AllFreeNovel
Share Us
As if reading my mind, he nodded and let the topic of the guest list drop. “I’m looking forward to it.” Pushing his food around his plate with the tines of his fork, he said, “This, uh, tuxedo… How much do you think?—”
“Oh, don’t worry about any of that. I’m paying for it.”
He frowned. “That doesn’t seem right.”
“Believe me. It’s fine.” Now it was my turn to reassure him, so I patted his hand.
He grinned. “Thank you.”
When the bill came, I stuck Hale’s black AMEX in the pocket and stood. “I have to use the restroom. I’ll be right back.”
As I washed my hands I thought of my mom’s warnings. She was wrong about my dad. So what if he had another family? He was still my father and we both deserved a second chance.
Once I made up my mind to put the past behind us, I instantly felt lighter. That made me think of Elle. Maybe we were both too lost in our feelings and overcomplicating something that didn’t have to be complicated.
I loved my dad and I wanted a relationship with him. So we chose to accept the things we couldn’t change and moved forward with a relationship. It was that easy.
Couldn’t Elle and I do the same since we also loved each other? I dried my hands and pulled out my phone. It had been eons since we spoke.
I love you and I don’t want to fight anymore. I’m sorry for all the shitty things I said.
Send.
There. I was making leaps and bounds in the maturity department today.
When I returned to the table I smiled at my dad. “Ready?”
He stood. “Don’t forget your card.”
“Oh.” I quickly grabbed the credit card and signed the bill. “Let’s go get you a tux.”
My dad was a lot more jovial than I anticipated. He said silly things that made me laugh and lament for the moments we missed together.
“I was thinking,” I said as the tailor drew on him with chalk. “What if—after the honeymoon—you come to Florida for a visit?”
He stilled and I could tell my invitation surprised him. “I guess that depends on the cost of flights.”
“We can fly you out.” I really needed him to do this. I wanted him to see our house and spend time with Elara. I wanted to take pictures and have something to put on my wall that told the world I had a dad. I was willing to compromise almost anything to make it happen. “You and Laura could visit,” I said, sweetening the deal.
“That sounds…incredible.” He smiled but something sorrowful flashed in his eyes.
Maybe he didn’t believe I’d follow through with my promise to get him there. “Consider it officially on the schedule. Will there be any issue with getting off work from your job?”
“There shouldn’t be an issue.”
After lunch I took him back to The Plaza to show him the penthouse and treat him to some accessories in the gift shop. I think the level of opulence overwhelmed him.
“The faucets in the bathroom are gold,” he said after visiting the restroom.
“I know.” I laughed at his expression, because I’d had the same reaction. “Rich people do weird shit.”
“What does your mother think of all this?”
“She hasn’t spent enough time around the Davenports yet. She’s only met Hale. This will be her first time meeting the family. Wait until you meet Remington! He’s such a character. Sort of a cross between Mr. Potter from It’s a Wonderful Life and an angry badger with a soft spot for anything female.”
“That’s Hale’s father?”
“And my boss. We’re pretty tight.”
