Chapter Fifteen
The next few days pass quickly, and somehow Olivia and I never get time alone to talk about the other night. Olivia’s super busy preparing for her upcoming meeting in New York, and I’m up late every night after putting the boys to bed, trying to make sure I’ve got a great game plan in place for Randolph’s first game of the season. It’s the weekend after Colt and Dylan will be in town, so I want to make sure I’m prepared ahead of time.
Together with our families, we go visit with Auntie Sue, who’s slowly improving, and Olivia and I spend time with Bernie and the boys. The four of us even take him to a dog training class together.
But on Thursday, Meghan and Andy are taking the boys to the shore for a few days, so after practice, I meet Meghan and hug my sons goodbye.
Saying goodbye to them like this never gets easier. It might get more comfortable, but I always feel that same ache in my chest.
“You’ll be here when we get back from the beach, right Daddy?” Connor asks me the same question he asks every time.
I rub his head. “I promise. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll see you guys really soon.”
I wave as they drive off, knowing they can’t see me but wanting to make sure that if they do, they’ll know I’m thinking of them.
I’m always thinking of them. But I also have something else I need to deal with. I pull into a parking space by the town square and text Olive.
Let’s talk after the dinner tonight. Just you and me.
* * *
Olivia
I’m at work, in the middle of a hundred files in preparation for my meeting in New York, when my father pops in.
“Dad!” I say in surprise. “What are you doing here?”
My father’s come by the bank a total of twice since I’ve been working here, and he’s always called first.
“I’m sorry for the lack of advance notice,” he apologizes as he stands awkwardly next to my desk. His gray wavy hair is in its usual haphazard state, and he’s wearing what Daphne and I teasingly call his “mayor’s outfit”—a blue tie with “Liberty Falls” written on it, and a navy suit. “I was supposed to visit Auntie Sue this afternoon, but with the dinner tonight, I just don’t have the time. Any chance you could go in my place?”
“Of course, Dad. I always love to visit Auntie Sue.”
He smiles at me. “You two always hit it off. Not everyone could handle Auntie Sue’s personality, but you—you and she were kindred spirits.”
“Still are. I’ll go there after lunch.”
“Speaking of, I thought you and I could grab a quick bite.” He holds up his cell phone. “Battery died, or I would have called.”
“Um, I’m free for lunch, sure.” I pick up my purse. “Where do you want to go?”
Dad suggests Burritoville down the road, so we walk there together and get into line to order. As usual, everyone in the place wants to talk to him, and it takes over twenty minutes for us to actually get our food.
As the mayor’s daughter, I’m used to sharing my father with the town. But going out for a meal never really gives even a hint of privacy.
But Dad clearly came armed with a purpose other than requesting an Auntie Sue visit, and he leads us to a booth in the far back, away from the other customers.
Once we sit down, I get a hint of what this lunch is really about.
“So how are things?” He takes a chip and dips it in the salsa bowl sitting between our plates.
“Things are good.” I look at him suspiciously and wonder for one brief moment if he’s having some sort of father’s intuition and knows I’m in a relationship.
But then he says, “Good. Olive, your mother told me about Will and how things didn’t work out with him.”
“Dad, he threw up on me,” I say before biting into my burrito.
“Right,” Dad says. “Not exactly impressive.”
