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)
I laugh. “No, but I don’t want you to ever miss out. On anything.”
“That’s because you’re you.” She shrugs. “Most of the time, I don’t feel that way. Sometimes I do, but right now, I don’t even know whom I’m interested in. I think probably girls, but I have time to figure that out.”
“You do.”
“You’re grinning at me, Dad.”
“That’s because you make me proud.”
She rolls her eyes, which feels like a very thirteen-year-old thing to do.
The waitress arrives, and we put our order in—pancakes for her and meat-lovers omelet for me. When she leaves, Meadow says, “You know, the same goes for me.”
I frown. “What do you mean?”
“You can tell me anything.”
And there it is, the opening I need. When we make eye contact, I have a feeling she’s not going to be surprised by my news.
“Rhett and I…we’re together. I actually…ah, hell, Meadow-bug. I’m in love with him.”
She doesn’t even try to hide her smile, the little shit. I swear it takes over her face.
“You knew,” I accuse.
“I assumed and was fairly certain I was right. You look at him like Kaylee and Jasmine look at the boys they’re crushing on.”
A chuckle tumbles from my mouth.
“Seriously, Dad. It’s a little weird and shmoopy. You get heart eyes. I’ve never seen you with heart eyes before.”
My laugh grows. “Heart eyes, huh? Does he look at me the same way?”
“Yes. Absolutely. He looked at you that way first.”
Oh. I didn’t expect to hear that. “Well, I’m glad you can see I’m not in this alone. But being serious for a moment…I haven’t been with anyone since your mom left. There are a lot of complicated feelings there for me, and I figure there might be for you too. If you have any questions, you can ask me. And this doesn’t change anything with me and you. You’re still my whole damn world, kiddo. Now I just hope we can share that world with Rhett too.”
“We can. I want you to be happy. I want him to be happy. I like him. He fits with us. It’s nice having him around. I just…” She looks down, playing with her napkin. “What if he leaves like she did?”
That nearly tears my heart out. I get up, walk over to her side of the booth, and sit beside her. I get her concern. In the beginning, Rhett was so private about what he was feeling, the way April used to be, but now he shares more and more with me. “I’m so sorry that happened to you; to us. I don’t know what the future holds. None of us do. I was scared of the same thing, but all I can say is, just because she left doesn’t mean Rhett ever will. I don’t believe he will. I don’t think I realized that being here, the quiet life we live, isn’t what she wanted. But it’s different with Rhett. Like you said, he fits with us.” I wrap an arm around her, and she rests her head on my shoulder.
“You’re right. And we can’t spend our lives not living because we’re scared of what might happen. That’s what my therapist says.”
“She’s smart.”
“Yeah, she is.” We’re quiet for a moment, and then she says, “I kinda knew from the start…with Rhett. At first, I thought maybe he just needed us, but now I think maybe we needed him too. When he’s over, it’s like we have our own family now. We always did, me and you, but now it feels complete.”
Damn, this girl will never cease to amaze me, make me feel like the world is hers to conquer and that she can change it. I know she’s changed mine. “You’re absolutely right. Now, how would you feel about Rhett coming over tonight and having dinner with us?”
She looks up at me and smiles. “I’d like that.”
Our waiter brings our food, but I don’t move back to my side, instead sitting next to my daughter. We eat and laugh and talk, enjoying each other’s company. I’ll never understand how April could have walked away from this, but not everything has an answer. Just like with Rhett’s father, sometimes people just are the way they are.
We head home afterward and do some housework. I shoot a message to Rhett to let him know everything went well with Meadow and that we’re excited to have him over tonight. I put on a stew earlier, so dinner is already sorted out.
When I hear the knock at five, I call out, “I’ll get it,” just as I hear pounding on the stairs.
“Not if I get there first!” Meadow shouts, and I run from the kitchen toward the front door to see her pulling it open just before I can reach her.
“Oh,” Rhett says, probably wondering why Meadow and I charged him, and we both chuckle.