Read Online Love Takes Hold: The Helena's Grove Series Book 3 by Ivy Alexander - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Ivy Alexander
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tears sprang to her eyes. She covered her face with her hands not wanting her father to see.
Roger quickly made his way around the desk and pulled a chair up next to her. “Jenny, honey, what’s wrong?”
Jen waited until she was able to trust her voice before she spoke. “Oh Daddy, I’m such a mess. I miss Zack so much it hurts. And last night was… it was just awful. I saw him in every man there, compared him to everyone. I’ve made a terrible mistake. I have to talk to him. I need to talk to him.” She covered her face again as another wave of sobs went through her.
Roger said nothing, but put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. Dealing with emotions had never been his strong suit and Jen knew this must be uncomfortable for him. He handed her a box of tissues and waited, sensing she had more to say.
When she looked up at him, his eyes were searching hers. “You know I don’t like to get into your personal life,” he said slowly. “But, what happened between you? Did you break up with him?”
Jen sniffed loudly and wiped her nose. “He…” She stopped and took a few steadying breaths. “He asked me to marry him and I…” She blew her nose. “I said no. He said that he believed in marriage and wanted kids and a house with a white picket fence; I mean the whole nine yards Dad. And…”
“Why?” The surprise in Roger’s voice was evident. “Why did you say no?”
Jen blinked. “Well, we’re still so young. We hadn’t even been dating a year when he asked me and we’d only been living together for a few months.”
Roger looked at her with skepticism.
“I’m not sure I even believe in marriage at all,” Jen defended herself.
Roger waved a dismissive hand at her. “That’s bullshit.”
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me, bullshit. This isn’t about you believing in marriage or not believing in marriage, this about you dealing with your own insecurities and fear.”
Jen stared at him, her mouth hanging open in surprise.
“You’re afraid of marriage and its commitment,” he said pointing at her.
“I thought you didn’t believe in marriage either,” Jen retorted a little too loudly.
Roger made a scoffing sound. “What in the world gave you that impression?”
“Um, I don’t know. The fact that you were married FIVE times maybe,” Jen said sarcastically.
“Exactly. I was married five times. Why would a guy who doesn’t believe in marriage get married five times?”
Jen was speechless; she had always assumed her father felt the same way she did on the subject. “I guess, I just thought you wouldn’t have a very high opinion of it since it hadn’t really worked out for you.”
Roger exhaled and leaned back in his chair. “Jenny, I was married five times because I do believe in marriage. I was divorced five times because, in case you hadn’t realized, I’m not the easiest person to love.”
Jen smiled and chuckled a little through her tears.
“I’m a hardass, and I’m inconsiderate. Those women all left me because I didn’t give them what they needed. I’m not a good husband. I’m a good boyfriend…” He shook his finger at her. “But I’m not a good husband.”
“You spoiled them rotten,” Jen observed. “I mean, spas and trips and cars and…”
“Never time, or love or devotion,” Roger finished.
Jen’s eyebrows furrowed. She had never talked to her dad about his relationships. She’d always assumed it was the women who’d had the problems, not him. This was an entirely new side to the story.
“Don’t blame the institution of marriage for the many divorces in this country,” Roger went on. “Blame the people! The idea of marriage is a good one. Commitment, love, family, like Zack is saying, that’s what happiness is. He’s offering to give you that.”
“I thought you didn’t like him?”
“I’m not supposed to like him. It’s not my job to like him,” Roger said gruffly. “How many of your boyfriends have I
Roger quickly made his way around the desk and pulled a chair up next to her. “Jenny, honey, what’s wrong?”
Jen waited until she was able to trust her voice before she spoke. “Oh Daddy, I’m such a mess. I miss Zack so much it hurts. And last night was… it was just awful. I saw him in every man there, compared him to everyone. I’ve made a terrible mistake. I have to talk to him. I need to talk to him.” She covered her face again as another wave of sobs went through her.
Roger said nothing, but put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. Dealing with emotions had never been his strong suit and Jen knew this must be uncomfortable for him. He handed her a box of tissues and waited, sensing she had more to say.
When she looked up at him, his eyes were searching hers. “You know I don’t like to get into your personal life,” he said slowly. “But, what happened between you? Did you break up with him?”
Jen sniffed loudly and wiped her nose. “He…” She stopped and took a few steadying breaths. “He asked me to marry him and I…” She blew her nose. “I said no. He said that he believed in marriage and wanted kids and a house with a white picket fence; I mean the whole nine yards Dad. And…”
“Why?” The surprise in Roger’s voice was evident. “Why did you say no?”
Jen blinked. “Well, we’re still so young. We hadn’t even been dating a year when he asked me and we’d only been living together for a few months.”
Roger looked at her with skepticism.
“I’m not sure I even believe in marriage at all,” Jen defended herself.
Roger waved a dismissive hand at her. “That’s bullshit.”
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me, bullshit. This isn’t about you believing in marriage or not believing in marriage, this about you dealing with your own insecurities and fear.”
Jen stared at him, her mouth hanging open in surprise.
“You’re afraid of marriage and its commitment,” he said pointing at her.
“I thought you didn’t believe in marriage either,” Jen retorted a little too loudly.
Roger made a scoffing sound. “What in the world gave you that impression?”
“Um, I don’t know. The fact that you were married FIVE times maybe,” Jen said sarcastically.
“Exactly. I was married five times. Why would a guy who doesn’t believe in marriage get married five times?”
Jen was speechless; she had always assumed her father felt the same way she did on the subject. “I guess, I just thought you wouldn’t have a very high opinion of it since it hadn’t really worked out for you.”
Roger exhaled and leaned back in his chair. “Jenny, I was married five times because I do believe in marriage. I was divorced five times because, in case you hadn’t realized, I’m not the easiest person to love.”
Jen smiled and chuckled a little through her tears.
“I’m a hardass, and I’m inconsiderate. Those women all left me because I didn’t give them what they needed. I’m not a good husband. I’m a good boyfriend…” He shook his finger at her. “But I’m not a good husband.”
“You spoiled them rotten,” Jen observed. “I mean, spas and trips and cars and…”
“Never time, or love or devotion,” Roger finished.
Jen’s eyebrows furrowed. She had never talked to her dad about his relationships. She’d always assumed it was the women who’d had the problems, not him. This was an entirely new side to the story.
“Don’t blame the institution of marriage for the many divorces in this country,” Roger went on. “Blame the people! The idea of marriage is a good one. Commitment, love, family, like Zack is saying, that’s what happiness is. He’s offering to give you that.”
“I thought you didn’t like him?”
“I’m not supposed to like him. It’s not my job to like him,” Roger said gruffly. “How many of your boyfriends have I
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