With concern etched in his face, he listened to an abbreviated version of the last month. I told him that the night before, I’d gone to Bill’s and had ended it once and for all.
Sitting rigidly straight after we’d eaten, he sipped his signature whiskey on the rocks. “I can’t say I ever thought Bill was good enough for you.”
“I sort of guessed that,” I said. “You weren’t great at hiding it.”
“I didn’t want to interfere, but I’m glad you figured it out.”
The waitress brought my dad a second whiskey on the rocks he hadn’t even ordered and refilled my iced tea. “Can I get you anything else?”
“No, thanks, sugar,” Dad said.
“No problem, Mr. Germaine,” she said and cleared our plates before walking away.
Dad shook out his napkin and tossed it on the tablecloth. “So I thought the point of this trip was to introduce me to the new guy. I don’t see him here.” He smiled a little. “He afraid of your old man?”
Afraid? When I’d brought up the idea of introducing them, David had nearly jumped at the chance. “He had a family emergency, and . . .” I played with the lemon slice that had come in my iced tea. “Well, honestly, we’re still figuring things out.”
“You don’t seem too thrilled, kid. Concerns me.” My father sighed. “Frankly, I don’t want you jumping from one unhappy relationship to another.”
“It’s not that David doesn’t make me happy,” I said. “It’s that he makes mesublimelyhappy.”
He looked me up and down. “Not sure what that means.”
“He’s wonderful,” I said, but I couldn’t exactly explain why to my dad. Somehow, I doubted waxing poetic over David’s gorgeousness combined with his limitless patience, borderline obsessiveness, and sheer tenacity to steal me from my husband would go over well. So I spoke to my dad in a language he understood. “David’s very successful—one of Chicago’s best architects, in fact.”
“That so?” He perked up. “Then he has to be smart, and I like that. Regardless, it all feels very fast, Olivia. I wouldn’t expect you to leave your husband unless you were in love, but since I’ve never even heard of this guy until now, I don’t see how that can be.”
That was because he hadn’t met David. It could be. It coulddefinitelybe. It would be harder for a womannotto fall in love with him.
I didn’t really have an answer, so I said, “I think you’d really like him.”
“I’d say he has the advantage after Bill.”
I half-rolled my eyes. “Bill’s not that bad.”
“As a person, no, but he doesn’t make you ‘sublimely’ happy. You settled with him.”
Apparently, I was the last to admit that. I changed the subject, though I wasn’t sure why, since this topic would be worse. “Mom has temporarily disowned me,” I informed him.
He laughed lightly. “Of that I have no doubt. I’m sure she said you were your father’s daughter.”
“In so many words. But I’m not you, Dad. Icheatedon Bill. There’s no way around it. David and I started things months ago. And it’s hard for me to admit that to you,” I said, swallowing, “because I know you’re disappointed. But I’m the bad guy here. Not Bill.”
“I’m not disappointed,” he said simply, picking up his whiskey.
“Yes, you are,” I said, sitting back in my seat. “And you should be.”
“Olivia, youaremy daughter. How can I be disappointed when I’m guilty of the same sins?” The one large ice cube in his glassclinkedagainst the sides. “I guess now’s as good a time as any to tell you this. Your mom wasn’t completely wrong. Gina and I were together while I was still married to your mother.”
Time seemed to slow as my mind filtered through his words. “But Gina was your client,” I said.
“At first, yes. Then, she was more than that. She became a solace from Leanore, a confidante, and one day . . .”
I stopped listening. The restaurant suddenly became very loud with thetingof silverware and people talking at unnaturally high volumes. Light poured through the windows, unbearably bright. I stared at my dad, the man I’d not only looked up to my whole life, but whom I’d idolized. And I’d chosen to believe him over my mother. All these years, she’d tried to tell me, but I’d shut her out.
“Now, don’t give me that look. You look like a damn frightened owl,” Dad said. “I have no regrets about what I did.”
No regrets? None? Bill had asked me the night before whether I’d regretted marrying him, and I hadn’t needed to think too hard about it. Maybeheregretted marrying me, but I appreciated the life we’d had, even knowing it was over. “How is it possible. . .” I exhaled. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
