chapter Twenty-Four
I don’t know why it was so hard for me to tell Colt about the offer to visit Dad. Maybe it was because I knew how little Dad approved of us dating. I doubted Colt would have cared, but it wouldn’t be a good feeling. I’d have hated to know that Colt’s parents didn’t approve of me. For all I knew, they didn’t. Could they really be that cool with me having dated two of their sons?
I finally dropped the news on our way home for Thanksgiving. Having the same hometown came in handy for occasions like that. “Hey, can I talk to you about something?”
Colt took his eyes off the road to look at me. He was driving my truck. “Of course.”
“I’m going to be spending the first week of winter break in Charlotte with my dad.”
“Really? Is that what you guys discussed when he visited?”
“Yeah. He invited me, and I finally gave him an answer.”
Colt looked pensive for a minute. “It’s a good thing. You need to make peace with him. You’re never going to be happy if you don’t.”
How could my dad have a problem with me dating someone so incredibly thoughtful?
I ran my fingers up his arm. “Thanks for understanding.”
“But since I’m losing a week of break with you, that means you’re spending almost all of this weekend with me.”
I smiled. “I was already planning on it.”
***
The last few weeks of the semester flew by. Before I knew it, it was finals week. Thanks to Colt’s insistence that we do extra credit, we were able to opt out of the standard anthro exam. Instead, we worked on a project discussing how aliens were viewed by ancient civilizations. Cains assigned the topic. I knew the guy was weird.
“I’m going to miss this class.” Colt closed up his laptop. We’d finished a final read through of the paper.
“Really?” I looked at him skeptically. We were seated on his bed. I’d fully gotten over my issues with hanging out in his room.
“Yeah. I mean when else will I get the opportunity to write about aliens?”
I laughed. “And I thought you were going to say you’d miss working on projects with me.”
He leaned over. “We’ll still get to work on other things together.” He grinned. “Besides, we can take classes together again.”
“Maybe. Although you might not copy my schedule every semester.”
He brushed his lips against mine. “Maybe next time you’ll copy mine.”
“Maybe.”
A few days later, I kissed Colton goodbye in front of his house and started the drive to Charlotte. My stomach churned with nerves the whole drive up.
I checked the address one more time. I knew Dad had a new house, but this one was three times the size of his last one. I wasn’t sure why someone would need or want a place so big if they lived alone. I took a deep breath before pulling into the wraparound driveway.
Unlike when I’d gone home to Gasden, no one came outside to greet me. I pulled out my own bags and headed to the front porch. Dad would probably tell me I should have waited, but I wasn’t going to show any weakness in front of him, physical or otherwise.
I rang the bell, smoothing out the non-existent wrinkles in my sweater dress.
No one answered. I rang again. Still nothing. With another deep breath, I tried the knob, and it easily turned under my hand.
“Dad?” I called as I stepped into the giant white entry way. My boots echoed on the marble floors. “Dad?”
A door opened somewhere, and I dropped my bags on the floor.
Dad walked down the hallway. He pulled me into a quick but tight hug. “Hi, honey. I need to finish a call. Make yourself at home, and I’ll be out soon.”
“Okay.” I forced a smile and waited for him to disappear again before starting my tour of the house.
Once through the massive entryway, the majority of the downstairs was one big, open great room. A modern kitchen complete with stainless steel appliances and some sort of stone countertops caught my attention, but the whole downstairs looked great. Either my dad hired a designer, or he had a girlfriend I didn’t know about. The natural color palette and perfectly coordinated rooms weren’t designed by him.
I decided to avoid the hallway Dad disappeared down and ventured upstairs. I discovered a few immaculate bedrooms that were probably never used. I wasn’t sure which one Dad wanted me to use, but I had my eye on the one furthest from the stairs. It had a huge bathroom with one of those giant showers with a bunch of streams. I’d always wanted a shower like that.
The second floor also housed a cozy room I’d probably call a library. Dotted with chairs and ottomans, the room urged you to pick a book off the shelf and read. I had to give it to the designer; they’d gotten the room perfect.
“Hey, sweetie.” Dad snuck up behind me and made me jump.
“Hi, Dad.”
“How was the drive? I would have picked you up myself you know.”
“Oh, that’s fine. I dropped Colt off in Gasden first.”
“You’re still dating him then?” He said him with distaste, but I decided not to push it. Fighting with Dad so early in my stay was a bad idea.
“Yes. We’re still dating.”
“Lovely.” He put an arm around my shoulder. “Let me show you the rest of the house.”
“I’m guessing one of these rooms is mine?” I asked when we reached the first bedroom.
“I put your stuff in the last room on the left. You can move them, but I had that room put together with you in mind.”
I walked back inside the room I’d already picked out. My bags were all laid out. Maybe Dad knew me better than I thought. “Thanks.”
“Of course. Have you eaten? We have dinner reservations at seven, but feel free to snack on anything before then.” He led the way back downstairs.
“I’m fine right now, but thanks.”
“Okay. I did try to pick up all your favorites.”
I’d have to check out the fridge and pantry to see how well he’d shopped.
We walked down the other hallway, and as I expected, it was his wing. A large, dark master bedroom was the largest room, but there was also a study and a fitness room.
“Beautiful house,” I acknowledged as we returned to the great room.
“Thank you. It’s big for just me, but maybe you and your brother will start spending more time here.”
“I’m here now, aren’t I?” I took a seat on a comfortable couch.
He sat down in a loveseat across from me. “And I’m glad you are. It’s been far too long since we spent real quality time together. It’s mostly my fault, and I’m sorry for that.”
“It’s fine.”
“No, it’s not. I’m your father. I’m supposed to play an active role in your life.”
“I’ve turned out just fine.” At least, I liked to think so.
“Yes, you have. But maybe if I was around more, you’d have a better idea of the traits to look for in men.”
“Oh no. Don’t start.”
“It’s true. I don’t blame you or your mother. I blame myself.” He left out the last name. The name he really wanted to list. Rob.
“Did you invite me here just to harangue me about who I date? Because if so, there’s no reason for me to unpack.”
“No. Of course not. I’m simply trying to share my feelings with you. Isn’t that what a father is supposed to do nowadays? Share his true feelings with his children?”
“I think that’s plenty of sharing.”
He laughed. “Okay. Let’s discuss you working for me this summer.”
“What?”
He leaned an elbow on the arm of the loveseat. “We always take interns. Why not you? You’ve always had impeccable taste. Something else you got from your mother. I think you’d do well in the marketing department.”
My jaw dropped. “Seriously? You’re offering me a summer internship?”
“What do you say? You can stay here. It will give us plenty of time together.”
“That would be a lot of fun, but I don’t know yet. I have to talk to Mom.” A few months earlier, I would have jumped for joy at the opportunity to spend the summer away from Gasden. Now I wasn’t sure, but a marketing internship at Piedmont Capital? That was the kind of opportunity that didn’t come around often.
“See, that’s how I know you’re my daughter. You find starting a new job fun. Most people don’t view opportunities that way.”
“I’m just excited you considered giving me the opportunity to begin with.” I crossed my legs and tried to relax. As long as we could keep the topic off my personal life, we’d be just fine.
Dad’s phone rang and he pulled it from his pocket. “I need to take this, sweetie. Make yourself at home. I’ll be out in a few.” Did he realize he’d already said the same thing to me when I first arrived? I waved to let him know I was fine and headed into the kitchen. Time to find out how spot on Dad’s shopping had been.