His pride and his temper are what caused the rift between he and my father, err, Jim. They still weren’t speaking when my father was shot. I think that weighs on Aidan a great deal.”
“What happened?”
Sighing, Rachel crossed a leg over the other. “Aidan played football in high school. He played wide receiver for Creekmore.”
She should’ve known he was a jock.
“Aidan’s senior year, we had a game in a nearby town. Three college scouts were expected to attend to watch him play. Jim was pumped about Aidan giving it his all.”
Rachel gave a half grin. “Pride and arrogance were strong traits in Jim too, so he and Aidan always got into it. That night, Jim really put pressure on Aidan to perform well.”
Cassandra had seen the same between her father and Dar. The pressure had never helped. It only made things worse.
“An older guy from the other school had a little too much to drink and made obnoxious comments about our players. It happened sometimes, so everyone brushed it off.
Then he started making lewd comments about the cheerleaders, one of which was Aidan’s girlfriend, Sandra. Mom could see Aidan getting agitated with the guy so Jim yelled at him to blow it off.”
Sandra. The woman who had pulled over on the side of the road the other day. Interesting.
“Couldn’t someone call security?”
Rachel cocked an eyebrow. “Security from the hometown police?” She shook her head. “Obviously, you’re not from Texas.” She smiled. “They told the guy to back off but he would start up again a few minutes later.
Anyway, Aidan was out on the field, lining up for a play, when the guy walked over to Sandra and started flirting with her. When he leaned in close and whispered something in Sandra’s ear, Aidan ran off the field and punched him in the face. Not once,” she held up a finger, “but three times, until the guy fell backwards on the ground. Aidan broke his nose.”
Cass smiled to herself. He punched another man because he was jealous. She could see it so clearly.
“Good for Aidan. I probably would’ve done the same thing.”
Rachel chuckled. “Jim didn’t see it that way. He was absolutely livid. Of course, the scouts weren’t interested in Aidan after that. He’d ruined his chances of playing college ball.”
“That had to be, what, ten years ago?” Cass said. “He still held a grudge?”
“They argued non-stop until they both just ran out of gas. Once Aidan left for the Navy, it was easy to keep a distance. They never talked again.”
Rachel gave a watery grin. “I think Aidan took his death harder than any of us. If he’d seen Jim as a quadriplegic, I think it would’ve killed him. Aidan won’t rest until he finds whoever shot him.”
“If you go looking for trouble, it’ll let you find it.”
Cassandra whipped around. Her father stared at her with lazy eyes. She jumped up and rushed to the side of the bed, Rachel behind her.
“Father.” A sob broke her voice as she squeezed his hand. “You had me so worried.”
He gave her a weak smile. “It’ll take more than your brother’s lousy shot to bring me down.”
Rachel chuckled behind her. His gaze moved to her. “Rachel, my other daughter. You’re here, too?” He patted
the opposite side of the bed. “Come here.”
A twinge of jealousy nipped at Cassandra.
Get a grip, Cassandra. She is his daughter. Get used to
it .
“How are you?” Rachel stood close, her hands clasped in front of her. “Can I get you anything?”
Robert took Rachel’s hand, his speech groggy. “I want to get to know you, Rachel. Too much time has been wasted.”
She covered his hand with her own. “Now that you’re awake, we have all the time in the world.”
Smiling, Robert turned his head on the pillow and took Cassandra’s hand. He gave her a slow wink.
“My beautiful, beautiful daughters. Promise me that no matter what happens, you will be there for each other.”
Cassandra frowned. How could he ask that when
“What happened?”
Sighing, Rachel crossed a leg over the other. “Aidan played football in high school. He played wide receiver for Creekmore.”
She should’ve known he was a jock.
“Aidan’s senior year, we had a game in a nearby town. Three college scouts were expected to attend to watch him play. Jim was pumped about Aidan giving it his all.”
Rachel gave a half grin. “Pride and arrogance were strong traits in Jim too, so he and Aidan always got into it. That night, Jim really put pressure on Aidan to perform well.”
Cassandra had seen the same between her father and Dar. The pressure had never helped. It only made things worse.
“An older guy from the other school had a little too much to drink and made obnoxious comments about our players. It happened sometimes, so everyone brushed it off.
Then he started making lewd comments about the cheerleaders, one of which was Aidan’s girlfriend, Sandra. Mom could see Aidan getting agitated with the guy so Jim yelled at him to blow it off.”
Sandra. The woman who had pulled over on the side of the road the other day. Interesting.
“Couldn’t someone call security?”
Rachel cocked an eyebrow. “Security from the hometown police?” She shook her head. “Obviously, you’re not from Texas.” She smiled. “They told the guy to back off but he would start up again a few minutes later.
Anyway, Aidan was out on the field, lining up for a play, when the guy walked over to Sandra and started flirting with her. When he leaned in close and whispered something in Sandra’s ear, Aidan ran off the field and punched him in the face. Not once,” she held up a finger, “but three times, until the guy fell backwards on the ground. Aidan broke his nose.”
Cass smiled to herself. He punched another man because he was jealous. She could see it so clearly.
“Good for Aidan. I probably would’ve done the same thing.”
Rachel chuckled. “Jim didn’t see it that way. He was absolutely livid. Of course, the scouts weren’t interested in Aidan after that. He’d ruined his chances of playing college ball.”
“That had to be, what, ten years ago?” Cass said. “He still held a grudge?”
“They argued non-stop until they both just ran out of gas. Once Aidan left for the Navy, it was easy to keep a distance. They never talked again.”
Rachel gave a watery grin. “I think Aidan took his death harder than any of us. If he’d seen Jim as a quadriplegic, I think it would’ve killed him. Aidan won’t rest until he finds whoever shot him.”
“If you go looking for trouble, it’ll let you find it.”
Cassandra whipped around. Her father stared at her with lazy eyes. She jumped up and rushed to the side of the bed, Rachel behind her.
“Father.” A sob broke her voice as she squeezed his hand. “You had me so worried.”
He gave her a weak smile. “It’ll take more than your brother’s lousy shot to bring me down.”
Rachel chuckled behind her. His gaze moved to her. “Rachel, my other daughter. You’re here, too?” He patted
the opposite side of the bed. “Come here.”
A twinge of jealousy nipped at Cassandra.
Get a grip, Cassandra. She is his daughter. Get used to
it .
“How are you?” Rachel stood close, her hands clasped in front of her. “Can I get you anything?”
Robert took Rachel’s hand, his speech groggy. “I want to get to know you, Rachel. Too much time has been wasted.”
She covered his hand with her own. “Now that you’re awake, we have all the time in the world.”
Smiling, Robert turned his head on the pillow and took Cassandra’s hand. He gave her a slow wink.
“My beautiful, beautiful daughters. Promise me that no matter what happens, you will be there for each other.”
Cassandra frowned. How could he ask that when
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