At nine that night, a very weary Maggie said her good-byes and Kyle walked her to her car. “Red, do you want to stay the night at my place?”

“I do but I shouldn’t. I have to go into work early tomorrow to get some more work done. I want to have all sixty-eight of my students’ term papers read and graded by Tuesday because we have Wednesday, Thursday and Friday off school. If I go back to your place, I doubt I’ll get much sleep.” She grinned at him.

“Okay, but have dinner with me tomorrow then. I’ll pick you up at your house at six and we can grab a pizza.”

“You drive a hard bargain, Kyle. I’ll see you then.”

He bent down and captured her lips and as always, after one of his kisses, she felt slightly woozy, like she was drunk from his touch.

Chapter Eight

She’d finished the papers by the end of the day and put them in her locked cabinet and went home. Only to find her father waiting for her on the porch.

“Daddy, what are you doing here?” she asked, unlocking the door and letting him inside. “I have a date, he’ll be here in half an hour.”

“Oh, honey, I failed you,” he said.

“Yes, you did,” she answered honestly. She gestured to the sofa and they both sat. “You see, I used to think that you did your best. That you tried to make up for how she was with our trips and the small indulgences you gave me but now I think that you just tried to duck your guilt. It’s not right, but it’s over.”

“I’d like to say that I had no idea that she was that bad or that she didn’t mean to be as harsh as she was but I’d be lying. I made bad choices. I loved your mother something fierce. I loved her beauty and I made a choice—her over you. It was wrong and that love I had for her has slowly tarnished and died over the years. I don’t even recognize myself anymore, Maggie. I used to be such a strong man. I used to be a leader. I’ve run our family business for my entire adult life! People look up to me, trust me to take care of them and their families and they shouldn’t because I couldn’t even take care of my own.”

She sighed. “Listen, Daddy, if anyone can trust you to take care of them, it’s your employees. You’ve always done right by them. As for what you’ve become as Cecelia Wright’s husband, I can’t say. That’s yours to deal with.”

“I’m filing for divorce, Maggie.”

Shock froze her in place. “What?”

“I stood there and watched your mother and sister castigate you in front of a room full of people. I said nothing. When I heard you say your mother told you she wished you were never born, I felt the last bit of love I had for her die. I failed you but I cannot stay with that woman another day. I’ve moved out. Edward Chase’s brother is handling the divorce. The papers have been served.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t say anything. Just let me try and prove that from now on, I can be a better father. Let me take you to dinner. I know you can’t on Thanksgiving because you’ll be with the Chases. How about Friday?”

Words escaped her as she thought about it. She should kick him out and never speak to him again but she couldn’t. She loved him. The part of her that was the little lonely bookish girl whose daddy took her to Philadelphia for her birthday because she so loved history—that part of her wanted to recognize what a big step he was taking. “All right. Let’s do it early though. I have a longstanding thing with Liv and Dee and I meet them at seven every Friday night.”

He smiled and squeezed her hands. “Thank you so much, sweetheart. How about you and I meet up at El Cid at five?”

“All right. What are you going to do for Thanksgiving?”

“Darlin’, you’re such a sweet girl. Thank god you take after my mother. I’m going to your Aunt Delia’s for the day. You enjoy your beau and his family. I’d like to get to know him better, he seems like he cares for you.”

“I do, Mr. Wright and I worry that you might hurt Maggie.”

Maggie and her father turned to see Kyle walking into the room. He leaned down to kiss the top of her head and sat on the arm of the couch next to her. “I knocked but you didn’t hear me. I was worried so I let myself in,” he told her.

“Kyle, this is my daddy, Tom Wright. Daddy, this is Kyle Chase.”

Tom Wright stood and held his hand out to Kyle. “Young man, I’m here to beg my daughter to give me another chance to be a better father. I’ve left my wife. Your uncle has taken the case. I’m fortunate, because Maggie has agreed to let me try, starting with having dinner with me on Friday. Would you like to come as well?”

Kyle shook his hand and nodded solemnly. “I would, sir. If Maggie is willing to give you another chance, I can as well.”

“I’m staying with your aunt and uncle for a while, until I find a place. You call me there if you need me. I’ll see you on Friday.” He nodded and walked out.

“Are you all right?” Kyle sank down next to her on the couch.

“I think so. I’m just stunned. My father adored my mother, literally. He said that the way she acted Saturday killed the last bit of love he had for her. My mother is going to be insanely angry about this.”

“Who cares what your bitch of a mother thinks, sweetheart? Don’t give her the power to hurt you ever again.”

“I won’t. I’m done. Now, I need to change. I’m sorry that I’m not ready.” She jumped up and ran upstairs and changed quickly and came back down.