“Of course, I want that, but I know a thing or two about men and—”
“So do I!”
That shut him up.
Softening her voice, she said, “I have more uncles than shoes. I grew up watching them and all my cousins. Do you think I’m so naive that I don’t know how men are and what they think about? I could have had a ton of empty relationships by now if that was all I wanted. But I want more. Rhett gives me something I need. It’s more than sex.”
The word hit him like a slap and he squeezed his temples. “Skylar, I can’t discuss this with you.”
“Why? You talk about this stuff with Frankie. Why not me, Dad?”
“Because you’re my baby girl!”
Her eyes flushed with tears and she blinked. “I’ll always be that.”
He glanced at the car as if he wished he could run away. “You grew up so fast. It feels like I missed a part.”
She understood his position, but that was a personal issue he had to work through. She wouldn’t guilt him for working overtime or being preoccupied with his research. None of that could be undone now. This was where they were.
“Your behavior the other night…” She shook her head, still shocked he’d acted so crazy. “You hurt me.”
He looked at her with genuine regret in his eyes. “I was trying to protect you.”
“Then you should have talked to me. You could have asked what was going on and I would have told you.”
“I doubt that—”
“This is what I mean, Dad. You might not be able to accept that I’m a grown woman with adult relationships, but I’m living it. It’s not weird for me. If you had come to me, I would have told you Rhett and I were together. I would have told you how he makes me feel important and special, how he values my input and when I speak, he listens. When he looks at me, he truly sees me. That’s what I mean when I say he meets my needs, Dad. I need to feel like someone sees me.”
He studied her for a long moment. “We see you, Skylar.”
“When? If Frankie has a game, you’re there. If Hannah has a dance, you make it for the pictures. You go to Vinny’s school concerts and have tea with Ciera and watch cartoons with James, but you don’t do any of those things with me.”
His stare wavered. “I did all those things with you, too.”
“But you stopped. You got busy and you never have time anymore.”
“I always have time for you, pumpkin. Maybe I’ve been preoccupied. I know I’ve been absent a lot because of work, but you guys are always on my mind. You’re my entire world.” He frowned and looked down. “You’ve always been so reliable. I guess I just figured you could handle more than the others and maybe that’s why I pulled back, but it’s not because I love you any less or think of you any less.”
She wiped her eyes. “I love him, Dad. And I want to fix this with him, with or without your blessing.”
He exhaled and turned away. “Why him? You’re still so young and, now, with Gran’s gift, you could—”
“You’ve been with Mommy since you were kids. Do you think we can’t do math? You two had Frankie when she was barely eighteen.”
“Your mom’s situation was different. If you ask her, she’ll tell you all about the plans she had and the things she sacrificed to be a young mom. She and I don’t want to see you make those sacrifices.”
“That’s not your choice.” And being with Rhett didn’t feel like a sacrifice. It felt like a privilege.
She scuffed her slipper over the dusty driveway and pushed her hands into the pockets of her robe. “You asked why him.”
His gaze met hers and she understood that this was him finally hearing her out, that he truly wanted to understand the appeal of Rhett Buchanan.
“Because he’s who I fell in love with. He’s decent and kind, and when I’m with him, I know I matter.”
“He’s a politician. They’re inherently untrustworthy.”
“You see the mayor side of him. You don’t see the side I get when we’re alone. I know the real him. He’s a good father. He’s humble and considerate.” She didn’t think it would help her argument to share how handsome she found Rhett, so she skipped that part. “He’s kind to me.”
“Kindness should be a given, Sky.”
“I let him get close to me, because we have chemistry, Dad. I know you don’t want to hear that, but we make sense together. He appreciates who I am, and that sort of kindness isn’t the same as simple manners. It’s deeper. I haven’t found that in many surface relationships.”
He sighed, huffing out a breath that turned into cold vapor. “It’s going to take me some time to accept this.”