AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You do that. I’d love to have her in church with us.”
“Is this a photo op for the campaign?” Ian asked.
“No, it’s the truth.”
“Good to hear it. Now...are we done here? Because if I remember correctly you are here to ski with me, and the more we talk, the less we get to ski.”
“We’ll go as soon as you’re ready.”
“Good,” Ian said, climbing off his stool. If they were skiing, then they weren’t talking about his personal life. Not talking about his personal life was his favorite thing to do with his father.
“Son?” his father said before Ian was halfway to the door.
“Yeah?” He turned around.
“I do like Flash. I want you to know that. I don’t want you to think I dislike your girlfriend. I like her very much. You caught me a little off guard. That’s all.”
“Glad you like her. You should like her,” Ian said.
“Your mother...” Dean Asher said, and paused before going on. “Your mother had a very hard time trying to fit in with my family. I wouldn’t want someone you love going through anything like that. I wouldn’t want you going through that, either.”
“Do you regret marrying her?”
His father looked up at him in shock.
“Never. I regret what happened after, yes. But not marrying her. I would never regret that. I have you, after all. Ivy gave me you. And even if she hadn’t, even if we’d never had children... No, I wouldn’t have regretted marrying her.”
“My mother wasn’t the sort of woman your parents wanted you to marry, right? Just remember that every time you see me with Flash.”
His father nodded.
“I’ll remember that. I’ll remember that, and I’ll try very hard to get used to the idea of having a daughter-in-law named ‘Flash.’”
“She also answers to Veronica, you know.”
“Veronica. I’ll call her that instead. Good Catholic name. Named for Saint Veronica?”
“Named for the girl in the Archie comics.”
“I’m going to pretend it was for Saint Veronica.”
“You can do that,” Ian said. “But you really should go look at Flash’s stuff at the Morrison when you get a chance. She’s very talented. You’ll be impressed.”
“I’ll make a note of it. In the meantime, I’ll stay out of it. You’re a grown man.”
“Yes, I am.”
“Now hurry up and get ready or I’m leaving without you.”
“Going,” Ian said. He made it two-thirds of the way to the door when his father said his name again.
“Yes, Dad?”
“You weren’t kidding? Two out of three of those ladies I set you up with tried to get you back to their places on the first date?”
“Two out of three, and no, I’m not kidding. Disappointed?”
