Page 81 of Once Upon a Fall

“It’s the start of summer.”

He nods.

“Well, I better get back to my festival duties.” I turn toward the door.

“Happy birthday, Rosie,” he says.

“Thanks.” For a second, I almost tell him he should come tonight. But inviting Dean to a family birthday dinner feels like something you do with someone you’re dating, and we’ve already established that we’re not doing that. Also, Emma would have approximately six thousand questions.

So I keep the invitation to myself and head downstairs.

“This cake is so good,” I say to Emma, after we’ve eaten tacos and sung happy birthday and Dominic and I have blown out our candles on our cakes.

Emma made us separate cakes—plain chocolate for me and German chocolate for Dominic—decorated our family home with balloons and streamers, and made us dinner, just like our mom used to.

I’d love to say the night has been relaxing, but I keep thinking about all the things that still need to be done. Even though I did knock some things off my task list for the festival and trained Willa on a few things. Still, I neglected the inn, which means I’ll probably be up all night painting the Snow White room.

“Amazing, Em,” our dad says, a slice of each cake on his plate, both half-gone.

His phone beeps, and he picks it up to look at it.

That’s another reason this night hasn’t been relaxing. My dad’s been doing this for most of dinner. He’s easily distracted, especially after our mom died, but I’ve never seen him this preoccupied.

Dominic and Emma give each other a look, something that’s also been happening a lot tonight.

“I need to make a quick call,” my dad says, pushing his chair back and walking toward his office.

We sit in silence until the door clicks shut.

“What’s going on?” I ask Emma and Dominic.

They look at each other. That same look.

Then Emma turns to me. “Dad’s been dating Alvina Berkeley for the past two weeks.”

“What?” I look to Dominic for confirmation.

He just gives me one nod.

“Dad’s dating? And Alvina?”

I don’t know much about Reese’s mom except that she’s been married a bunch of times and seems like a hot mess.

“I’m guessing that’s who he’s talking to right now,” says Emma.

My dad is dating Alvina. He’s been a widower for ten years. I just assumed he’d stay that way. I never imagined him wanting to date anyone.

“Wait,” I say, pointing from Dominic to Emma. “You two knew and didn’t tell me?”

I don’t even know which part I’m more upset about. No, that’s not true. My dad dating someone is definitely worse. Then there’s the fact that he stood in my kitchen three days ago, wanting to know what a man was doing at my inn. He’d been seeing someone for eleven days at that point and didn’t bother to tell me.

And yes, I know he only found out about Dean because the Ednas told him. I didn’t exactly volunteer that information either. But this is different. I’m not dating Dean. I kissed him a bunch of times, sure, but . . . you know what? I’m going to let myself be mad for another minute before acknowledging the very obvious double standard here.

“We haven’t known long,” Emma says.

“But you were at the inn this morning, Dom. You knew the whole time,” I say.

“This is the part you’re mad about?” he asks, brow pinched.