When I’d lost it… I’d thought it was meant to be. I hadn’t been worthy of being a mother. Since our relationship was dead, so was any proof of it.

He’d walked away for me.

“So? Like I said, not even a year later he came back with another woman’s baby. Proof I was right.”

The only thing it proved was how wrong my dad had been. Huck was a good man. He’d walked away from me because, while threatened, he’d done what was best for me. Same went with Claire. He hadn’t cared what people thought of him, only of doing the right thing.

And everyone thought he’d been a fuckup. He’d thought that of himself.

God, was he so wrong.

“He might not have even left if you hadn’t interfered.” I was done remaining calm. I was shouting now, wiping at my eyes. I could barely see him through the tears.

“Then you’d have learned what kind of man he was the hard way.”

“Like I am now with you.”

I was done here. Done with him. Dad had interfered in my relationship with Huck. Broke us up. Destroyed my heart. Let me believe lies.

“Sarah!” he shouted. “You leave and you’re done here. You’re out. You won’t make it in this town as a mechanic. I’ll see to it.”

I looked back at him. This was what he’d done with Huck six years ago. But the threat he’d made to Huck had been directed at me. Huck had walked because of the consequences. But now, me?

How had I never seen this side of my dad? I took in his threat. He wanted me to be scared, to tuck my shoulders under and cower. Remember my place. Cede to him. Again.

Now I saw the man for what he was. A loser. He was barely doing his job, slacking because he knew his own daughter would take care of any issues for him. But when things didn’t go just his way, he got pissed. Tossed out ridiculous threats.

He didn’t give a shit about me. Or if he did, he had a horrible way of showing it.

He was the one who was scared. The one who was losing everything, because if I walked, he’d actually have to do some work.

His words had no weight.

I had no idea what I was going to do, but I wasn’t afraid any longer. I wasn’t going to hold myself back from what I wanted. I knew what it was. Who it was.

I didn’t say a word, only turned around to leave. I froze in my tracks when I saw Huck. He stood just outside the open garage door, hands on hips. He was in his police uniform, just as I’d seen him on the call before dawn. His eyes were narrowed, his jaw clenched. He wasn’t looking at me, but past me to my dad.

My heart lurched and… God. He was here. For me. He seemed bigger. Broader. More intense. Just… more.