“I didn’t stop it. I could have stopped it.”
“No, you couldn’t have. None of us could have. Your daughter was dying. You had a chance to save her. No father in his right mind would turn that down, no matter the cost.”
Mick’s eyes sweep the floor. “Saving Casey’s life cost me Evie. It wasn’t in the same way it would have cost me Casey, but I did lose Evie that night.” His aging eyes meet with mine. “After she left you, she was never the same. I’d just gotten her back after she’d lost her mother. Then, when she left you…she never got over losing you.
“I’ve watched her these past few weeks since you’ve come back into her life, and I saw her on Sunday after she talked to you. She’s hurting, badly. Evie has experienced more hurt and loss than a girl her age ever should have to. You have the power to hurt her unlike anyone else, Adam. So, I’m asking you, as her father, if you’re here to hurt her any more, please don’t. Just leave her be. Please.”
His words are imploring, and they cut me.
I knew Evie was hurting. I knew I hurt her. But hearing it come from Mick…makes it more real.
It was hard for me to see Evie’s pain because all I could see was my own. But hearing from him how bad things have been for her, how badly my words and actions have affected her…I just need to see her and fix this.
“I’m not here to hurt her, sir. I swear to you. I just…I need to see her.”
I’m not going to stand here and tell him the words I need to say to Evie. That I’m beyond sorry for what I said the other day. That I forgive her for waiting so long to tell me the truth. That I don’t care about any of that anymore. All that matters is her. Having her with me. That I need her in my life. That I love her.
The only person who is going to hear those words is Evie.
Mick blows out a breath. “Look, I don’t know where she is. All I do know is, she’s been coming home late from work every day this week. Usually, with sand all over her shoes.”
He gives me a look, and I instantly know where she is.
“Thank you,” I tell him in earnest.
Then, I’m running through the building to the exit. My cell pressed to my ear, I call Max. “Where are you?”
“Still outside. Figured I’d wait for ten in case she kicked your ass out.”
“You’re the best fucking friend ever. I ever tell you that?” I say as I burst out the exit, seeing his car still parked there.
“You have but not enough. I could do with hearing it a little more often.”
“Needy bastard.” I laugh before hanging up my cell.
I open the car door and climb inside.
“Where are we going?” Max asks, putting the car in drive.
“Malibu.”
This is corny as fuck, and I’ll probably get hassle from the neighbors for the noise, but Max was onto something with the song thing.
From the moment we got together, Evie and I were always living on a prayer. It was the right song for us back then, and it’s the right song for us now. Only, we aren’t living on a prayer anymore. And we will make it this time.
Okay, that was weak as shit. But it’s the best I’ve got right now.
I can see Evie sitting up on her rock, her arms wrapped around her legs, her chin resting on her knees, as she stares out at the ocean.
I knew she’d be here. This was our place. It’s still our place.
I set my docking station up, sitting it on the patio railing. I skip through to our song, turn the speakers up loud, and press Play.
The intro starts quietly, and then it’s quickly blasting out.
I see the moment she hears the song because her whole body stiffens. Then, very slowly, she looks over her shoulder in my direction.
I’m already moving across the sand, toward her, my heart beating like a motherfucker.
Her eyes are locked on me as I close the gap between us, but she doesn’t move.