Page 63 of Cautious Love

I hum and listen to him talk about the desert and the work he’s doing. He sounds happy, and that alone makes me feel better.

“So tell me, little one, why are you justalright?” he asks.

My father has called me little one ever since I was little. I was always smaller than the other kids, but my attitude always bigger.

I burst into tears and he doesn’t say anything right away, he lets me cry it out.

“What’s wrong?” he asks.

“Where do I start,” I mumble.

“From the beginning,” he says gently.

I take a deep breath and rub my thumb over my chest. “Grey and I broke up,” I tell him.

“And why did you do that?” he asks.

“We decided it was time to end things,” I tell him. He doesn’t need to know the details, except that Grey isn’t in the picture anymore.

“I see. Well, I can’t say I ever liked him that much, but you can make your own decisions, even if they’re stupid.”

I snort. “Daddy.”

“It’s true, he was a tool, and he didn’t treat my daughter the way she deserves. Plain and simple,” he says.

My mind immediately goes to Ledger.He would know how to treat me.

“I know that now,” I rasp.

“I’m sorry Shy,” he says.

“Me too, but it’s probably for the best.”

He hums. “So did you get your own place? Do you need me to help you move? I can come up.”

“No, I’m okay I’m uh…I’m living with a friend.”

“Who’s the friend?” he asks.

I groan. “Dad why do you have to know everything?”

“Because I’m your father and I’m not down the street and I need to make sure my daughter is healthy and happy andsafe.”

I’m healthy and safe, but I don’t know about happy.

“I’m safe, I promise.”

I open my mouth to tell him the truth and then snap it shut. There’s nothing to tell him. If I tell him I’m married to Ledger, it will only make him ask why, and I’ll have no choice but to tell him he kept me from jail and homelessness.

He’s better off not knowing any of the details until maybe many years down the road when I can laugh about the fact I married Ledger Hayes, had feelings for him, and eventually made myself walk away. He will be a distant dream and something to make me smile despite the reasons why, becausenothingis going to happen.

“You’ll tell me if you need anything. Right?” he asks.

“Of course.”

“How’s the diner? I miss that chocolate cake.”

I snort. “The same as always, including the cake.”