Today was the last day. I didn’t tell Jake that, but I knew it. Today, I was going to go back to the house, go to Papa, and plead for forgiveness one last time. One last time before I left with Jake for who knew where. All that was certain was that, with Jake by my side, there was nothing I couldn’t handle.

Even now, as I walked over the freshly cut grass toward my childhood home, toward the man who was going to decide my fate, I wasn’t afraid. No, the calmness that infused all my days was unbreakable. As I rang the doorbell, as the familiar melody flowed through me, I knew. Everything was going to be all right.

Simone looked puzzled when she opened the door.

“He already spoke to you?”

“What do you mean?”

“Your father left about five minutes ago. I thought he was going to see you.”

Suddenly, I understood.

I raced back to the guest house, but it was too late. The door was ajar and Papa was inside. Just outside the door, I paused.

Jake was talking.

“…And I’m sorry, Mr. Pryce, but I can’t accept your offer. Alice is the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and after the happiness I’ve known with her, I couldn’t ever live with myself if I lost her. I love her. I love her, and I know that for you that’s not enough, but I won’t rest until she’s looked after, until I’ve done well by her.”

Silence, then Papa’s voice, quiet. It almost didn’t sound like him; it was so quiet and uncertain.

“I know. I…I’ve been watching you two. I hate to admit it, but I think whatever’s going on between you two, as impractical and crazy as it may be, is real. I would’ve followed through with my offer, but now…now I just don’t know.”

I opened the door, and both men gaped at me.

“How much did you hear?” my father asked.

“Enough,” I said, tears coming to my eyes.

“Well, he didn’t take it. He didn’t even for a second consider it,” my father said, a mixture of pride and despair in his gray eyes. “A million dollars, and he didn’t even consider it.”

I walked over to Jake, and he put his arms around me. Looking at us, Papa’s whole face trembled. I ran up to him, and we joined in one shaky, sputtering hug.

“I’m so sorry. I wanted to tell you. All this time I wanted to tell you.”

“No. It’s me who should be sorry. I almost lost you twice because of my pigheadedness. I almost lost you twice…”

Our faces were wet, but whose tears they were, I couldn’t say.

“I’m not cutting you off, not when I just got you back. Please, you’ll stay a while, won’t you?” Papa said.

I glanced at Jake.

“I have to get back to the cabin soon, but you can come up later.”

I shook my head.

“We’ll stay another night, Papa, but I need to be with Jake right now. We can come up in another week.”

My father nodded and sat down on one of the kitchen chairs, still shaking his head.

“This whole week, I’ve been thinking. These thoughts have been rolling around in my head, knocking and smacking into each other—like the wedding. How I almost had you marry a crook in my quest for more business, better business, more publicity, better publicity. How you majored in economics to please me. How I never saw you happier than when you came back from that Sierra Leone trip or…now. How all I ever wanted was for you to be happy and, in trying to control you, how very much I’ve failed.”

Rising, he took me in his arms.

“Can you forgive me, my darling daughter? Can you ever forgive a pigheaded old fool, Alice?”

I nodded and kissed him on the cheek.

“Of course, Papa. You’ve been so good to me over the years. And I know you only ever wanted what was best for me. We both didn’t know any better, the two of us.”

Drawing back, Papa was nodding, wiping at his eyes with an exasperated sigh.

“Only…I know your mother would be so very proud of the strong-willed woman you’ve become. So very proud.”

I nodded, and we hugged again.

“I’ll have Jake’s criminal charges disappear; if he testifies against Van Patten, it shouldn’t be hard at all. And I’ll sue anyone who dares say a word against either of you.”

I smiled ruefully.

“Thank you, Papa, though I don’t want you going on a campaign to clear our names. Let the dust settle a bit; soon we’ll be old news.”

“I will take you up on testifying against Van Patten,” Jake said, pipping in. “And I meant what I said, sir. I won’t rest until Alice is well cared for and happy.”

Papa turned to face Jake. A shy smile on his face, he said, “I know you will, my boy. I know you will.”

Then he stuck out his hand. His face glowing, Jake stepped forward, took his hand, shook it, and smiled. I took both their hands, looking from one to the other, a mischievous smile playing on my face, and asked, “So, can we have hot dogs?”