Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80821 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 404(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80821 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 404(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
“Easton is good with dogs. He likes to take care of them. I bet he would be a good dad,” Meadow continues.
“Give them some time to figure that out. They just got together.” Tripp chuckles.
All I can think is that she’s right, though. In this strange, almost poetic way, Easton would make an incredible dad.
“I always wish Dad had remarried and had another baby. I want a little sister.”
“Could be a brother,” I tell her.
“I could make do with that,” Meadow replies, and the three of us laugh. It startles me, how easy this feels.
“Anyway, no more kids for me. I already have my favorite one,” Tripp says.
“Oh my God, Dad. Whatever.” Meadow rolls her eyes.
“I’m serious. This is my best friend right here.” He puts an arm around her, and I just stare at them, can’t take my eyes off them. What would it have felt like to have my dad put his arm around me and call me his best friend? Hell, not just me, any of us. What would it have been like to see from my own father the pride and love Tripp feels for Meadow? I can’t even comprehend it.
“Dad says he’ll follow me to New York when I move there after high school. I’m going to work in fashion.” Meadow beams.
“She didn’t get her good fashion sense from me.” Tripp pulls his arm off Meadow, and we share another chuckle. Again, I’m struck at the easiness of their relationship, of this whole conversation. That Tripp doesn’t push Meadow to a career he wants and lets her be her own person, and I wonder how different my brothers and I would have been without Gregory Swift as our father.
CHAPTER TWO
Tripp
I can’t figure out Rhett Swift. Not that I think he’s a bad person or anything like that. He’s just hard to read.
When we were in school together, even through losing his mom at only nine years old, he was the guy who always got straight A’s, while also being a star football player and volunteering. He was valedictorian, a member of the National Honors Society, started the future young lawyers club at school, and hell, I don’t even know what they did, but Rhett kept it going all four years.
Then at the end of high school, tragedy struck again, and the family lost Ella. And yet Rhett pressed on, attending Harvard and prospering. He came home and became the most sought-after attorney in the area, then ran for mayor. He would have won too, taken the crown from his father, but then one day last summer he just walked away from it all—dropped out of the race and quit his job. He stopped eating in restaurants around Birchbark, avoided social functions, and was never seen with Gregory, though the two had been close before.
As adults, I’d never seen him in anything other than slacks and a nice shirt, but now when he does make an appearance, he’s in jeans and a T-shirt. He always seemed…stiff. Not the type to let loose, except when we were with the Thorns and I threw a snowball at him. At first, I thought I made a mistake and he was going to take offense, but then he’d thrown one back, enjoying himself in a way I can’t ever remember seeing him do.
It’s like there are two parts of him, in conflict with each other, and I’m not sure even he knows which will be the one to take control at any given time.
The waiter returns and takes our orders. Meadow does one of her favorite things and keeps the conversation going enough for all of us. She’s always been a people person. In some ways, she gets it from me. I like people, care about them, though I’m not quite as chatty. Meadow has never met a stranger and will do anything for anyone. While I admire those qualities in her, they also make me worry. The world isn’t always a kind place, and I wouldn’t hesitate to burn it down to protect her.
“Here you go,” the waiter says a few minutes later, returning with our plates. I got the fried chicken platter, Meadow the chicken fingers, and Rhett the fish and chips.
“Are you married?” Meadow asks Rhett.
I open my mouth to say something, but Rhett gives me a gentle shake of his head.
“Used to be. Not anymore,” he says simply.
“My dad too. My mom left when I was younger,” my daughter replies, and while it’s been a long time, I still feel a flash of sadness. Mostly for Meadow and not for me, though I can’t pretend it wasn’t nice to have someone around. I liked being married, loved April something fierce, but while I’m not in love with her anymore, I’m skittish about falling for someone again.
“I’m sorry about that,” Rhett tells her.