Forced Out by Stephen Frey Page B

scared them half to death. This isn't like that. This isn't funny."
    "It's a little funny."
    "It's not funny at all, damn it. It's my life."
    She never swore, and it caught his attention like an Ali hook. "Princess, I--"
    "You didn't want me going home with Bobby. That's why you faked the heart attack, wasn't it? Wasn't it? "
    She was serious this time, and Jack wasn't ready for it. He'd never seen her like this. "I love you so much," he murmured. "I just don't want to see you get hurt, and I--"
    "You don't want me to leave," she snapped, anger tears welling in her eyes. "You don't want to see the person who waits on you hand and foot get away. You want to hang on to me any way you can. That's what it is, isn't it? That's what tonight was all about. That's why you scared Bobby off. That's why you scare all my boyfriends off. You're worried that if you don't, you might lose your slave." Her voice was trembling. "Don't be so damn selfish, Daddy. Don't try to run my life anymore. Think about someone other than yourself for once, will you?"
    Jack shook his head. "No, no, Princess, it's that I--"
    "You've got to let me go. I can't stay here forever."
    "I, I--"
    "You don't love me."
    Jack's mouth ran dry. He couldn't love anyone more than he did Cheryl. How could she take his little prank so seriously? He figured she'd known from the start the whole thing was a hoax. At least suspected it was. "Princess, I...I love you so much. I can't believe you could think I'd want to keep you here like some kind of prisoner. Like some kind of..." His voice trailed off.
    Suddenly she rushed into his arms, leaping across the sudden chasm. "I'm sorry, Daddy," she said, sobbing. "I'm sorry I said that. It was so mean, and I know how much you love me. You've always been there for me. Always." She looked up at him, tears streaming down her cheeks. "But I need to have my own life. I want kids, and I'm not getting any younger. I want to see you hold them. I want to see you teach them to throw a baseball like you taught me when I was little. I want you to go to Little League games with me and my husband. I want all of that, you know?" She pressed her face into his neck. "You aren't getting any younger, either." She sobbed loudly several times. "I'm worried that...
    I'm worried...Christ, I can't even say it."
    Jack felt the awesome power of uncontrollable emotion bearing down on him. The twitch in his lower lip, the heat in his eyes, the mess in his mind. He hated being weak, hated people who were weak. He shut his eyes, fighting it hard. "I know," he muttered, hoping his voice sounded strong. "I know what you mean. And I know you want all those things. Every woman does. They're the most important things in the world." She hugged him tightly. "I won't move away, Daddy, I promise. I'll stay right here in Sarasota. You'll come over every night for dinner. We'll have a room for you so you can stay over whenever you want. Bobby and I talked about that, and he's fine with it. I won't let you be old and lonely."
    He'd never thought of that--at least not consciously. The possibility that maybe he wasn't scaring off her boyfriends to protect her, but to protect himself. He shook his head. That was insane; he'd never do that. Of course, the mind worked in mysterious ways. He knew that all too well. "I know you won't," he said, relieved when the emotion passed, when he regained control. "I know you want your own life. Damn, you can't be taking care of me forever. I know that."
    "Bobby likes me." She pulled a tissue from her jeans and wiped her eyes. "I think maybe he might even love me. He could be the one."
    That image of Bobby slipping his fingers away from Cheryl's at the game still haunted him. "Sure. I caught him looking at you tonight that way a couple of times. Like he couldn't be without you. It was nice."
    "Daddy, I know I'm not the prettiest girl around. I know I'm--"
    "You're gorgeous, " he interrupted, looking into her eyes fiercely. "Bobby Griffin's