Page 73 of Summer Ride

“I’m so sorry you went through that,” Andrea said, taking her left hand in hers. “I want you to know that I’m here for you if you ever need to talk about it or anything else. I don’t want you to feel like you have to keep secrets from me.”

“Thanks,” Kara said, feeling better. “I’m here too. I know opening up about my past has helped a few others, like Beth, to open up as well.”

Andrea nodded. “I don’t have as much darkness in my past as you did.” Just then someone knocked on the outer doors and Andrea hissed. “Damn, my time’s up. Later,” she promised her, “I’ll fill you in on all my sordid affairs.” She winked.

“I’ll take you up on that.”

Kara walked out and rushed down the pathway to take over the front desk so that Beth could take her lunch.

By the time five o’clock rolled around, she was oddly tired. Most days, she was so busy she hardly had a chance to sit down. Today all she did was sit and she was more tired than on a normal workday.

As she walked out to her car, she called Carter.

“Hey, babe. Are you getting off work?” he asked when he answered.

“Yes, just driving away from the camp now. Are you going to be home soon?”

“No, I’ve got a few more animals I need to see first. Do you want to swing by here and check up on Panda?”

“Yes,” she answered with a smile. “I’ll be there in a few minutes. I have to stop and get gas first.”

“See you then.”

She was standing at her car, pumping gas, when she noticed the man staring at her from across the pump. At first, she planned on ignoring him. After all, a lot of men gawked at women.

But then a familiar tingle rushed through her, and she jerked her head around to meet her father’s gaze. Her heart skipped in her chest as he moved over to stand directly in front of her.

“Mary Ester,” he said in a calm tone as he quickly looked over her bruised face, her casted arm, and all her cuts and scrapes.

“Daddy,” she said, swallowing the foul taste in her mouth when she said that word.

“I’ll give you one chance to make things right, girl. Hand over the money you stole and things won’t have to get ugly.” Her father actually held out his hand as if she had the cash on her.

Hadn’t she just fought off a man far worse than the one that stood in front of her now? Why in the hell was she so afraid of this frail old man?

Why had she let him ever hold power over her? Why had her mother?

“You can’t have it,” she said, lifting her chin. “It was hers and she chose to give it to me.”

Thankfully, at that moment, the gas pump shut off. She pulled the nozzle from her car and replaced it. Then she replaced her gas cap, climbed back in her car, and drove away.

By the time she walked into the building at Alaqua, she had regained her composure. Still, the moment Carter saw her, he asked, “What’s wrong?”

“I ran into my dad at the gas station.” She took a deep breath. “He demanded that I return the money I stole.”

Carter wrapped his arms around her. “Are you okay?”

She nodded and then, to her horror, she started crying. Carter held onto her until her tears were all dried up.

“It has to be the hormones,” she lied. “There is no way I’d let that man get to me.”

“He’s your father. The man that should love you,” Carter pointed out.

“He doesn’t. He never did and something tells me he never will,” she admitted.

“You don’t need him,” Carter said. He turned away from her and when he returned, he handed her a small black-and-white bundle. “Because you have us,” he said with a smile. “And this little one has a whole lot of love to give you.”

She laughed when the puppy started wiggling in her arms. She lifted her up to her face and let the little dog lick the salty tears from her cheeks.