Read Online Hell Transporter (Between) by Cyndi Tefft - Free Book Online

words came back to me: “Once you let go of trying to control it yourself, there’s extraordinary freedom to be found.”
    Dad came shuffling up the stairs and I turned to face the wall so he couldn’t see the tear sliding down my cheek. I felt his lips brush the back of my head.
    “Goodnight, pumpkin. I love you.” He stroked my hair and then crawled into his own bed, reaching out to pull the chain on the bedside lamp. In the darkness of the room, I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to let go of my frustration.
    Fine, one day. But that’s all.
    Just one day, I promise. Oidhche mhath, mo chridhe.
    I wished him goodnight as well, then buried my head in the pillow, willing sleep to come quickly.
     
    ~
     
    Dad took me out on the speedboat the next day, since it was hot and sunny with barely a cloud in the sky. He pulled me behind him on the inner tube, craning his neck to watch me as he drove, like he’d done a thousand times before when I was growing up. It was strange not having Mom with us and I could tell he felt it, too, though neither of us acknowledged her absence. A couple of times, he acted as if she were there but then caught himself with a small, sad smile and a shake of his head. We pulled the boat onto an empty stretch of beach and set up a couple of chairs and an umbrella. I hauled out the cooler and handed him a sandwich and a beer. He popped the top, took a long drink, then sighed contentedly.
    Peace settled over me like the glassy blue stillness of the lake. As much as I hated to admit it, Aiden was right that I needed to spend some time alone with my dad. Between the divorce and the six months I spent grieving the loss of Aiden, Dad and I hadn’t had any time to just hang out. It was… nice.
    Munching on my sandwich and chips, I caught him smiling at me out of the corner of my eye.
    “What?” I quirked my eyebrow at him, but he just shook his head and looked away. “What are you up to?” I asked. This time, he laughed out loud but then struggled to paint an innocent look on his face.
    “Nothing. What makes you say that?”
    “Dad…” The warning tone in my voice only made him laugh harder and he ran into the lake in an exaggerated attempt to avoid my question. He grabbed the inner tube and climbed into it, then turned his face to the sun. I threw a rock at him, missing him by a good six feet.
    “You’re a good cook, Linds, but you throw like a girl. I never could help you there. You couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn.”
    With a squeal of outrage, I splashed into the lake after him. I swam underneath the inner tube and overturned it, dumping him into the water. He came up laughing, wiping the water from his eyes and I couldn’t help but laugh, too.
    He headed back to the beach after a brief swim and plopped down on the chair, dried his hands on a towel and resumed his lunch. I followed suit and we ate in silence for a while, soaking up the sun and the serenity of the lake view with the tree-covered mountains beyond.
    My mind floated back to Aiden, wishing he were here, swimming in the lake, with his hair slicked back and the water rolling over his bare chest. My thoughts must have shown on my face because Dad cleared his throat and ran a hand through his wet hair.
    “I know I embarrassed you both the other night…” he started apologetically, but his tone turned defensive before I had a chance to say anything in response. “But you deserved it. You shouldn’t be sleeping together unless you’re married.” A little smile crept into his voice at the end but he kept on.
    “Dad…” I started to protest, but he waved a hand in dismissal.
    “Now, now, don’t get upset. I just wanted you to know that I like Aiden a lot. And,” he gave me a fatherly look and patted my hand, “he makes you happy, I can tell. And that’s good enough for me.”
    I got up and hugged him, not knowing what to say.
    “You’re looking a little pink there. You might want to put on some