“A Twins fan?” Dad perked up. Sportsball! “You live in Boston, though, right? We haven’t rubbed off on you yet?”
“I don’t think Boston caneverrub off on me enough to switch sides,” Cora said, and they laughed. Bao took a small sip of her drink, covering a smile.
Baseball carried them for a few minutes, and when the conversation started to run out of steam, I moved us on to Conversational Gambit #2. “Dad’s always trying to get me to go to sports games,” I said, playing Wry Teen Daughter to a T. “Or go running, but I can barely last a mile.”
“Oh, are you a runner?” Cora asked my father. Cora, according to her Instagram, had run a 10k last month.
“A bit,” Dad said.
“Dad’s run four marathons,” I said. “He did Boston this year.”
Dad looked like he might die of mortification. God forbid I mention an accomplishment not related to the book.“Jordan.”
“Cool,” Cora said, unfazed by my father’s impending demise. “I did my first half six months ago.”
“Good for you,” Dad said, happy again. “Where was it?”
This conversation felt more concrete. Once they were firmly ensconced in a discussion about running-shoe brands, I murmured an excuse about getting more water and slipped away. It wasn’t even a lie—the day had been boiling, and even now, near eight, the late-June sun felt like a comforting blanket. I downed two glasses of water in quick succession before lingering more slowly over a lemonade. Leaning against a high-top table, I tried to decipher Dad’s and Cora’s body language. They both looked friendly and engaged, but no more or less so than Bao, an equally weighted part of their triangle.
A movement caught the corner of my eye. Ethan settled next to me, resting his arms next to mine on the table, our forearms brushing. “Whatcha watching?”
“None of your business.” I gave him a Cheshire cat smile.
“Are you trying to set your dad and Dr. Bradley up?”
I sipped the tart lemonade. “Do you think it would work?”
“I think your dad can handle dating by himself.”
I snorted. “Why?”
He paused. “Okay, fair point.”
“I think they’d be a good match.” I looked at Ethan expectantly. He probably knew my dad better than anyone else on the island, save me. “What do you think?”
“I think…I dunno?”
“Well, try to know a little harder.” I ticked off points on my fingers. “They’re both driven and focused. She’s an academic and he writes, so they’re both always working really hard and learning new things. And they both like sports and sci-fi shows.” Cora had cracked three Star Trek references in my hearing already.
“Wow,” Ethan said. “Have you always been this invested in your dad’s love life?”
“He’s never had a love life.”
“Really?” Ethan looked surprised. “So he hasn’t dated since—Sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry.” It was a relief to talk about it. “Exactly. I think he uses me as an excuse to not live his own life.”
“What do you mean?”
I told him about the conversation I’d overheard between my dad and aunt. “So I need to make sure he doesn’t worry about me.”
Ethan’s brows shot up. “Ah.”
“Ah what?”
“Nothing.” He crumbled under my gaze. “It makes sense why you’ve decided, you know, no more hooking up.”
“I mean, also I don’t feel like getting my heart broken.”
