Give Me Something (29 page)

He nodded his head, and I quickly stood up from the couch, rushed to the recliner he was sitting in, and hugged the man I'd apparently almost lost.  “I'm so sorry I wasn't here,” I cried with my head still resting on his shoulder. 

“It's okay,” he assured me as he rubbed his hand down my back in the soothing way only a parent could – the way I'd forgotten.  “We were going to let you know, but your mother and I didn't want to bother you.”

“
You wouldn't have been bothering me,” I insisted and patted his chest with my hand.  “What did you mean when you said you needed to thank me?  I'm pretty sure I'm the worst daughter in the world right now.”

I looked to Tucker.  He offered me a comforting smile. I took in a deep breath and tried to let go of the guilt I was feeling, letting his words, 'the past is the past' echo through my mind.  I couldn't change the fact that I hadn't been there with my family needed me and pledged to myself that I would never do that to them again.

“For the money you've been sending us,” my mother answered.

“
But, I haven't...” I trailed off in confusion and shook my head. “I didn't send you any money.  Not that I wouldn't have.  If I had known that Dad was sick, I would have sent you every penny I had.” 

While I wondered if that was a true statement, my mother excused herself from the room.  When I'd left them, I was a very selfish person.  Then, money was the most important thing to me and even though I wanted to believe it, I don't know that I would have.  I left my dad's side, took my seat next to Tucker, and squeezed his hand in mine, knowing that the girl sitting here
now
, with him, would do anything for the people she loved.  My mother returned and handed me a stack of money order receipts, all addressed to her and my father with dates spanning the past five years.  On the memo line of each receipt, in a handwriting I instantly recognized, it read: 
Love, Lila Rae.

As I shuffled through them and showed them to Tucker, he came to the same conclusion as me. “Nick,” he said.  I nodded.  Just when I thought Nick couldn't throw one more curve ball, he did this.  This must have been what he'd was talking about when he said he couldn't tell me what he did with the money.  But why? Maybe in some weird, twisted way he thought he was protecting me or doing me a favor.  I had a million questions but couldn't spoil the time I was spending with my parents thinking about Nick.  I could tell by Tucker's expression that he was trying to piece it all together, too.  We'd have plenty of time to figure all of this out later.

“Is this,” I held up the receipts, “how you got all this?”  I asked, looking around the room and signifying the house and the new life they'd built for themselves.

“
It helped,” my dad said.  “The truth is kid after you left your mother and I did some reevaluating.  We were stuck in a rut living the life we thought we had to.  You made us see that if we wanted more out of life we just needed to go after it.  We feel like we failed you by not trying harder.”

She smiled, “That's why I went back to school and decided to become a teacher.”

“I started working extra hours and managed to get promoted to foreman.”  He added, “Before the cancer.”

“
I'm sorry I made you feel like you weren't good enough.” I hung my head.

“
You made us realize that we shouldn't settle,” my dad countered.

“
We're happier now, because of you,” my mom added.  “If we didn't have full time jobs and benefits, we wouldn't have had insurance.  Without that and the extra money, Daddy might not be here.” She shrugged.

I took in a deep breath as I thought about how differently this night could have been.  I was saddened by the thought of my widowed mother sitting alone in the old apartment.  Tucker nudged my shoulder with his.  “These are all good things,” he grinned.  “I think it's great what you two have done and I'm happy that you're feeling better, Mr. Garrison.” He nodded at my dad.

“Me too,” I agreed.  “I'm so proud of you.  And I'm really sorry I ran out on you guys.”  My eyes started to glaze over again so my mom changed the subject.

“
Enough about us,” she chuckled as she wiped a tear of joy from the corner of her eye.  “Tell us how you two met.  We want to know everything.”

$$$

They wanted to know everything.  So that's what I told them.  I spent over an hour filling them in on the past five years of my life.  I could tell by their faces that they were shocked by the details of how I scammed hundreds of men out of their money.  “I know you probably think that what I did was a horrible idea, but only I did what I thought I needed to do at the time.  And, if I hadn't been in the exact place at the exact time, for whatever reason, I probably wouldn't have met him,” I explained as I locked my eyes on his smiling baby blues and felt the love I had for him spread across my face.

“
Well,” my dad finally spoke when I finished. “That's a lot to take in.”

“
Sir,” Tucker addressed my father with all his country charm in my defense, “Lila's made some mistakes. Hell,” he chuckled, “we all have.”  My parents nodded in agreement.  “She may have had her priorities screwed up for a while,” he continued and bumped his shoulder against mine. “But as long as I've known her, she's been sweet and kind.  I'm pretty sure she's headed down the right path now.”  I rested my head on his shoulder.  “And if for some crazy reason she decides to veer off, I'll do my damnedest to correct her.”

The smile on my mom's face let me know that they believed every word he was saying.

“I'm glad you two found each other. Even if it was under strange, and maybe illegal circumstances,” my mother laughed, because it was the only thing she could do.

“
What are you going to do now?” my dad asked, and I could tell he was still trying to come to terms with my past.

“
I'm going to keep going to college.  Believe it or not, I kind of like it,” I laughed.  “I'm pretty sure I'm going to declare Art History as my major.”  I saw my mother's eyes light up at the thought.  “I guess I have you to thank for that.”

“
I think that's great,” she beamed, overjoyed.

“
And you?” My dad directed his attention to Tucker.

“
Well, I'm going to finish out my degree next year in Business Management.   After that, I'm going to try and continue what my father started with his business,” he told him. “When I'm not busy with all of that, I plan on spending every waking moment loving your daughter.” He smiled until he saw the stern face my father was giving him.  “I mean, if that's okay... sir,” he mumbled out in the nervousness that he was now holding in his shoulders.

