Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 107673 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107673 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
“What did you do?” I asked again, putting the rest of this bizarre discussion on hold. Beau was my only concern.
“Grow up, Dasham. Your father did what he had to do, and the boy’s father accepted. It was supposed to be over with.” My mother answered for my father as if she were saying the most reasonable things.
A glance at my father showed his cheeks red with anger. Then he slammed the phone down on the receiver.
“You listen to me closely, Dasham,” my father said harshly, his index finger pointing at me. “If this relationship continues, ours will not.” I took his words like the blow of an unexpected right hook. My entire body numbed. I was stunned.
“All this time, you were ultimately responsible for my unhappiness, not Beau’s father. Do you know what that man did to him?” Pain washed over me in waves.
“What I should have done to you, I’m certain,” my father replied flippantly.
“I always said you were too lenient with him,” my mother added, apparently seconding my father’s view of abuse as an entirely appropriate choice. “You were always pushing him to pursue his dreams.”
“He’s a homosexual, Margot. A liability. We can’t have him in the family business, no matter how smart he is,” my father explained, stating his reasoning even further. “He had to learn a trade.”
Again, I put a pin in his words, shoving them aside to deal with later. Beau. How did he fare through all the bombshell reveal? I glanced back, but he wasn’t there. Shit. Nothing mattered more than the apology I needed to give him, then begging him to stay with me.
Everything important inside me demanded I make this right. I couldn’t lose him now. I started out of the den. My father’s booming voice followed me. “You keep this up, and you’re no longer a part of this family. You’ll be cut off and removed from everything. We won’t tolerate you or your foolishness for another second.”
Once I didn’t see Beau anywhere, I began to jog through the foyer then the front doors. Beau wasn’t anywhere to be seen.
“Beau,” I called loudly, panic setting in.
A groundskeeper working on the flower beds pointed me in the direction of the long drive before my father came out of the house.
“You’re making your decision, Dasham.”
My jog turned into a run toward my car, in full agreement with whatever decision he made because he was no longer in my life until he made this right for Beau.
“I’ll never willingly leave him, but you certainly may have destroyed my chances.” Before dropping into the driver’s side seat, I turned toward the porch, looking him straight in the eyes where he stood close to the front door. “He was nervous about coming here today. He didn’t believe he’d fit in. You disgustingly proved him right. I’m utterly disappointed in you.”
My father lost his shit, face reddening, drawing in a breath to continue his ranting and raving. I had no time to waste on his pointless words. As I plopped down into the driver’s seat, the unexpected turn of events brought tears to my eyes. A young Beau had been right about everything. He’d never wavered in his belief even when I’d argued on behalf of my family. I’d foolishly believed my father was always on my side and, therefore, on Beau’s. Those rose-colored glasses had been firmly in place. What a silly boy I’d been.
I peeled out around the circle, letting the car’s rev show my irritation. Racing down the driveway, I prayed I’d find Beau. Dread of what was to come coiled in my gut. My love. How did this end?
The scorching sun didn’t faze me. I spent most of my days outside in the elements. What caused me problems right then were the stupid Italian loafers on my feet. Dash assured me they were worth the buy, being made by hand from a region that produced the softest leather. But they weren’t faring well during my run.
I’d begun running because I didn’t know what else to do. Facing Dash’s parents brought all my fears to life and then a whole lot more. My mind went into overdrive, my anxiety reached alarming heights. As I left the house, waiting outside for…well, I didn’t know what, the open road of the long driveway called to me. Then a sudden urge to channel my inner Forrest Gump took over. From the second I left the porch, I sprinted in an effort to outpace my demons.
My speed and stamina hadn’t suffered much over the many months since I left playing football. I’d stripped off my dress shirt about a mile back. My undershirt now hung untucked as I pushed through the pain in my feet. At least I’d never have to wear these shoes again.
Sweat trickled down my face. I lost track of the time and direction, fixing my gaze on the road below me. Over the years, I’d wondered how my father had found the photos of Dash and me at the Fourth of July fireworks celebration in Sea Springs.