Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 27900 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 140(@200wpm)___ 112(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27900 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 140(@200wpm)___ 112(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
“I’m just asking if we can try.”
I’m not about to argue or upset the man who just had a heart attack. As much as I resent my father, a small part of me, the little boy who missed a father at his ball games and graduations, wants more than one birthday phone call a year with him.
“We can try,” I agree.
Just then, a knock sounds on the door, and Margo walks into the room. “Okay if I stay?”
“Sure, honey. Come in,” Zachary says.
Margo walks over to the bed and sits on the edge. “Did you two have a good talk?”
I nod. “We did.”
“I spent some time with Amber. She’s a sweetheart,” Margo says.
With a grin, I can’t help but agree. One thing my father is right about: I can’t help my reaction at the mention of Amber. She has me wanting things I hadn’t imagined in my future before I bumped into her on campus.
Now all I have to do is get through the end of the summer semester, and we are free to explore what can really be between us.
* * *
Amber
I sense Shane’s need to think on the ride home from the hospital, and I allow him the silence he needs. If he wants to talk, I am here to listen. He surprises me when he pulls off at an unfamiliar exit.
“Where are we going?” I ask him.
“I think we need a nice late lunch, don’t you?”
My stomach rumbles at his suggestion. “Yes, as you can hear.” I pat my belly and laugh.
“I know of a place off this exit. A colleague mentioned it at a faculty meeting. We’re here. We might as well give it a try.”
I nod in agreement. “Sounds good to me. What kind of food?”
“American. Burgers, chicken, that sort of thing. I think they also have an outdoor terrace where we can eat if you don’t think it’s too hot.”
“I’d love to sit outside.”
“Good.” He doesn’t speak again as he drives to the restaurant.
I glance at his still-serious profile. He is clearly uptight about whatever happened with his dad. I have to admit the man wasn’t friendly to me, but I chalked it up to illness. Margo was sweet, and I enjoyed the few minutes I spent with her, although I understand why Shane has his issues with his father’s wife. My parents have a happy marriage, and I can’t imagine what he lived through as a child.
After a short drive off the exit, he pulls into the lot. A large framed building with a wraparound porch sits behind it. Shane helps me out of the car and leads the way up three steps to the hostess stand.
On our request, we are seated outside in a private corner where no one is around us. We each order a glass of iced tea and study the menu and place our orders, a Niçoise salad for me, a grilled chicken sandwich for Shane.
Finally, I can’t take the silence any longer. “Are you okay?”
He braces his arms on the table and meets my gaze. “It’s hard admitting my father’s an asshole. Always was, always will be. Yes, he had an epiphany and knows he didn’t do right by me, but it hasn’t changed who he is deep down. And that’s tough to swallow.”
I reach across the table and put my hand in his. “I’m really sorry.”
“Thank you.” He nods, stroking his thumb over my skin. “The thing is, I’d made my peace with who he is. I just hated having it thrown in my face again.”
I bite down on my lower lip. “Do you want to talk about it?” I offer.
He answers with an abrupt shake of his head. “It’s fine. I’ll eat a good lunch with fabulous company and put it behind me.”
His more relaxed grin puts me at ease. “Sounds like a good plan to me.”
I pick up my drink to take a sip just as my phone chimes, and I recognize the sound. “Sorry, it’s L.J. on FaceTime.” I hate to ever not accept my son’s call.
“Take it,” he says. “And maybe you could introduce me? As your friend?”
He sounds eager to meet my son, and a warm feeling wraps around my heart. I hit the accept button and my little boy’s face shows on the screen.
“Mom! We went to the Statue of Liberty!”
I grin at his excitement. “That’s so cool. Did you see the whole city?”
“It was amazing.”
“Are you going to the beach this weekend?” Carrie and Samuel have been taking him to the Hamptons on the weekends to a house they rented for the summer, and during the week, they are staying with Landon and touring Manhattan.
“Probably. I hope my friend Andrew is there. He’s from a place called Long Island.”
“That sounds great, honey.” I glance across the table at Shane, my heart in my throat.