Nathan felt an unwilling spike of sympathy for his father.
“When she agreed to marry me, there was only one thing missing from my happiness.” The general stopped to clear his throat. “That was you, son. I realized I had to get over my infernal pride and make the first move. And the second one,” he said, nodding to the sword. “If I need to make a third, fourth, and fifth move, I will, because you deserve that from me.”
“Your first move was the wedding invitation.”
His father nodded.
“You make it sound like a game of chess. Or a Nathan Forrest campaign.” Nathan wasn’t sure he liked that.
The general sighed. “That’s just the way I know how to describe it. I’m a soldier, so I talk like one.” He skewered Nathan with his so-familiar eyes. “It doesn’t make me mean it less when I say I love you. I don’t deserve it, but I’m asking for a second chance with you.”
Nathan thrust himself out of his chair, wincing as his head pounded. He stood on braced legs with his hands shoved in his pockets. This was territory he hadn’t expected to cross. He met his father’s gaze, trying to read what was behind it. He caught the movement of his father’s fists, clenching and unclenching again. The general’s posture was rigid in a way that went beyond his military training. He was waiting for Nathan to reject him, but he was prepared to accept that and try again and again.
Nathan thought of all the angry things he’d wanted to say to his father, all the accusations of making his childhood hell and every one of his achievements seem worthless. Even worse, blaming his father for driving his mother to suicide. He realized his father would sit there and let him spew ugliness at him, maybe even agree with what he said.
“I give you credit for courage, Dad,” Nathan said.
All the tension went out of his father. “Thank you,” he said with more gratitude that Nathan’s statement warranted.
“For saying you have courage? You’ve already proven that in combat.”
“For calling me Dad.”
Nathan hadn’t realized he’d said it. It must have been because he’d gotten lost in the past, so it had spilled out unconsciously.
His father stood and held out his hand. Nathan put his in it and they pulled each other in for a short, powerful embrace. He could feel his father’s strength the way he had as a child.
As they separated, his father said, “You’re a generous man, son. You could have dragged me over the coals about what I did to you and your mother.”
“I figure your pride was already taking a severe hit. I wasn’t going to pile on.”
“My pride?” His father made a sound of disgust. “Let me tell you something about that. You should take pride in your work and pride in keeping your barracks neat and pride in service to your country and your fellow man. But when it comes to people, pride is nothing but a high, wide wall you build between yourself and the ones you love.”
Nathan knew about that wall, because he had built one just as sturdy. It wouldn’t be easy to get around it to meet his father halfway.
The general cleared his throat. “Angel and I were hoping to stop back here on our return trip. Maybe we could have dinner with you, Ed, and Ben, and that nice young lady you brought to the wedding. Chloe, wasn’t it?”
An image of the dinner table with all those people sitting around it rose up in Nathan’s mind. It sparkled with laughter, warmth, and love because Chloe was part of it.
At that moment, Nathan understood three things. First, he wanted Chloe at that dinner more than he’d ever wanted anything in his life. Second, he had to tear down the wall he’d put up to protect his pride. Third, he was willing to make as many moves as it took to get her back.
“Dad, you’re a genius. It is possible to fall in love in two weeks.”
“You’re confused, son. You’re the brilliant one in this family.”
Nathan shook his head gingerly. “Right now, I’m less confused than I’ve ever been in my life.”
CHAPTER 30
Chloe wanted to put her head down on her new desk at Trainor Electronics and wail. Ever since Nathan had walked out of the hospital lounge, she’d been fighting her way through a storm of emotions that had left her both keyed up and wrung out.
Relief had come first when Ben had told her that Grandmillie’s heart issue was an arrhythmia that was easily treatable. After he’d given her the news, she’d collapsed into a chair in the hospital lounge and sobbed.