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By all that’s holy, the man blushes. His face lights up like he’s just been recognized for a great accolade. Apparently, there’s another Fairway with a heart. There’s no way it’s damn near as big as the one I’m beholden to, but it looks like someone found it.
CHAPTER 35
Pete
Rising from his chair on my deck, Dad’s knee makes a popping sound. Swiping up his moonshine jar, he stretches out his back, the silhouette of his shape dancing on the side of my house in the light from my firepit.
“I’m turning in for the night. That was a decent steak for the city,” he informs Cam. “Goodnight.”
We return our sentiments. I wait until he goes into the house and disappears around the hallway corner before I reach over and grab Cam’s hand. I tug until he chuckles and gets up from his chair to settle onto my lap.
“The Wenatchee Orchard Association, huh?” I challenge, now that I’ve got him alone. Watching him and my father brainstorm ideas for my future over dinner was like witnessing some bizarre alliance that I didn’t know I would enjoy being captive to. Digging my knuckle into his side produces a small yelp, as I tease, “I didn’t know my father was so progressive.”
“Hey, don’t look at me.” He laughs, swatting my hand away. “I just planted a seed. I didn’t know it would grow into a tree.”
“Mm. You’re very convincing, though. I know this firsthand.”
“It works out in my favor sometimes,” he purrs. Eyes hooding, he leans in and nuzzles the side of my neck, placing little kisses there.
“Wow. I think you’re buzzed.”
Straightening up, he raises his jar of moonshine and stares down at it like it’s a mystery liquid. “This stuff should be illegal.”
“It is if you don’t have a permit, which my father doesn’t. I can’t believe he brought it with him. If you two had gotten pulled over, you could have gotten a citation.”
His glossy eyes blink at me, and then a boyish grin overtakes his face. “How stupid would we have looked in jail in our suits?”
He then proceeds to crack up until he’s in a fit of laughter. Wonderful. My boyfriend was inebriated by my father.
He starts to raise his glass to his lips, but I catch his wrist in time. “Aaand…I think that’s enough of that.”
Frowning, he tracks the jar as I set it on the patio table, his lower lip protruding. He deserves a few drinks after the week he had. It’s a sad sort of celebration, but I’m so damn proud of him.
“Hey,” I preface, squeezing his arm. “Don’t feel like you have to tell me, but are you going to tell me now?”
“Tell you what?”
“What you said to your father.”
He traces my jawline with his fingertip, staring at my mouth. I shouldn’t have asked. He was in such a good mood.
“I think my entire life he was like the bogeyman,” he says, though. “But I realized the bogeyman’s only scary if you give him a voice.”
Well, that certainly ruined my good mood. Great moonshine conversation, Pete.
“I told him I knew I’d disappointed him, but that kids are supposed to disappoint their parents to a degree. I said that I forgave him for disappointing me, even if he didn’t do the same.”
Damn.
“I bet he took that well.”
His mouth twists into a grimace. “That part doesn’t matter. I didn’t go there to prove a point.” Glancing skyward, he chews his lip. “Well, maybe I did. I don’t know, but it’s done, and I’m glad I did it. I mean, I’m not glad exactly, but I’m not sad either. I’m just…”
When he trails off, staring at the fire, I squeeze my arms tighter around him and rest my head against his. He’s said more than enough.
“You know what this reminds me of?” he hums a while later.
“No.”
