I couldn’t remember the last time my dad had apologized—to anyone, let alone to me, who’d seemed to disappoint him at every turn. The anger that had seemed to burn a hole in my gut whenever I was in I the same room with him had turned to stone. “I’m sorry, too. I got it in my head that I was going to do things my way and I never stopped to consider helping any of you. I thought if I went to school and got my degree I’d be able to make enough money for everyone. Figure we were both equally wrong.”
“For what it’s worth, I am proud of you, for all you’ve done. I never could have stuck it out in college and I’m damn proud you’re my son.”
I looked to my feet, my face heating. “Thanks,” I managed to choke out. “That means a lot to me.”
“Gram was proud of you, too,” he said as he got to his feet and pulled me in for a one-armed hug. “Now let’s go find your mom and let her know we made up so she doesn’t divorce me. That woman is like your Charlie. I knew I found a good one and didn’t give her a second to come to her senses before I chained her down. You’d be wise to do the same.”
Chapter Twenty Nine
Charlie
“I can’t believeyou’re leaving me. Who is going to spend Taco and Tequila Tuesdays with us now?” Ember threw herself down onto the couch next to me. Layla nodded enthusiastically from her place on the floor where she was sorting through the mountain of things I’d managed to accumulate at her place. I’d only been living at her place a few weeks, but somehow my things had wound up all over her apartment.
I gave them both quelling looks, which they ignored. “I do have a car, you know. I can come see either of you any time. That includes on Taco and Tequila Tuesdays.”
Layla sighed heavily as she folded shirts. “It won’t be the same with you gone. We won’t be able to come over to see you any time we want. You might as well be on the other side of the city!”
I’d given some thought to staying in the building. Now that the semester was ending, there were a lot of openings. Students moving out, graduating. I could have my pick if I wanted. But I couldn’t imagine putting up with the landlord again. Besides, my new place was father from campus, but closer to the hospital where I hoped to apply when I graduated. Call it wishful thinking, but I hoped it would impart good vibes for when I did.
“Who is gonna help me plan to defeat Dash? The internship application is due to the committee by the end of the summer, and I just know he’s planning on applying just to spite me. I won’t make it through the next three months if you’re not here. I may kill him this time. For real.”
My heart squeezed at the thought of missing their fighting, and inevitable making up. Layla may not realize it, but Dash was definitely going to apply for the internship—just not for the reasons she thought he was. It almost made me a little misty to think of the wild ride that was in store for my friend. I considered warning her ahead of time but managed to bite my tongue. She’d probably kill me if I ever suggested he only teased her because he wanted to get in her pants.
“Uh, hello!” Ember said, waving a hand around. “I still live here. I can help.”
Layla sighed again. “I guess.”
Ember threw a pillow at Layla’s head. “Jerk.”
Liam had been secretive about his plans since the funeral, where we didn’t get much chance to talk. I wasn’t about to press him for details, not while his family was still grieving. We still chatted and texted constantly, but it wasn’t the same. I missed my best friend. I tried to weasel information out of him on the pretense that I’d be willing to adjust my plans for him, but he vehemently rejected that idea. I had to admit, I loved that he wanted me to follow my dreams. Not that I’d ever tell him that.
I’d even grilled his parents for clues, but they were sworn to secrecy. His mother was so overjoyed with the idea that we might get back together that she’d given me one of her rose bushes for my new apartment. “It’s tradition,” she’d insisted. It was already turning brown, but I didn’t have the heart to tell her I was even more hell on plants than she was.
It was late when I finally convinced Layla and Ember I could handle the last load and promised to invite them to my new place as soon as everything was unpacked. I loaded up the rest of the boxes in Liam’s truck. I’d let him borrow my car in return as long as I promised him no less than three hundred times that I wouldn’t let anything happen to his baby. I drove across town to his duplex where some of my stuff was still stored.
I had to admit as I walked around double-checking drawers and cabinets the emptiness left me feeling a little tender. So much so that when Liam walked through a short while later, I didn’t look up from the cabinet I had my head stuck in.
“How’d it go?” I asked from inside, my voice echoing.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“Checking to make sure I didn’t leave anything.”
“Like a ten-year-old can of tuna?” he asked. I could hear the smile in his voice mocking me, but even that made me want to cry so I kept my head in the cabinet. He’d packed all his things from the duplex the week before. I hadn’t realized how much it would affect me until I walked in the living room and found all his furniture gone. It was just another reminder that he could be leaving soon.
For a long time.
Without me.
I had to be strong about it. Liam deserved every chance at a happy future and a good career. As much as I loved him, I loved him enough to set him free if that’s what he wanted.
“You never know,” I said with forced cheerfulness.
“Can you come out of there for a minute? I have some news.”
I froze, half in, half out of the cabinet, my ass probably making a delightful display. I gave a passing thought to staying there and never coming out, but my knees started to ache from kneeling on the tile floor. Standing, I noticed the counter had crumbs on it from God-knows-when and decided to give it a good scrub while I was there.
“Charlie, you and I both know you’re not this domestic. Stop procrastinating and get your ass over here before I come over there.”
