I take a deep breath and blow it out slowly. “Sorry, that was a really complicated way of saying just dinners are perfect. It feels weird to outsource something I’m perfectly capable of doing myself but…”
Olivia smiles in a kind of solidarity. “Give yourself a break, Cam. You’re a single dad to two busy kids and you have a really demanding career. Let me do my job so you can do yours.”
I open my mouth to respond, but I’m stopped by the beep of my phone. Flipping it over, I unlock it and see a string of texts from my oldest.
Riley
DAD
DAD DAD DAD DAD DAD
I GOT THE PART OH MY GODDDDDDDD
I grin down at the phone, typing out a response.
Me
You go, girl.
Riley
Ew, Dad, no one says you go, girl anymore.
Me
Is congratulations better?
Riley
Marginally.
Me
How about, I know how hard you worked for this and I’m so proud of you and after Ethan’s game tonight, we’re going out for dinner. You get to pick the restaurant.
Riley:
Throw in ice cream after dinner and I’d say you nailed it.
Me
Done.
“Sorry,” I say to Olivia, setting my phone face down on the conference table. “My daughter has been in tryouts for her high school play for the last week and that was her, texting me to tell me she got the lead.”
Olivia grins at me, leaning back in her chair. “That’s amazing. What’s the play?”
“Mamma Mia. She’s Sophie. Apparently, it’s unheard of for an incoming freshman to get the lead, so we now must all bow to her brilliance.”
Olivia laughs, taking a sip of the coffee she brought with her. “My youngest, Zoe, is starting her freshman year too, so I feel that deep in my soul.”
“Where is she going?”
“Fieldston.”
“No way, that’s where Riley is. Maybe they’ll meet when classes start next week. You know, if Riley can see her way out of the theater.”
“If she wants to meet Zoe, she won’t have to. Zoe is a theater kid through and through, but in the behind-the-scenes kind of way. Costumes, sets, stage crew, all of it. They may have met already. Zoe spent all day yesterday at the theater, and she’s there again today even though classes don’t start until next week.”
