He looked like he was beating himself up as he shook his head. His turmoil was as painful as his words. “She was manipulating me because I’d hurt her. I never should have listened to her. I should have tried harder to see you…I’m so sorry.”

I could tell from the way he said that, that he meant he was sorry for all of it—for misjudging them, for leaving me with them, for not rescuing me. I had to turn away and close my eyes as the waves of pain crashed over me. My life could have been so different. All this time I’d hated him as much as my parents, on the rare occasions that I’d even let myself think about him. Most of the time I’d simply ignored the fact that he existed, that he’d ever existed. Because I’d felt so invisible to him. But I wasn’t.

“I never knew you even thought about me,” I whispered, my voice shaky.

He put his hand on my arm again. “Of course I did. What father could forget about his son, his firstborn?”

I looked back at him, hopeful, but still full of disbelief. Being wanted was too surreal…my go-to response was to reject the feeling. Gavin sighed as he looked at me. “I stayed away for the wrong reasons, thinking I was protecting you by letting you believe the lie, even after their deaths.” His voice failed him and seeing him struggle broke something inside me—the final wall keeping him back. Clearing his throat, he said, “But I’m here now, and I’d like to get to know you.”

Gavin slapped on a carefree smile. He extended his hand to me and casually said, “Hello. My name is Gavin Carter, and I’m your father.”

The way he said it amused me. Grinning, I dropped Kiera’s hand to grab his as I played along. “I’m Kellan Kyle…and I guess I’m your son.”

Gavin laughed as we shook hands; the warm sound soothed a long-buried ache inside me, and I felt something…mending. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Kellan.”

I nodded. “Yeah…you too.” And surprisingly…I meant that.

In a gesture of warmth, Gavin folded his other hand on top of ours. “I don’t want to push you, but you have a home with us in Pennsylvania, Kellan. Whenever you’re ready, you’re always welcome there.”

Welcome…it was such a foreign concept to me, something the child inside me yearned for. My immediate instinct was to reject it, to hide myself, protect myself. I knew I couldn’t keep doing that though. I would have lost Kiera completely if I hadn’t let her in. She’d taught me that I had to let myself be vulnerable if I ever wanted…more from life. And I did. Desperately. So, I nodded at him. When I’m ready.