Read Online Groomless - Part 2 by Sierra Rose - Free Book Online Page A

They’ll be sending a nurse to check on me occasionally, but I’m actually feeling a lot better. In fact, I feel so great that I can’t believe I’m going to die. It sure doesn’t feel like cancer is eating me alive. I felt worse than this on the side of that mountain. Gosh, that was the nastiest cold I ever had! Nyquil should have hired me to endorse them after that.”
    I shook my head at him but had to smile. “You shouldn’t be scaling mountains under the influence, Dad,” I said. “Anyway, I can come stay with you. I wouldn’t mind at all.”
    “I know you don’t, but I refuse to live the remainder of my life as a burden to you or anyone else. You can come visit anytime you want, but I won’t have you being my nanny or nursemaid. You’ve got a life to live, and I worked hard to set you up to live it. I’m not gonna hold you back now.”
    My phone rang, and I quickly moved to turn it off.
    “It’s okay to take the call, honey,” my dad said. “I know I can’t always have you all to myself, not a busy girl like you.”
    “It’s my boss.”
    “You’d better take it then.”
    “Hi, Patty,” I said cheerfully. “What can I do for you?”
    “Apparently not much,” she snapped.
    “Huh?”
    “Remember those days you took off recently?”
    “Yes. I had just found out about my father’s cancer, and you said—”
    “Well,” she continued, interrupting me, “I had no choice but to let Gina take your place for those shoots, and she did a horrible job. Because of her, we lost the Johnson account. I’m steaming right now, Julia!”
    “I’m sorry.”
    “I needed that account!” she roared.
    “I know, but I was devastated. My dad is dying, and—”
    “You promised me when I hired you that you would never let personal problems get in the way.”
    “I know. I promise it won’t happen again.”
    “You’re right. It won’t…at least not to me, because you’re fired!”
    I gasped. “What?”
    “You heard me!”
    Click .
    “What’s wrong?” my dad asked. “Is everything okay?”
    “I just got canned.”
    “What!? Your work is flawless!”
    “I missed too many days, and Patty lost a high-paying gig, one of our biggest clients.”
    “I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault.”
    “No it isn’t, Dad. It doesn’t matter though. She was a wench to work for anyway. Not to mention, the pay was horrible. I have a wonderful résumé, and I’m sure I’ll find something better.”
    “You’re right, and you should never have to work for anyone who makes you so unhappy,” he said.
    “Maybe I’ll have to move in with you after all, Daddy,” I said. “What do you say? Wanna be roomies?”
    My dad was stubborn and didn’t want me to move in with him. I wanted to be there for him, to help him with anything he needed and to make his last days as good as they could possibly be. I would do anything for my father, and he knew it, but I also knew how independent he was.
    “It not going to come down to that,” he said. “You’ll find a better job.”
    “Well, at least having the reception in the back yard won’t cost anything,” I said.
    “But the New York Banquet Hall gave us the ballroom for the night, as a gift,” he said. “I really would love to take them up on their generous offer. We won’t have to worry about seating or decorations or anything like that. Who knows what kind of shape I’ll be in by then? They’ll take care of everything, so you and I won’t have to stress about it. Besides, they’re offering free food and booze.”
    My gaze narrowed. “Tell the truth. You heard I was going to grill the chicken, right?”
    “I did hear that,” he said, laughing. “No offense, my dear, but I’m already terminal. I’d rather not have to spend my last days watching your great-grandmother crack her dentures.”
    “You’re scared the chicken might even be rubberier than what they serve here, huh?”
    A gleam twinkled in his eye. “That is a very strong possibility. And is