You too .She was really doing this. Dahlia wouldn’t let fear of sex emojis hold her back any longer.
Did you get a sick satisfaction watching me strip for you?Noah asked.
If I say yes, does that make me bad?she typed.
Three bubbles.It doesn’t make you bad. It makes you naughty.
Dahlia paused, feeling a rush of desire flood her veins. She licked her lip and exhaled.
This isn’t over. I’ll be back for a rematch later. This time, I’ll watch you peel off every single layer .
She played with the ends of her hair, thinking of what to write next.Well, it is your birthday tomorrow. I suppose I could go easy on you.
No free passes. We’ll play fair and square.
If you insist.
He had no idea she was planning a pre-birthday celebration for just the two of them. They would hit a few vineyards, then head to the brewery for some music. Then, later, they would play poker. Her birthday suit would be his birthday present. Just thinking about what she planned made her giddy. Planning something because it was demanded was different from planning something because you couldn’t imagine not celebrating such an amazing human.
Dahlia opened the window and breathed in the morning air. It smelled of dewy flowers dried by the sun. It felt familiar yet haunting. All those memories, tastes, and smells tied up in a feeling that was no longer real. Dahlia didn’t know what was fact or fiction anymore. But she knew she had to follow the breadcrumb trail. The alternative was being stuck in limbo, which she knew didn’t suit her well-being. As much as she didn’t like the feeling that she was dishonoring her pop, she needed to dig deeper and get to the bottom of this so she could move on. The house still felt tainted, but Dahlia tried to focus on Lil and her memory. It was the only way she could compartmentalize her past.
She gazed at the cardinal at Lil’s bird feeder, hearing her phone ding on the counter.
Hi, Dahlia, it’s Penny. We met the other night at the club. I have some information. Are you free to chat?
Dahlia looked at the message as if it were a match about to light her life on fire. She swallowed the boulder lodged in her throat. This was the pivotal moment; she would either say yes and open that door to whatever was behind it or leave it closed forever.
She paced the checkered linoleum squares, feeling her muscles stiffen. Back and forth she went, making herself dizzy. Then she caught a glimpse of her mother’s tassel that hung on the cabinet knob. Her eyes glossed over, and she knew, if nothing else, she needed to do it for her. She looked up as if heaven could hear her. “Please, please, don’t be mad at me, Pop.” Then, without another thought, she reached for her phone.
Sure, I’m free now.Dahlia waited with bated breath.
Within seconds, the phone rang.
“Hello.”
“Hi, Dahlia, it’s Penny. It was so great to meet you the other night. Your story was so intriguing that I got right to work.”
“Thank you for that, Penny. Were you able to find anything?” Dahlia rubbed the back of her neck.
“Are you sitting down?”
“Umm, no, but I can.” All she could think was that she was too late. That he may have passed away. Dahlia lowered herself into the kitchen chair. “Okay.”
“So we cross-referenced everyone in the movieThe Best Manwith the letter G, and there was nothing.”
“Oh …” Her heart sank, and her eyes tingled. Why was she having this kind of reaction? This was a good thing. The past would stay buried. “Well, thank you. I mean, you can only do so much, right?”
“But I found someone who had a name change in 1962. His name was Gene Obermann.”
“Gene Obermann,” Dahlia repeated. Goosebumps ran up her arms. In the hallows of her soul, she knew it was him. Dahlia wiped her eyes and cleared her throat. “Is he still alive?” she asked.
“Very much,” Penny said with excitement.
“That’s … wonderful,” she said with tender enthusiasm. She wanted to find him more than she realized. “Where does he live? Do you know?”
“California. Dahlia, if this is all correct, then your biological grandfather is … are you ready for this?”
“I think so.” What was he, an actor turned mass murderer?