“
Oh Greg, stop it,” my mother warned and slapped his arm. “Give him a break.”

My dad's intimidating scowl quickly turned to a devilish grin.  “Sorry about that, kid,” he chuckled.  “It's just you're the first boyfriend that I've got a chance to torment.  I've waited a long time for this.”

“I'll take it.” Tucker graciously nodded, and added, while threading his fingers through mine, “hopefully I'm the last boyfriend you have to worry about.”

“
You seem good for her,” my dad acknowledged, reaching for Tucker's hand.

“
Well thanks, Dad.  I'm glad you approve,” I teased as I watched Tucker accepted my father's handshake.  

“
We'd love to have you two come back for Christmas dinner,” my mom spoke up. “If you're not busy, of course.”

“
We'd love to,” I answered without hesitation, hoping to continue the reconciliation with them.  The idea of spending the holidays with my family seemed too good to be true.

“
That sounds great,” Tucker agreed.

$$$

For the entire drive home, I was still reeling from the fact that all seemed to be right in my life.  For the first time since I was fifteen, I was actually happy to be with my parents.  We'd spent the rest of the afternoon catching up and making plans for the future, which included Christmas.  My brother was coming home for a few days, and I was hoping that our reintroduction would go as smoothly.

“
Are we going to talk about it?” Tucker asked, as we pulled back the covers on the bed back at his house.  I'd been staying with him over winter break, and sufficed it to say, I was becoming more and more willing to give up the city life I once loved to call the country home.  After Tucker said that he'd hoped he was the last boyfriend I ever had, I knew that it was a very good possibility.

“
What's there to talk about?” I responded, knowing that he was referring to what Nick had done for my family.

“
Come on,” he said as he slid his body under the covers.  “What he did was a pretty big deal.  It's okay if you at least want to acknowledge the fact.  Maybe call him and thank him?”

“
Thank him?” I couldn't believe he would he even suggest it.  “For what?  The slew of lies, or going behind my back? Or how about not telling me that my dad was sick?” I asked, taking my place next to him, but purposely facing the other way. “Yeah, I'll ring him up first thing,” I sassed while turning off the light.

“
Don't be like that,” he said, melding his body against mine.  I could feel the rise and fall of his chest as he pressed in against my back and his arms wrapped around me.  “You know I'm not a big fan, but it's because of him that your dad is alive.”

“
If he would have just told me my dad was sick, I would have given them the money,” I huffed.

“
It's your call, buddy.” He nuzzled his chin in the crook of my neck.  “Nick has a strange way of doing things.  You know that better than anyone.  I'm just saying that if you would ever want to talk to him about it, I'd understand.”

“
Well, thanks for your blessing and all, but I'm good,” I explained as I pulled his arm around me and tucked his hand up under my chin.  “I just want to forget that Nick Dammery ever existed.”  Tucker nodded his head, accepting my decision, but I still spent most of the night wondering if he was right.

Chapter 23

“
It's done!” I said, from my barstool in the kitchen, closing the laptop sitting on the counter.  “I'm officially an Art History major.”

“
What exactly are you planning on doing with that degree?” Tucker asked, as he grabbed a carton of orange juice from the fridge.

“
Well, I'm not really sure.  I could always teach or get a job in the city.” I scratched my head.  “Or maybe I'll just open a gallery in town.”

“
In Harrington?” He chuckled at the notion.  “I'll support you with whatever you want to do, but I'm pretty sure high-end art is going to be a hard sell in this town.” 

He was right.  I shrugged, “I don't really care what job I have as long as I'm with you.”

He rolled his eyes and grinned. “God, that sounds cheesy.”

“
Oh, you think
I'm
cheesy?” I walked around the island, to where he was standing, and snaked my arms around his neck.  “I learned it from the best.” I pressed my lips to his.

“
Yeah, you did,” he bragged with a nod, before kissing me back.  “You know I have an apartment in the city, right?  We could always live there... if you worked in the city.”

“
I did not know that.” I dropped my hands to his chest, feeling the breath escape his lungs the way it did every time I touched him.  “You've been holding out on me, Kline?” I raised one eyebrow.

“
Well, you know, I had to make sure that you weren't just after me for my money,” he joked as he clasped his hands together on the small of my back, leaning back to give me a suspecting glance.

“
You're the one who keeps dropping hints that you want to live with me and be my last boyfriend,” I teased.  “I'm pretty sure you're the one chasing me, buddy.”

“
I'm filthy rich, in case you forgot,” he playfully taunted.

Truthfully, I hadn't forgotten and while that used to be my M.O., it wasn't the case with him.  It was just an added bonus.  “I'm not here for the money,” I admitted with a grin.  “Love is all I need.”

“Two in a row!” He threw his head back to laugh at the lameness I was laying on him.  “I love it.  You're not too bad either,” he put his lips to my forehead, just as a knock came from the front door.

“
I'll get it,” I offered as I dipped out of Tucker's arms and bounded for the door.  “It's probably Kelly,” I called over my shoulder.  She was picking me up for a little boot shopping.  If I was going to be hanging out here, I needed to dress the part.  “Hey girl,” I chimed as I pulled the door open before seeing a face I wasn't expecting. “Nick?”

“
He said you weren't going to be here,” he mumbled under his breath.  I stared at him for moment, trying to figure out exactly why he would be here.  I hadn't called him.  I was doing a really good job of moving on without a thought of him.  But something deep down made me want to hug him now that he was standing in front of me.  Even though he'd lied to me – about everything – he did help my parents.  After spending Christmas with them I was even more grateful that I had a second chance.  “You gonna invite me in?” he finally asked.