9
“Dad!”Kelly exclaimed as she entered Wes’s townhouse and wrapped her arms aroundhim.
Relief washed through him as he enjoyed having his daughter near him. It was the same sort of relief he felt whenever he saw Justin or Erin or his great-grandkids. While it was nice to chat on the phone, he needed to see them in person, to share time with them and tell them how much he lovedthem.
As he pulled away, he looked his daughter over, taking what felt like a much-needed breath, like he could rest some knowing she wassafe.
Dark locks of hair fell on either side of her shoulders. She wore a tan long-sleeved shirt tucked into her brown skirt and a pair of steep heels that clicked on the linoleum floor as she entered histownhouse.
“Did you dye your hair darker?” Wesasked.
“Did you like the highlightsbetter?”
“You’re always beautiful to yourfather.”
She beamed, showing those bright whites like her mother had, her face shifting into a familiar expression. She couldn’t help but resemble Becca. “I think you’re being sweet to try and get me to visit more, but I promise, I came as soon as Icould.”
“I know you tried, babygirl.”
He showed Kelly around his place and walked her around the community, noting the perks and hot spots. At one point, he pulled out his phone and startedtexting.
“Messaging someone important?” She practically sang her question. “Your friend Artmaybe?”
Gauging the tone of her voice, he could tell she was full of curiosity, as though she’d caught him in the middle of some secret loveaffair.
“He’s meeting us in the common area. I told him I’d message before we headed to therestaurant.”
“I’m eager to see him. We’ve met in passing, but I think I only knew him as that jerk who gave Justin a D on one of hisessays.”
“Justin got a D on a homeworkassignment?”
“Justin conveniently didn’t mention that? How very Justin ofhim.”
“I’ll have to ask Art about that,” Wes said, joking, since he doubted Art could have recalled the grades he gave to his students over theyears.
“I’m equally curious. He swore up and down to Mike that he deserved an A, but I’ve always been a little skeptical.” And even though her comment was intended to be lighthearted, like so many other times, Wes could tell that the mere mention of Mike had shifted both of theirmoods.
As Wes turned to inspect her face, which had been all-smiles when she first arrived, though her lips still curled upward, there was something else there too, the way it was frozen stiff, that made Wes believe it was an act to disguise her pain. If it was anything like his own, it wasn’t the sort of pain they had carried when it first happened—the years had dulled the intensity, but the loss and grief were still present. Yet now he could at least think on the good times without wallowing inanguish.
Wes was about to say something in an attempt to soothe her, but Kelly glanced around and pointed off to the side. “Is that the gym overthere?”
Wes went with the subject change and continued the tour before they met Art in the common area. He approached them, wearing a short-sleeved button-up and a pair of shorts that went past his knees, so different from the far shorter style he’d worn when he was younger, on that day in the park, which they both, to his delighted amusement, shared very different accounts of, at least in terms of theirattire.
“Art?” Kellyasked.
“Kelly, it’s good seeing youagain.”
She approached with enthusiasm and offered Art a warm hug, and as she pulled away, Art said, “Another Brenner who’s never met astranger.”
“Daddy didn’t raise shy kids, that’s forsure.”
“I would never have guessedotherwise.”
They discussed her flight and car ride over as they made their way to the on-site Italian restaurant, where Wes had made reservations for an earlydinner.
“Dad told me that you moved here five years ago. Is that right?” Kelly asked, seemingly tired of Wes bragging on and on about her career throughout themeal.
“That’s right. I was living in Winebourne up untilthen.”
