He smiled and let out a throaty laugh. “Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, that’s for sure.”
I chuckled. “I’m going to take that as a good sign though. Seeing how happy you and Mom are, Lib and I would be lucky to have a love like yours.”
My father smiled and his eyes sparkled. Anytime I mentioned my mother to him, his eyes lit up. “May I offer you some advice?”
“Yes, always, Dad.”
He took another drink of his beer and looked straight ahead as if he was recollecting something.
He inhaled a breath and slowly blew it out. “No matter how bad things seem to be, never give up on your love. Fight for it with all you’ve got, Luke. There were times your mother had me wanting to pull my hair out—many, many times.”
I laughed as I took another drink of my beer. “I feel a ‘but’ coming.”
Nodding his head, my father said, “Your mother saved me, Luke. I tell her all the time if it hadn’t been for her love, I’m not sure what I would have done. Life without her is not an option.”
Looking straight ahead, I let his words sink in. “I feel the same way about Libby. I think I’ve been in love with her for so long, the idea of actually doing something about it scared the hell out of me. I kept thinking if it didn’t work out I’d not only being losing the love of my life, but I’d be losing my best friend as well.”
Laughing my father shook his head. “It’s like I’m listening to my younger self.” Turning, he looked at me with a serious look. “Do everything in your power, Son, to never hurt her again.”
Swallowing hard, I nodded my head. “Yes, sir.”
He nodded his head and looked away. “I know you won’t, because if I don’t kick your ass first, I know Josh will.”
I let out a nervous laugh. “Yeah, for some reason Josh scares the piss out of me now.” My father threw his head back and laughed his ass off. “Trust me, someday, when you have a daughter, you’ll understand.”
My heart dropped to my stomach. I had never thought about kids before. Ever. That was the last thing on my mind. The idea of having a baby with Libby filled my heart with excitement. I smiled as I pictured Libby pregnant.
My father jumped off the tailgate and pointed at me. “No. Stop it right now, Luke Johnson. Right now.”
I held up my hands in surrender. “Stop what?”
He kept pointing. “Don’t you even picture it in your mind. I know what you’re doing. I’m too young to be a grandfather and you have two more years of school.”
My mouth dropped open. How did he know what I was thinking? Then I decided it was time to play with good ole Dad. I smiled when I looked at his shirt. My mother would flip if she saw it.
Lick it like a lollipop.
I chuckled inside. I got my love of crazy shirts from my father, that is for sure. I put on a serious face and dragged my hands down my face. “Sorry, Dad. It’s just, it’s gonna happen.”
My father took a step back. Horror washed over his face. “I’m going to kill you, Luke Drew Johnson, if you say what I think you’re fixin’ to say.”
I shrugged my shoulders. “The passion between us is too strong.”
His mouth dropped open. “What the hell does that mean?”
Looking down, I kicked a rock. “We didn’t want anything between us, Dad and well, I’m afraid you and Mom are gonna be a memaw and pappy sooner than you thought.”
The beer dropped from his hand and he let out a gasp.
“W—what? Why in the hell would you think I’d want to be called—Pappy? I mean, Pappy?” I stood there shocked. He was more worried about the name Pappy than the possibility of Libby being pregnant.
I smiled as I walked over and placed my hand on his shoulder. “Yeah, you just look like a Pappy, Dad.” He pushed my hand off his shoulder and turned and walked away. He was mumbling something, but I was trying too hard not to laugh so I couldn’t hear what he was saying. I pulled out my phone and sent Libby a text.
Me: Do you love me?
Libby: More than anything.
Me: Do you trust me?