She nodded, sadness in her gaze that wasn’t there a moment ago.“I’ll wait for you.I don’t know how Evie would feel about me walking into your house.”
I focused on the grill, turning on all the burners.I closed the lid and turned to Reegan once more, gesturing for her to go ahead of me into the house.
I was so damn screwed.I was in love with a woman I couldn’t have, a woman I would have to give up.A woman who might feel the same way about me but had a job, a life, hours away.
“Dad, what time is Reegan going to be here?”Evie asked when she heard us walk in.She turned and saw Reegan in front of me.“Oh, hi!You’re here.”
Reegan didn’t have a chance to say anything before Evie rushed over to her and hugged her tight.
“I’m so happy to meet you.Again.I know we already met, but not as my dad’s girlfriend.Is that a word you use?”
“Girlfriend?”Reegan asked.
Evie nodded, leading the way into the kitchen.“I mean, you’re not a girl.You are, but you’re a woman.An adult.But woman-friend sounds like you’re a hooker.”
“Evie!”I barked.
“Shit.”Evie’s cheeks turned red.“I’m sorry.I didn’t mean for it to sound like that.”She rolled her lips in.“I’m nervous.I’ve never met anyone my dad’s been dating before.”
“I heard,” Reegan said, sliding a glance to me.
Evie shook her head.“He never dated a bunch, I don’t think.But anytime I heard about someone he was dating, it wasn’t long before it was over.I’m happy I got to meet you.I just wish you weren’t leaving Amethyst Bay.You make him really happy.Even with Coach dying, my dad’s been smiling more the last few weeks than I’ve ever seen him smile.You’re really good for him, Reegan.”
Evie hugged Reegan again, and Reegan shot me a look, one I thought read as regret.But why?
“Is the corn ready?”I asked Evie.
She released Reegan and picked up the tray with the wrapped corn on it.“All done.And I did the asparagus.”She turned to Reegan again.“He made all my favorites so I would be happy, but I’m already happy to meet you.I hope you like all the same things I do.”
“It all looks, and smells, amazing.”
“That’s the macaroni and cheese.We use three different kinds of cheese.Mouse Trap is so good for cheese.A lot of it is local.”
“I’ve been there,” Reegan said.“I’m a fan of cheese.”
“Who isn’t?I guess if you were lactose intolerant, but God, I would be so miserable.I can’t imagine not being able to eat cheese.”Evie was talking a mile a minute.
“Same,” Reegan said, laughing with Evie.
“I’ll get things started on the grill.Evie, do you want to get Reegan a drink?”I picked up the tray of food and turned back to Reegan.“Is Ashlyn coming?”
Reegan shook her head, offering me a wry smile.“She had plans tonight.”
Plans that didn’t include being in the middle of our weirdness, I guessed.But that just meant more time for Evie and Reegan to get to know each other.So far, so good.
I walked outside, setting the tray down next to the grill.It only took a minute to get everything on there, but I didn’t rush to go back inside.My kid and the woman I was in love with were bonding.It was good.
Too good.
Maybe Evie would convince Reegan to stay in Amethyst Bay.With us.With me.
I snorted at the thought.One of the things I loved about Reegan was no one could convince her to do anything she didn’t want to do.She and my daughter had that in common.
Twenty-One
I leanedback in my seat and laughed.I’d been doing a lot of that all night.Reegan and Evie were getting along like they’d known each other forever.They already had inside jokes.It helped that they had very similar senses of humor.
Evie’s phone buzzed on the coffee table.I had a rule against phones at the dinner table, so she flashed me a look of approval.
