“Don’t encourage him,” Des yells from the back. “Just get your ass back here, Crandell.”
“Don’t say the A-word,” Tanner says.
“It’s not a bad word. It’s in the bible.” Des shrugs and finishes the last of his crust. He squirts hand sanitizer into his palm.
Tanner rolls his eyes and turns back to me. “Don’t worry, Bill. We’re doing great here. Get home safe.”
“Yeah, get home safe, Dad,” Rowan says.
“Have you been doing your homework?”
She rolls her eyes. “Of course.”
“How’d you do on the math quiz? We practiced all week for that one.” I make sure to leave the office by four-thirty every day so I’m home with Rowan for dinner and we hang out before her bedtime. Then I hop back online for a few hours. My childhood was a fucked-up mess, and I swore she wouldn’t have that experience. It’s also why I’ve avoided letting any of those forced blind dates progress to anything more serious. I refuse to take a chance and get into a bad relationship.
“Ninety-one. Is Tate with you?” she asks.
“Way to go!” I kick his foot to get his attention. “Rowan says hi.”
I turn the phone around, and a swell rises in my chest when I watch Tate’s face light up when he sees Rowan. His affection for my daughter only adds to his attractiveness.
“Hey girl! Have you watched the new season of Ocean City yet? I heard the episodes dropped yesterday,” he says.
“I’m on episode four. It’s so good!” Rowan squeals. I tried watching a few episodes of the teen soap, but I always fell asleep. Tate sends me recaps from a pop culture website so I know what Rowan is talking about.
“Don’t spoil anything for me,” Tate says.
I spin the phone back around. “Okay, sweetie. I’ll see you tomorrow. Get to sleep.”
She blows me a kiss, which I pretend to catch through the screen. It’s something we’ve done since she was little. I’m glad some things aren’t too lame for her.
“Bye everyone!” I yell, and I get an avalanche of goodbyes from high-pitched kids to a salute from Des.
“You have a great daughter,” Tate says.
“I agree. Thanks.” I tuck my phone into the front pocket of my coat. “Are you going to binge Ocean City tonight? I don’t have anything on the agenda, so the night is yours. But don’t stay up too late since we have a flight to catch.”
“I’ll wait on Ocean City until I get home. There’s something else I wanted to do tonight.” A hint of hesitation stifles his voice.
I want to ask him what the hell he has to do during a snowstorm, but he’s already back to looking out the window.
The Darmody used to be a men’s club half a century ago. Developers converted it into an upscale, boutique hotel, but kept lots of the old touches. The lobby has the feel of a cozy study with multiple fireplaces, leather couches, and overstuffed bookshelves.
I relax in an upholstered armchair and stare out onto Michigan Avenue. The Bean is barely visible amid the snow, and further out, I see the blackness of Lake Michigan. Watching snow fall from the warmth of the inside is incredibly peaceful, especially after the arctic hell that blasted us when we finally got off the El.
Tate comes to my chair with a pained, worried expression, not unlike the one that broke the news about the cancelled flight.
“What is it now?” I ask.
“There was a glitch when I was booking online. I was in such a frenzy to get us rooms for tonight…” Tate rubs his forehead. I rarely see him panic. “My reservation didn’t go through. Only yours.”
“Oh. Does the hotel have another room for you?”
“They’re all booked. I’m going to check if there’s another hotel around here with a room.”
He sits on the couch opposite from me and hunches over his phone. “Shit. I can’t believe this,” he mutters to himself.
I put a calming hand on his shoulder. “Tate, you can stay in my room. It’s okay.”
