than Laney.
Nick’s eyes grow wide. “Really?”
“Yeah. When Tori left him that day, I felt for him in a way I never expected.” I dart my gaze to the side. “It was like I knew how devastated he was going to be given my own experience with heartbreak, and I guess…” A heavy sigh leaves my lips. “I guess I just didn’t want him to suffer the same way I did.” My eyes find Nick’s again.
Nick cups the side of my face. “And that is why you are the remarkable person that you are, Dilynne. You care about people. You’re able to see that people’s actions are more about them than they are about you.”
“He still hurt me, but…”
“Carrying around that anger hurts you more.”
I nod, feeling my chest loosen as the truth about my feelings starts to click into place.
Is that what I’ve been doing? Fighting with him because it was easier than admitting that the two of us might actually have something in common?
The truth is, I forgave Elliot a long time ago, once I realized he’s been dealing with his own demons—something I understand even more after our talk the other night. Seeing him on the verge of a panic attack really did something to me.
“Have you ever talked to Elliot about what he said?” Nick asks, pulling me back to our conversation.
“No.”
“Well, maybe it’s time to bring it up.”
I shake my head. “Not sure bringing up the past will do any good.”
“You’d be surprised. We hold onto things because we think we’re protecting ourselves, but really, it’s like carrying around a backpack of bricks. It’s just weighing you down, and when you finally give it up, you’ll be surprised how much lighter you feel.”
Swiping under my eyes, I move back to my rocking chair. “I don’t know. My focus right now has to be on Motorlux.”
“Are you on track to finish in time?”
“Yeah. The fuel system is my priority this week, and then all that’s left is the electrical. I finally found the dashboard gauges I need, but the guy who has them lives in Georgia, so I have to make that trip in a couple of weeks.”
“If you need a road trip buddy, you know I’m game.”
I smile over at him. “Thank you. I’ll definitely let you know. Normally, I’d ask Laney, but with the baby…”
“Laney and Fletcher are going to be parents,” Nick says wistfully. “Your brother has a daughter now, and Rhonan has another kid on the way. You sure you don’t want to join that club?”
I gag dramatically. “No thank you.”
Nick holds his stomach as he laughs out loud. “Just checking. Besides, not sure you could fit a car seat in the Porsche, right?”
“No, you can’t. I’m going to try to sell the Porsche at the auction anyway.”
Nick’s smile falls. “What? I thought…”