"It's because they love you," he says, adjusting a fork."Also because you've been moping like a gothic teenager for a month."
"Et tu, Father?”
"I'm just saying, honey, you used to have...spark.Now you just have sad gravy energy."
"Sad gravy energy?"
"Your mother's term."He straightens a napkin."She's worried.We all are."
"I'm fine."
"You named the turkey Lukas before you put it in the oven."
"That was...a coincidence."
"You also apologized to it."
I slump into a chair."Okay, maybe I'm not fine."
"Want to talk about it?"
"Want to hear about how I committed fraud, fell in love with my victim, and then got exactly what I deserved?"
"I want to hear whatever you need to tell me."He sits beside me, same steady presence he's been my whole life.“Maybe you could skip the fraud details, though.Plausible deniability and all."
"Dad."
"What?I watch crime shows.I know things."His brown eyes are warm as he pats my hand."Start with the important part.You love him?"
My throat threatens to close, but I manage to get the words out anyway.
"Yeah," I whisper."I really do."
"And he loves you?"
“I think he did.I’m almost sure he did.Past tense.Before he found out I'm a lying sack of you-know-what who tricks people."
"You tricked him into visiting your inn.That's not exactly master criminal behavior."
"Tell that to Luke."
"Maybe you should tell that to Luke."
"He made it pretty clear we're done.He sent a check, Dad.A check.Like I'm a business expense he's writing off."
"Or like he's someone who still cares enough to make sure you don't lose everything."
I'm saved from responding by the arrival of the rest of the family.
David helps Claire into a chair while Harper sets up what appears to be an actual projector.
"Are you seriously doing a presentation?"I ask.
"Just a brief overview," Harper says, connecting her laptop."Twenty slides max."
"Twenty?!"
"I had forty, but Claire made me cut it down."
