As soon as Zac had gone, Ethan locked the folder in a drawer and grabbed his bag.“Okay.I’m ready.”
Theo smiled.“Are you sure about that?You look as though you’ve forgotten something.”
Ethan looked around his office.“I always look worried when I leave work.Let’s go before someone calls me.”
They left the clinic at the same time as Petra.
“Warm-up?”Ethan asked as he threw his bag in his truck.
“At the park.Are you ready for the race?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.I can’t believe how quickly the last few months have gone by.”
“Tell me about it.Between Wyatt and me getting married and everything that’s happening at the clinic…” Ethan looked over Theo’s shoulder.“A man and a woman are walking toward us.They look remarkably like you.”
Theo turned around and stiffened.“It’s my parents.”
“Did you know they were coming here?”
“No.”Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to step forward.He’d called them twice in the last few weeks.Each time, what had happened between them became a little less raw.But seeing them today took him straight back to the last time they’d seen each other.
His mom opened her arms.“You look wonderful, Theo.”
He wrapped his arms around her as she hugged him tightly.Closing his eyes, he blocked out the past and stayed in the present.
His dad hadn’t moved.The weight of his disapproval sat like a heavy, oppressive cloak around Theo’s shoulders.He’d never wanted to disappoint his parents, but he’d done more than that.He’d shamed his family, embarrassed them in front of their peers.And in the process, almost lost two of the most important people in his life.
When his mom’s arms dropped away, his dad held out his hand.“It’s good to see you, son.”
Looking into eyes that were as troubled as his own made Theo feel slightly better.He knew his dad regretted what had been said, but seeing him in person was difficult.“Hi, Dad.When did you arrive in Montana?”
“About two hours ago.We caught a flight to Kalispell, then drove down to Sapphire Bay.”
“We wanted it to be a surprise,” his mom said quickly.
It was definitely that.“Mom and Dad, this is my friend, Ethan.”
True to form, Ethan didn’t seem the least fazed to meet the people Theo had told him about.“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr.and Mrs.Montgomery.You’ve chosen a great time of the year to visit.”
Theo’s mom held out her hand.“Call us Tamsin and Phil.And yes, it’s a lovely time to be here.What do you do in Sapphire Bay?”
“I’m a family therapist at the medical clinic.”
“Oh.I didn’t think the town would be big enough for its own health services.”
“It’s not as large as New York City, but we get by.”Ethan placed his hand on Theo’s arm.“I’ll leave you to talk to your parents.Give me a call later if you want to go for a training run tomorrow.”
For the first time since she’d arrived, his mom seemed to notice what Theo was wearing.“We didn’t realize you’re in the middle of something.Would you like us to—”
“It’s okay.I can miss today’s run.I’ll join Ethan tomorrow.”
His friend sent him a sympathetic smile.“I’ll look forward to it.”He said goodbye to Theo’s parents before jogging across the street.
“Ethan seems like a nice person,” his dad said.
“He is.”Theo checked the time.After flying from New York, his parents would be exhausted.“Would you like to come back to my house for dinner?”
“That would be lovely.”Tamsin linked her arm through Theo’s.“But don’t go to any bother.Your dad and I had something to eat in town before we saw you.”
