“No, she didn’t, and once you were considered an adult, I left the decision up to you. It took some time for me to discover she’d moved to Seattle. I doubt she knew anyone there. As best I could figure, she was looking for a fresh start, seeking a geographical cure. All I did know was that she was completely out of both our lives, and hard as it was to accept, we were better off without her.”
Chase had little memory of that time. He missed her dreadfully, because when she wasn’t in bed or drunk, she’d been a good mother. She was always there when he got home from school and gave him snacks.
The room fell silent while they both absorbed the memories of the wife and mother they never had a chance to know.
Finally, Chase felt he had to say something. “I’m sorry, Dad.” Sorry for all that they both had lost without even knowing it.
His father smiled weakly as a means of accepting Chase’s condolence. “I am, too.”
Simon straightened and leaned slightly forward. “On a completely different subject, I want to ask you something.”
“Anything.” Chase had no secrets.
“It’s about this woman in Seattle.”
“Maisy? What about her?” He stiffened with unease.
“You like her, don’t you?”
“I do,” he admitted. He wasn’t going to elaborate on his feelings or explain how deep they ran when he had his own questions about this relationship. He was strongly attracted to Maisyand wasn’t willing to pretend otherwise. He realized this would disappoint his father, who had his heart set on Chase marrying Astrid. He hadn’t mentioned they had decided to give each other a break and had parted as friends.
Chase found his father studying him intently.
“I know what you’re thinking,” he said, unwilling to hear his father say it aloud. “You’re wondering about me and Astrid.”
“Frankly, yes. I can tell you from experience it isn’t a good idea to string a woman along if you’re interested in someone else.”
“You know me better than that,” Chase said, somewhat affronted by his father’s words. “Astrid and I have an agreement. We’ve parted as friends for now.”
“For now? What does that mean?”
“We aren’t in love…”
“Okay, okay. Got it.” His father raised his hands as if to end the conversation.
Chase snapped his mouth closed as he read the disappointment in his father’s eyes.
Simon stood to leave the office, paused, and said, “Be smart, son, and watch yourself when it comes to this woman in Seattle.”
Chapter Seventeen
Taking the afternoon off work, Maisy stopped by her grandmother’s house for their weekly trip for groceries. Business was slow, so she’d left early. When it came to shopping, Grams had a difficult time without paper coupons. To help her grandmother get the most savings, Maisy used the app she’d downloaded that listed the weekly sale items.
As soon as they walked through the sliding glass door, Grams reached for the sales flyer while Maisy collected the cart. Her grandmother needed to push the cart these days, as it was easier for her to maneuver in the aisles while holding on to something.
“Oh, look, they have blueberries on special,” she said, reading through the paper. “And hamburger is a dollar off a pound. You should tell your mother.”
“I will,” Maisy said, holding back a smile. Eileen Gallagher’s enthusiasm for the little things in life inspired her.
Because she lived alone, her grandmother’s shopping list was short, and soon they were on their way, bag in hand.
“With all the money I saved this week, we should stop at Willie’s Diner for coffee and pie. Besides, I need your opinion.”
“You needmyopinion?” This was an unusual request. Grams was the wise one in the family.
“I do. It’s nothing important, just a little girl-to-girl chitchat along with apple crumble pie. What do you say? Are you game?”
“You bet I am. Who am I to turn down my favorite dessert?” Maisy said as she loaded the food items into the trunk of the car.
