Telling herself that Danny was fine—it was probably something simple like a flat phone battery that he hadn’t noticed—she returned her attention to her father. And because she figured it couldn’t hurt, she started telling him about her aim for gold at the next Paralympics. The specific training schedule she’d mapped out… and the ways she’d adapted it so she could see Danny. “Because he’s important to me.”

It came out solid, unshakable, that confession. “And I’m important to him.” So strange to say that and to know it without question. “I can ask him anything and he’ll give it to me.”

That was when she got it.

Oh, of course he isn’t answering his phone. He’s on his way to me.

34

TRUST

It should’ve been a stupid fantasy thought that she dismissed out of hand. But it stuck. And kept on sticking in the minutes that followed. Until her stomach settled and she could actually eat the abandoned muffin.

A stir from the bed, her father’s hand moving.

“Daddy?” She rose to see his eyes fluttering… and then they were open and looking into hers.

A moment of fuzziness before they lit up. “Sugar girl.” His voice was a croak, his joy at seeing her open.

Swallowing back her tears, she leaned in to gently hug him before she pressed the call button.

After that, she had to back off to give the nurse and doctor room to evaluate him. Gloria, who couldn’t have slept more than an hour, rushed in during the middle of all that and burst into smiling tears at seeing Clive awake.

Catie was surprised but happy to see the way Clive looked at Gloria, how he tried to joke with her to make her feel better. Maybe this might actually work. Perhaps her feckless father had finally found his match.

She murmured something along those lines to him when the medical staff cleared the room and Gloria excused herself to go to the bathroom. “Gloria’s my favorite of all your girlfriends,” she said. “Try not to get dumped, Dad.” Clive was usually the leaver in a relationship, but she didn’t think it would play out that way this time.

A shaky chuckle. “She’d kick my ass if I stepped out of line, wouldn’t she?”

Catie laughed. “Yeah, I’d be careful there.”

“I will, sugar girl.” A patented Clive smile. “Your old man still has it, you know.”

Happy and sad at the same time, she said, “I know.”

Gloria bustled in right then. “Oh, look at you. So beautiful together. That same gorgeous smile.” Taking out her phone, she snapped a pic. “I’ll send it to you,” she said to Catie.

“Thanks.” Catie rose to her feet. “I’m going to give you two some time alone and go scout out coffee and snacks for me and Gloria.”