Total pages in book: 156
Estimated words: 151044 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 755(@200wpm)___ 604(@250wpm)___ 503(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151044 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 755(@200wpm)___ 604(@250wpm)___ 503(@300wpm)
“I’m thinking if the desserts are good enough to drive all this way, we should start there.”
He flipped to the last page. “My kind of girl. Do you like chocolate?”
“It’s one of my basic food groups.”
“Then order the hot house brownies over ice cream. They’re to die for.”
“Say less.” I shut my menu.
In my life there had been a lot of situations and people I always felt out of rhythm with. My peers always seemed more informed than me, and I went through most stages of life feeling like I skipped an important chapter. But my dad wasn’t like that.
With him, I felt like we were both on the same page, as if a switch that had been shut off for decades suddenly flicked on and everything worked fine. We were instantly in sync. We clicked. Our easy chemistry made my heart full and warm, and any worries I had that this might be a mistake disappeared.
My dad knew a lot about desserts, concrete work, movies that involved Robert DeNiro, and carburetors. “That’s what I did back in Oregon, fixed cars.”
We annihilated our desserts and then moved on to burgers and fries. “Do you miss it?”
“Being a mechanic?”
“Oregon.”
“Oh.” He popped a fry in his mouth and chewed thoughtfully. “I did for a while. Missed you, your mom… But Oregon wasn’t right for me. I wasn’t right as long as I was living there. My life had always been here, on the East Coast.”
He left me for a coast? “Is that why you left?”
“Yes and no.” He pulled another fry from his plate, but didn’t eat it. Instead, he just repeatedly dipped it into the pile of ketchup while looking down at his plate. “We were young. Especially me. Your mother wasn’t worried about being a parent. It came naturally to her. But for me… You were just so fragile and small. I was terrified I’d break you.”
It was hard to hear his reasons for leaving, but at the same time, I got it. “I felt the same way when Elara was born.”
“So you know.”
I nodded. “Hale’s a natural with her. Sometimes he tosses her around and gets her belly-laughing so hard. I could never do that. I’m too clumsy.”
He pointed to his nose. “Me too.”
When we finished lunch we ordered another round of drinks. I wasn’t ready to leave. Not without asking him.
“Dad…” I took a long sip of my second margarita. “I know this is still new and I’m not giving you much notice, but…do you think you might want to come to my wedding?”
He studied me for a long moment without saying anything. Then he asked, “You’re sure you want me there?”
His presence was literally the only thing I wanted besides Hale’s on my wedding day. “Positive.”
He gave a wide gap-toothed grin. “Then I’d love to be there.”
An enormous weight lifted off my shoulders and I smiled into my glass. “We’ll have a seat reserved for you in the front.”
“That’s very kind of you, kiddo.”
“Or… When you get there—if you want—we could walk to the front together, so you don’t have any trouble finding your seat.”
He set down his Jack and Coke. “Are you asking me to walk you down the aisle?”
I met his stare, my entire body suddenly made of glass. Please don’t break me. “Yes.”
“Wow, Rayne. That’s…” He cleared his throat. “I mean, I’m flattered. I just thought there might be someone else you might prefer.”
“You’re my dad.”
He stopped blustering and seemed to comprehend how much this meant to me. He nodded. “Then it would be my honor.”
I tried to swallow but my throat was malfunctioning. Nodding tightly I tried to express my gratitude. When I could finally talk, I wheezed, “Thank you for today and for….”
He briefly squeezed my fingers. “I just hope I don’t let you down.”
I desperately hoped the same.
I paid the bill and took my time preparing to leave. As we walked to the front of the restaurant, I promised to take care of all the details.
“I’ll schedule an appointment for your tuxedo fitting, and hopefully Hale can fly in so you two can meet before the week of the wedding. The guys are having their tuxedos custom-made.”
“Custom?”
“Yes, the wedding’s white tie, so everyone will be wearing tuxedos and gowns.”
“I don’t even own a suit. To think I’m gonna have my very own tux…” He whistled and I smiled. I loved that that little sound was his thing and I loved that I knew it was a quirky thing he did.
“I think you’d look handsome in one.”
He gave me a shoulder bump, the epitome of secret handshakes, and I stopped in my tracks.
“You okay, kiddo?”
The shoulder bump was one of my first moves when I fell for Hale. It was a big freaking deal and my code for saying I love you. Did he view it the same? I took a moment to catalog this as one of my favorite experiences in my whole awkward life.