When he finally lets out a weary sigh, as if I’m the quintessential ball and chain, I want to climb over the kitchen island and shake him until his teeth rattle.
He drags a stool out to sit down. “What’s wrong?”
I choose to remain standing. “You’d know what was going on if you’d listened to my message and called me back.”
“I told you we were busy,” he replies defensively. “You know I don’t have time to talk on the phone once guests start to arrive.”
I don’t want to get into the weeds about restaurant operations. We’ve had this conversation too many times, most notably on the day he missed my father’s funeral.
“Fine. You’re here now, so I’ll fill you in.” I pull out a stool from my end of the island and sit down. “I took Amanda to the police station this afternoon—”
“What? Why?” he asks, interrupting before I have a chance to finish.
“To file a report because she’s being bullied.”
Nate frowns. “At school?”
“No, it’s a girl from a different school, and it’s happening online. She’s posted some doctored images, but somehow she got ahold of Amanda’s phone number and called her and made threats.”
“What kind of threats? And why is she doing that?”
“She thinks Amanda’s going after a guy she likes,” I explain. “Amanda works with him at the pool on Saturdays. His name is Jeff.”
Nate slowly nods. “I see.” He sits quietly for a moment, taking it all in. “So is she actually going after this guy?” he asks with disbelief.
I scoff. “That’s not really the point, is it? Even if she was, this girl has no right to call her and make threats. Did you not hear the part about us going to the police station today?”
He holds up a hand. “Okay, yes. I’m sorry. I’m just caught off guard with all this. Let’s backtrack and start at the beginning.”
I take a deep breath to try and relax and remember that he and I are on the same team. We both love Amanda, and we want her to be safe. I explain everything she told me about what’s been going on, and I end with the phone call where Marissa used the words “cut you up.”
“My God!” Nate shouts. “What the hell? You did the right thing, going to the cops. Jesus! Is Amanda okay?”
Finally, a reaction out of him, and it’s genuine. A hopeful sign that he still cares about us.
“She’s not great,” I reply, “but she’s keeping it together. I’m relieved that she agreed to file the report, because she didn’t want to at first. She was worried about what Jeff might think, because she does like him. I had to talk her into it.”
“I’m glad you did.” He rubs his forehead. “Poor kid. She doesn’t deserve that. And I’m sorry I missed your call.” His eyes lift to meet mine. “I’m also sorry that you had to do that on your own. I wish I’d been here.”
“Thank you,” I reply with forbearance. “I appreciate that.”
He regards me intently. “But you’re still annoyed with me.”
My heart feels cold, and I turn my face away. “Yes, because it’s the same old thing. I understand that you want the restaurant to be a success, but to put it bluntly ...” I meet his gaze. “You’ve become a workaholic, and you seem to have forgotten that you have a wife and two children at home who love you and miss you. And they’re at an age where they need you.”
He stares at me, speechless.
“When was the last time you came to the rink to see Connor play a game?” I ask.
He shakes his head because he has no answer.
“You have no idea how good he is. You’d be so proud.”
His brow furrows as if he’s in pain. “You and the kids are more important to me than anything. You know that.”
“No, actually, I don’t know that, because you’re never here. It makes us feel like we don’t matter to you.”
He looks seriously worried now. “Have the kids said that to you?”
