“Three weeks ago, Hawk was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer.”
The world stopped spinning.
“He didn’t tell you because he didn’t want you to cancel the wedding. He didn’t want your wedding day to be about him dying. He made us all promise not to say anything.”
I couldn’t breathe. My dad was dying, and he hadn’t told me. He’d spent the last three weeks planning my wedding while dealing with a death sentence alone.
“Where is he?” I demanded.
Uncle Bear’s face crumbled. “This morning, he collapsed. He’s at County Medical Center. Olivia, he tried so hard to make it. He was planning to leave the hospital against doctor’s orders, just to walk you down that aisle. But he couldn’t even stand up.”
I didn’t remember running to Danny’s truck. I didn’t remember the drive to the hospital. All I remember is running through those sterile hallways in my wedding dress, Uncle Bear and Danny behind me, the entire Iron Guardians MC following like a leather-clad army.
I found Dad in room 347. He was connected to so many machines, his strong body suddenly looking small and fragile in that hospital bed. But when he saw me in my wedding dress, his eyes lit up like I’d hung the moon.
“Baby girl,” he whispered. “Did you… did you get married?”
I collapsed beside his bed, grabbing his hand. “Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you tell me you were sick?”
“You’re my dad. You’re supposed to be there—”
“I was there, Olivia. I’ve been there your whole life. Missing today doesn’t change twenty years of being there.”
“But I needed you today.”
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