“The way he looked at you,” Dad says simply.
“Like he was plotting his next big prank?”
“Like he saw his future with you.”
“I highly doubt that. You were talking to Mr. Thompson all evening.”
Dad leans in like he’s about to tell a secret. “I was doing my best to get him to crack a smile. I even resorted to Dad Jokes.”
“Dad, all your jokes are Dad Jokes.”
Over his newspaper, he points at me, winks, and says, “Touché.”
Even though Thomas Thompson is the last person I’d go to for dating advice, I have the irrational desire to hear more about what he thought of Chase and me.
“Did I ever tell you about the time in college we went streaking?”
This time, I knock the spoon off my saucer. “You what?”
Gazing wistfully toward the window, Dad leans back and crosses his arms over his chest. “Spring of freshman year. We were young, wild, crazy...”
“And naked.” I wince, trying not to imagine the sight because the last thing I want is for him to regale me with stories of him racing across campus in the buff. Let’s just say my father and Dr. Gundry could both go to the same laser hair removal clinic.
“I met your mother that night.” Dad’s tone is the same as what I imagine mine might sound like if I were to say the name,Chase.
“And she still married you?” I ask, sitting down opposite him at the dinette.
“No. Well, yes, obviously, but not for five, or was it six more years? She said I needed to grow up. I was quite the scamp back then.” Dad chuckles at his memories.
“You were a prankster?”
I’ve never before seen this particular expression on my father’s face. I filter through my mental dictionary, trying to define it. Self-satisfied, entertained, gleeful? I can’t be sure.
“Let’s just say Phillip has nothing on me when I was in my prime.”
“You know about Freddie’s?—?”
Dad taps his temple. “Parents know everything.”
My eyes widen because if that’s the case, I’m surprised my twin isn’t in jail with me in the neighboring cell for inadvertently aiding and abetting some of his minor crimes. There was theclothes hamper caper, the gymnasium aquarium, and I’ll never forget the joy ride in Cambria.
For all the times I overlooked Freddie’s—how should I put it? Occasions of mischief—it would’ve been nice had he come to my defense when I bit into a sponge, had chocolate in my back pocket, or saved me from the saucident.
“I also happen to know that you’ve liked Chase for a long time.”
“Dad!” I gasp, wondering exactly what grapevine he’s a part of. “Did Mum tell you? Phoebe?” They’re the only ones who ever knew about my crush. “Do you listen with a cup pressed against closed doors?”
Dad’s eyes wrinkle with laughter. “Heavens no. I’m your father. It’s my job to notice things.”
“What about Freddie? Why’d you let him take out the newspaper advert withCousins for Sale—and a sister thrown in for an extra thirty pence?”
“Because I wasn’t interested in entertaining your mother’s family all weekend either. Let’s just say the banana doesn’t fall far from the tree, and I wouldn’t have let you go for thirty pence. Fifty at least.”
I cross my arms in front of my chest and sulk for half a minute. “I think the expression is apple. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”
He nods slowly. “No, I meant banana.”
Even though I’d like to continue to correct him, in concert, Mum’s Black Forest cuckoo clock collection tells me I’d better get to the train station, otherwise, I’ll miss it.
