He met my eyes and pointed at me with his beer bottle. “Watch it. You’re no failure. And if you’re worried about what the gossips around here would say, fuck ’em. Their opinions don’t mean shit. You get to decide what’s important to you.”
I smiled. Any time my dad decided to string more than a few words together, he made you listen. And he was right. I was only a failure if I quit, not if I changed course.
“Thanks, Dad. You don’t think Mom will be upset?”
“She’ll have feelings about it. But you know as well as I do she wants what’s best for her kids, even if it’s hard for her. Besides, who says you can’t visit?”
“Yeah, that’s what planes are for.”
“Exactly.” He took another drink and put his bottle down. “Look, if this is a good opportunity, and you want the job, you should take it. If it’s not, then don’t. Simple.”
I nodded again and finished my beer. “Good advice. I appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome.”
He took our empties and put them in the recycle bin. With a grunt and a nod, he left through the back door, probably headed to his shop to tinker with something.
I lingered on the stool for a few more minutes, his words running through my head, before going back to my truck.
There was one factor I hadn’t mentioned to my dad, mostly because I wasn’t sure what to say.
Penelope.
Why did she make me hesitate? I wouldn’t leave her high and dry. If I took the job, she could stay in my house. I’d already thought about keeping it as a rental. It would be perfect. I’d give her a good deal and she wouldn’t be stuck in the tiny spare bedroom anymore.
Work would be different. If the tables were turned, and she was the one leaving, I’d be pretty bummed about it. So it stood to reason that she’d be disappointed if I left. But was that a reason to stay? To say no to a great opportunity?
Like I’d told myself already, Pen and I were just friends. The fact that she’d left her shitty boyfriend wouldn’t change that. Being roommates wouldn’t change it, either.
I knew what I needed to do—what I wanted. I wanted that job. I wanted the challenge. Dad was right, it was simple. I was making it complicated, but it didn’t need to be.
It was a good opportunity. A great one, even. It was worth taking the chance. Sure, moving away from my family—and Penelope—was a downside. But I could visit, especially in the offseason.
I got out my phone and typed a reply to Kevin’s email, accepting the Carolina offer.
That was that. I’d finish out the school year at Tilikum High School, and then I was moving to South Carolina.
Now I just had to tell my family. And my best friend.
CHAPTER 14
Theo
I gotto the Steaming Mug a little early. I was meeting my mom so I could talk to her about my new job and the move. I needed to tell her in person—and before the rest of the family. I figured a coffee date would be a nice way to break it to her. There was already a Haven family dinner at my folks’ place planned for that night, so I could tell everyone else then.
Tilikum’s popular coffee shop was usually busy, and even fairly early on a Saturday morning, there were quite a few customers. Some sat in armchairs, others at small tables. Soft music played in the background and the scent of freshly ground coffee filled the air.
I hadn’t broken the news to Pen yet. I’d thought about it when I’d come home after talking to my dad, but it had been late and hadn’t felt like the right time. Friday had been too busy, and with an away game that night, I hadn’t gotten home until after she’d gone to bed.
Since I had a few minutes, I texted Mom to see what she wanted so I could order for her. She replied that she’d be there soon and would love a spiced chai latte.
The front counter was painted teal and the chalkboard menu hung on an exposed brick wall behind it. Three baristas flitted around each other, filling orders and calling out names. The sound of grinding coffee beans and whir of frothing milk seemed endless.
When I got to the front of the line, I ordered my mom’s spiced chai and a black coffee for myself. I loved coffee, but I tended to keep it simple.
“Amanda,” one of the baristas called out and slid a drink across the counter.
That got my attention. It couldn’t bethatAmanda. Could it? What were the chances I’d run into her in public?
