“Dad!”
My father lifted his hands in mock surrender. “Sorry, sweetheart, but I don’t think I’ve seen you look this radiant since you passed the bar. I may be old but I’m not an idiot. Something’s happened.”
I dropped my fork on my plate and looked my father in the eye. “Yes, something happened, but not that.”
“Well? Are you going to tell me what it is?”
“I—” I paused unsure what to say to my father. Despite our past, my current situation with Jordan still felt new. Yet my father was looking at me expectantly. So I took a deep breath and said, “I’m seeing someone. It’s early, but I like him a lot.”
My father didn’t say anything at first. He merely stared at me as if I’d suddenly grown a third eyeball in the middle of my forehead. “You’re seeing someone? As in dating?”
“Yes, I’m dating him.”
“This must have happened recently. I just saw you last Thursday and you didn’t mention him. How did you meet?”
I cleared my throat and sipped my wine to ease the sudden dryness. “Well, uh, we work together. He’s a new partner at the firm.”
Once again, my father’s reaction wasn’t what I expected. I thought he would disapprove since Jordan and I worked together. Instead, he grinned, “That’s interesting.”
Slowly, I lowered my glass. “Really?”
My father laughed. “You think I wouldn’t approve?” His laughter grew louder at the sight of my raised eyebrows. “Okay, so I might have had a few things to say about that when you were younger, but you’re old enough to know when someone is worth the risk.”
His words shocked me. “What?”
My dad sighed. “Honey, you’ve been on your own for a long time. I’m your father, which means I worry. It also means I wonder about when you and Tessa are going to settle down. I’m not going to live forever and I want to know that you two are happy.”
“Dad, I don’t need a man to be happy,” I stated, irritation rising inside me. I tried to tamp it down, but I knew it slipped out.
“I know you don’t, Tanya,” he replied. “But you’re not happy right now either. That’s all I want. Your happiness. If you find it with a man or a woman or even alone, I don’t give a damn. Tonight, for the first time in years, you walked into this house and you looked…luminous. Vital. That’s what I want for you.”
My throat grew tight at his words. “I understand.” Without thinking, I reached out and took his hand. “I want that for you too, you know.”
This time his smile wasn’t warm, it was sad. “Had that, honey. When you have something that special, well, it’s hard to let go.”
I nodded, wondering if that was why my father hadn’t met anyone since my mother died. Twenty-three years after her death and he was still single. Though I knew he’d probably dated during that time, he never brought a woman home or introduced us to any of his girlfriends.
“Now, I know you said it’s early days, but when the time is right, I’d like to meet him.”
“I don’t think we’ll be doingmeet the parentsanytime soon, Dad. We just started seeing each other this week,” I replied, the mental image of introducing Jordan to my father filling me with equal parts anxiety and longing.
“Just telling you what I would like, Tanya.”
“I’ll let you know when we get there.”
We went back to eating in silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts. After dinner, I washed the dishes while Dad put away the leftovers. We spent a little time in the living room, watching TV and chatting before I gathered my things to head home.
“Same time next week?” he asked.
“I should be free. I’ll text you on Wednesday if something comes up.”
“Let’s go to that Greek place you’re always raving about next week. What’s it called? Kosta’s?”
“Sounds great, Dad.”
He insisted on walking me out to my car and hugged me tightly. “Love my girl,” he murmured.
“Your girl loves you too,” I replied, squeezing him. Since my mother died, any time that one of his daughters left the house, those were his parting words. Though he’d never talk about it, I knew why.
