Maybe I shouldn’t have said what I did. I should have minded my business.
“You’re still learning?” She’s asking with true curiosity, maybe wondering how an adult could still have something left to learn at my age.
“Absolutely. It’s the hardest lesson I’ve had to deal with in life.”
“I take back what I said about you,” she says.
I look around, confused, trying to piece together what she’s saying. “What did you say about me?”
“I said you were just like all the others.” The bathroom door opens, and Hannah is next in line, leaving our conversation with a clear end.
I’m not sure what happened between the time Hannah went back to the table, and I used the restroom, but their moods were better when I returned. Brody ordered a sampling of all their specials and three metal cups of hot cocoa.
“There were only four items on the menu. I figured we could try some of each.” I like that he isn’t afraid to be forward or make assumptions. I’m not a fan of the timid, let me put my jacket down on this muddy puddle, type of guy.
Brody remained nervous, seemingly on the edge of his icy seat all night. “Did you know your Dad and I used to be friends way back when we were kids?” I ask Hannah.
Hannah gives me a long look and perks a crooked smile. “Yeah,” she says. “He told me all about you. Something about being the girl he didn’t realize would make for a great best friend.”
Brody inconspicuously reaches for my knee, and he squeezes. “Your dad was a troublemaker, and so was I. It’s probably better off we waited until now to be friends,” I tell her.
“My dad could use a friend,” she says. “Maybe if he had one, he’d stop asking me about all the gossip between my friends and me.”
“Hey, hey, this is a father’s right to know when Suzie steals Miley’s hairbrush and then shoves it into a pile of insulation, which then caused a rumor of lice. If I didn’t know about the insulation, I would believe lice was going around. Which is why I ask questions, Hannah.”
“Who are Suzie and Miley?” Hannah asks, holding her hands out.
“It was a good story, right?” Brody asks me.
“It was hardly thought out, yet, amusing. You must be an excellent storyteller, Brody Pearson.”
A good storyteller can always point out another.
15
“She likes you,”Brody says. “I never thought I’d see the day.” He peers in the rearview mirror, likely making sure she’s still asleep and can’t hear what he’s saying. Hannah has her headphones on anyway, and she is still sleeping, so I think he’s safe.
“I’m sure everything you went through with your ex was tough on her too.”
“It was,” Brody says. “I feel guilty, but it isn’t the life I want for either of us.”
“You’re doing a good job,” I tell him. Coming from me, it probably doesn’t mean much since I have no experience, but I’m not sure I’d be handling the life of a single parent as well as he.
“With that said, is this something you’d want to do again?”
In other words, do we want to build this foundation a little more?
“Before I say what I need to, please know I would love to spend more time with you and Hannah.”
Brody glances at me for a quick second before returning his focus to the road. “I feel like I should ask you if I have something to be worried about, but I have a strong suspicion, I do.”
“I don’t feel like it would be fair for me to continue spending time with you without being honest about a couple of things.”
“Should I pull over?” He’s kidding, or at least I’m assuming he is by the slight smirk pinching against his cheek.
“You know how I told you about the accident, how it was my ex-boyfriend, Adam?”
“Yeah,” Brody responds simply.
