Page 58 of Bad Habits
He ran a hand over his long white hair, grinning. “I know, right? Sexier than all hell. I think it’s the hospital gown that does it.”
I chuckled. Damn, I loved this guy. Not just because he was Cece’s father, but because he’d filled an important role in my life after I lost my dad. I knew if I ever needed to talk, Chee was only a phone call away.
“So, you ready for surgery tomorrow?” I knew no one could ever be ready for open heart surgery, but Chee had never run scared to my knowledge.
“Ready as I’ll ever be.” He stroked his beard. “But I thought you and I should talk about a few things before I went under the knife.” His lingering stare would have made me squirm if I didn’t know him better. “You know, get things squared away.”
“Sure.” I waited for him to continue, trying to imagine what he was going to hurl at me. The only thing I couldn’t handle? Being told to stay the hell away from his daughter. But based on our last conversation I didn’t think that’s where he was going with this.
“So, I hear you finally manned up and told my baby girl how you feel about her.”
I tried to keep a straight face. No one could dress me down the way this old bastard could. And I respected him more because of it. He didn’t give a shit about my platinum records or millions, he’d call it like he saw it whether I liked it or not. I needed more people like Chee in my life.
“I did. You got a problem with that?” He didn’t expect me to take his shit lying down and I wouldn’t.
“My only problem is that it took you so long to grow a pair.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “Point taken. Now that we’re clear about me being in love with your daughter, and her feeling the same way about me, is there anything else?”
“There’s plenty more.” He smirked. “What kind of father would I be if I didn’t ask your intentions, right?”
Shit just got real. I cleared my throat as I curled my hand into a fist. I hadn’t come here expecting this, but I knew it was the right thing to do. “Chee, I want to marry your daughter, if she’ll have me. But I sure would like your blessing.” Before he could respond, I added, “You know I’ll take good care of her—”
He raised a hand. “You know I don’t give a shit about the money and neither does Cece. I want your word that you’ll never hurt her.” He looked me in the eye. “That you’ll always do right by her.”
He was asking for my word that I’d never cheat and I had no problem giving it. “I swear to you.”
He nodded. “That’s good enough for me. You have my blessing, Knox.”
“Thank you.” I had no idea how much I’d needed to hear those words. If something had happened to Chee and I’d never been able to ask, I would have had a hard time living with that.
“Now, about you ponying up for medical expenses—”
It was my turn to cut him off with a flash of the palm. “Not up for discussion and I don’t need your thanks. You’re family to me. You were even before Cece and I became a couple, so of course I’m gonna do this.”
He shook his head, swallowing repeatedly, as he stared straight ahead. “I used to wish for a son. Glad I’m finally gettin’ one.”
Son of a bitch. Now it was my turn to get all choked up.
“I want to talk to you about somethin’ else,” Chee said, running a hand over his inked forearm.
“Anything.” I wanted to believe there was nothing we couldn’t say to each other. Unlike my own father, Chee never judged me or laughed at my dreams. “You know that.”
“Aidy tells me my girls have some crazy idea in their heads about movin’ home to look after the old man.”
“Uh yeah, Cece mentioned something about that.” I knew I was side-stepping landmines with this conversation. My girl wouldn’t want me making decisions for her, and she’d be pissed if she thought I was siding with her old man, when she was only trying to do right by him.
“Yeah well, that ain’t happenin.”
“Chee, I think they’re just worried their mama won’t be able to handle—”
“I know that!” And it obviously pissed him off to think of himself as a burden when he’d always been the caretaker in the family. “That’s why I need your help.”
“Of course.” There was nothing I wouldn’t do for these people. “Name it.”
“So it seems Charli’s got some fool idea in her head about goin’ to work for your buddy. What do you know about that?”
I’d talked to Dade after his visit to the hospital and he’d been dazed and confused after meeting Charli. He offered his card on the spur of the moment. His gut told him it would be a mistake to offer her the job, but he felt he’d already put it out there and couldn’t rescind the offer if she wanted to take him up on it.
