“I’ve made one too many mistakes. She deserves better than me.”
“You’re still her father. She loves you. Are you really going to ruin your only daughter’s wedding day by staying away from it? By letting some stranger walk her down the aisle? Do you know how that will make her feel?” He paused for a moment. “She’ll feel abandoned by her father. She’ll think you don’t love her anymore.”
George jumped up. “That’s not true! I love her!”
Daniel got up too, jabbing his finger in George’s chest. “Then show it! Don’t wallow in your own sorrow!” He pointed to the bottle. “Do you think alcohol will resolve the rift between you two? I can tell you it won’t! The only way you can fix this is by going to Sabrina and apologizing to her. She’ll forgive you. I promise you. Your daughter has the most amazing capacity for forgiveness, and I know that for a fact. In the past, I’ve hurt her worse than you did. But she forgave me. And it’s taught me a lot about your daughter. It’s taught me who she is and who I am. And who I would be without her. That’s why no matter what happens, I will always ask for her forgiveness, and I will always do whatever is in my power to make her happy. Because the thought of seeing Sabrina unhappy breaks my heart into a million pieces. So, if you love her only a fraction of how I love her, then you will be at that wedding, or I promise you, you’ll regret for the rest of your life that you weren’t part of the happiest day in your daughter’s life.”
Without waiting for George’s reply, Daniel turned on his heels and walked to the door.
When he turned the handle, George’s voice reached him. “What if she doesn’t forgive me?”
“That’s the risk you’ll have to take.”
He opened the door and left the room. Now it was up to George to find it in himself to ask for forgiveness. There was nothing else Daniel could do.
27
Daniel glanced at Sabrina as she laughed at something his mother said to her. They were just getting up from the dinner table, where they’d enjoyed the rehearsal dinner, which was taking place in the same tent where the wedding would take place the next day. Sabrina looked beautiful in a simple, yet elegant empire waist evening dress in a soft pastel green that accentuated her breasts as well as her eyes. His eyes drifted lower to where the material flowed over her still-flat stomach. Soon everybody would be able to see that their child was growing inside her. He couldn’t suppress the pride and happiness he felt at the thought of Sabrina giving him a child.
“Daniel? Did you hear me?” Paul Gilbert nudged him in the side.
Daniel forced his gaze away from Sabrina. “I’m sorry. What did you say?”
Paul laughed. “I said it’s not too late to change your mind. You can pack a bag and we can bust you out of here.”
Jay, who’d sidled up to him, nodded in agreement. “Absolutely.”
Daniel rolled his eyes at his two friends. “And let me guess, both of you will be more than willing to comfort my jilted fiancée?”
Paul exchanged a grin with Jay. “Somebody will have to.”
“Thanks for the offer, but there is nothing in this world that’ll keep me from marrying Sabrina tomorrow.” He glanced in Sabrina’s direction again. “Nothing in the world.”
“That’s it guys, we’ve lost him,” Paul teased, and everyone around them laughed. “Let’s leave this lovesick puppy and get another drink at the bar, before they throw us out. What do you say, Jay?”
“You had me at drink,” Jay joked.
Daniel watched the two walk toward the bar and sighed. His eyes wandered over the assembled guests. Tonight only about twenty-five close friends and family members were assembled: his own parents, the members of the Eternal Bachelors Club, Holly and Tim, of course, Sabrina’s mother, and several relatives who’d arrived earlier in the day. However, Sabrina’s father had not shown up. Would he be there tomorrow? Daniel hoped so with all his heart, because her father not being there to walk her down the aisle would be the one thing that was still tainting the perfect wedding.
Daniel was about to walk up to Sabrina, when something entered his periphery. He turned his head and stared right at Audrey, who’d walked up to the tent and now entered the lit area. Her red hair glowed like that of a fallen angel seeking revenge. As did her eyes. Audrey was on a mission.
Daniel set his glass of champagne on the nearest table and walked toward her, intent on preventing her from reaching Sabrina and causing any trouble on this otherwise perfect evening.