Chapter 95 — Madison

I finally got some time with Daddy scheduled for that afternoon.

He’d been at the Dallas/Fort Worth office and had just gotten back from a flight.

I sent the phone calls to the answering service and met Daddy over at the Skyhouse.

He looked good. Daddy was a strikingly handsome man. He had salt and pepper hair.

The streaks of gray only added to his distinguished appearance that turned heads anytime he walked into a room.

The bar was starting to fill up with the after-work crowd, but we found a quiet table in the back. The bartender brought a martini for me and a crown on the rocks for Daddy.

“So…” Daddy said. “Momma said your trip to Denver went well. Other than having to come back early.”

I felt a blush across my cheeks. I didn’t want to think about what had made my trip so special. The night spent with Kade. That wasn’t something I wanted to even think about in front of my father.

“It was good,” I said. “It was nice to spend some time getting reacquainted with Kade.”

Daddy smiled. “I thought you might enjoy that.”

“You set that up on purpose, didn’t you?” I asked.

“What?” Daddy asked innocently. “Your mother and I just thought that you’d like some time with Kade.”

“Daddy,” I said, sliding my drink aside and leaning forward. “Momma said you had a doctor’s appointment.”

Nodding, he tapping the ice in his drink. He always did that when he was giving himself time to thing.

“I did have a doctor’s appointment,” he said.

“And?”

“Everything was okay.”

“Daddy,” I said. “While I was in Estes Park, I ran into Andrew.”

Daddy turned pale. Even in the dim light of the bar, I could see it. “Andrew?”

“Yes,” I said. “Your friend Andrew.”

“I haven’t seen him in a while. How is he?”

“Good, I guess.” I shook my head. “He said you two still keep in touch.”

“I talked to him… maybe… a couple of weeks ago.”

I pulled my drink forward and took a sip. Daddy wasn’t telling me anything.

I’d given him every opportunity to come clean, but it looked like if I wanted to know something, I was going to have to be straightforward.

“He told me.” I lowered my voice and swallowed hard. I couldn’t bring myself to say the words. It was funny how it was so much easier being straightforward with a stranger than it was with someone I loved.

Daddy sat back, stretched out his legs.

I took a deep breath. I always told my patients to just say it out loud. Saying something out loud takes away its power.

Easier said than done.

“He said you have cancer,” I blurted.

Daddy stared blankly at me.

Then he leaned forward and spoke softly.

“They did some tests,” he said.

I waited. It was so hard to quietly let the seconds tick past as I waited for him to continue.

“They thought it was prostate cancer, but the latest test came back negative.”

I blew out a breath and felt like I was going to collapse. “Thank God,” I said.

He nodded. “The doctor suggested I start exercising and eating more live food.”

“Sounds like he’s been talking to Momma.”

“I know,” Daddy said. “Takes all the fun out, doesn’t it?”

He held up his glass for a toast.

“To hamburgers and Crown Royal whisky.”

I lifted my glass to his.

“To family,” I said.