“It sounds like a good match.”
“Yeah, it is.”
“Is that the kind of relationship you’d like for yourself?”
“It’s good to have people who can open doors for their partner,”he said. “I like the idea of being able to learn and explore something different.”
She looked over. “Me too.”
“Time for food,” called Dalia. “Come and get it!”
The moment was over. He tossed a last ring. Another twenty. At least Valerie had gotten them some points. He followed her to the table, surprised to find he was having a good time.
Like he’d found someone to open new doors for him to explore.
Eighteen
Nico had been doing his daily email triage in the office when Valerie’s laugh came up from the dock. Roger was teaching her to kayak, and although the first time had been about as successful as the canoe lesson, she’d stuck with it despite her fear of water snakes. He waited, hands on his laptop, aching to hear her again through the window, but this time it was a yelp and a splash. Then came the laughter.
Smiling, Nico turned back to his email and resurfaced the message from Gia. The strange unwillingness to pass it on was matched by his growing desire to apply for the job himself. But he’d worked for the Badgertons for his entire career. Roger trusted him to keep his life in order. He managed the bills and the schedule. He researched everything from new cars to the best hotel in Saskatoon. He bought the gifts and sent the flowers and kept Roger up-to-date on important office gossip. He couldn’t let Roger down, not when there was so much happening.
Especially because Roger had always respected the value of Nico’s systems and flows. Roger had even encouraged his side projects at the Bread Company, despite David’s complaining.
He resaved his original reply to his drafts. He could decide later what to do.
Soon, he was staring at the last task on his list.Call Stefanie.He’d been avoiding it, but Kimmy was right. They had to sort this out for their parents’ sake. Actually, he should check in with Kimmy first, just in case. She could give him some pointers on how to approach this talk with Stefanie. Yeah. That was the right decision.
Too bad it was Stefanie who answered Kimmy’s phone. “What do you want?” she asked.
Her tone put him off asking what was going on with her. He could ask later. “Why do you have Kimmy’s phone?”
“I’m staying at her place.”
“Oh.” Somehow asking why felt like letting her win. The competition had never been declared, and the prizes were unknown, but he knew it was there.
“I was going to call you anyway,” she said. “Kimmy’s upset because you haven’t bothered to check in with the group chat.”
That it was a fair criticism made him defensive. “What was the point, since you decided on an anniversary party?”
“No one haddecidedon a party. It was anidea. That’s it.”
He wasn’t going to let her get away with this. “Good. Then since it was only anidea, we can do something else.”
“Like what?”
He had his answer ready. “Dad wants a snowblower and Mom said she’d love a new lawn mower.”
“A what?” asked Stefanie.
“Snowblower,” he repeated. “And lawn mower.”
“Are you for real? We’re not getting them appliances for their milestone anniversary. That’s exactly what I expect from you. ‘Boring, Sidney, boring.’”
“Don’t quote movies at me.” He hated it when she did that.
“Then don’t be a loser. Mom deserves more. We need to get them something special. Something memorable.” Her voice rose with each word.
“Stop that.”
