There was no winning this and all it was doing was giving her another headache.
What she wanted to point out was that he was the one who had just suggested she take anything first and then be selective after.
“Did you ask me here to lecture?” she asked.
She’d seen her father more in the past three weeks than she had in the past ten years.
That was where the trying was coming.Ifshe could put up with the endless criticism.
“No. I thought we could go to lunch and chat.”
“We can,” she said. She’d walked here. No reason to drive anywhere, as it’d take her longer to get the little over a mile than it would be to walk anyway.
She passed more places to eat than she could count. She had to admit she loved the walkability of the area, but learned that there were no more weekly grocery trips. It was more like multiple times a week to get what she needed.
The little things to adapt to. And she had.
If only her father would understand all the things she’d done in her life that were good and not harp on what was bad...inhiseyes.
Her father grabbed his wallet and phone, put them in the pocket of his jeans, then headed for the door.
“Do you enjoy living here? I know it’s different from what you were used to.”
“I lived here for years before,” she said.
“We lived outside the city,” her father said. “I hated it and the time it took to come into work. Your mother refused to give up the house. Life is easier this way.”
It’d always been the way her father wanted it.
“I can’t argue with that,” she said. “In terms of space, that’s something I gave up, but it’s nice there is a gym in the building for me to use rather than the treadmill I had at Mom’s.”
She barely brought anything with her when she moved. It wasn’t possible. She hired movers to drive and unload her bedroom furniture, one couch and the small kitchen table that was hardly used in her mother’s house.
The furniture her mother told her to take, as she bought everything new in Canada with Felix. The rest had been sold.
“You look as if you’re working hard at staying in shape.”
She almost bobbled her purse she was putting over her shoulder when he’d said that. Three weeks. Three freaking weeks for him to acknowledge the hard work she’d put into not being the chubby girl who everyone picked on.
“Thank you. I am. I’ve got a nice routine and I feel better than I ever have.”
“Good for you,” her father said.
Norris Jones rarely complimented anyone. She wouldn’t say never, because he kind of did right now. His version of it.
“It’s been a lot of work, but I’m up for it. Now it’s second nature. Some diet changes and exercise and here I am.”
“I’ve been saying that for years.”
Had to get that in there. Heaven forbid he’d be nice for over two minutes.
“You have been,” she said.
They rode the elevator down in silence. What more could she say?
“Do you have dietary restrictions? We can go to a vegan place if you want.”
“I’m not eating vegan, Dad.”
