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“That’s probably him,” Annie said, pointing to a car that pulled into the parking lot.
Jordan put his arm around her and kissed her hair. A thank-you for backing him up.
Jennifer gently touched my arm. Just enough for me to break my attention and turn to her.
She smiled. “It’s going to be okay.”
I nodded and released the tension in my shoulders. She was right. I’d get through this dinner, and then I could go back to my life. It was one night.
Jennifer released me by the time my dad strode over to us. I hadn’t really paid attention the last time I’d seen him at the vineyard, but he looked different. The last few years had aged him. His typical dark hair had silver at the temples. There were lines on his forehead that I’d never seen before. As if us leaving had really changed him. Or maybe it was the loss of the company that he’d tried to steal.
He’d clearly been talking to Jordan more frequently because they shook warmly when he appeared. Then he turned to me, that same Wright smile on his face. “Son.”
“Dad.” I shook his hand, withdrawing quickly.
He seemed like that was good enough for him now. He and Jordan exchanged a look. I didn’t want to know what they’d talked about when it came to me.
Annie kept up a steady stream of conversation. She was good at that. Directing us so that we all went inside. Funky Door had a stunning interior with a large circular set of stairs at the heart of the building, which housed hundreds of bottles of wine. It was the best place in town for wine selection. And I was working on getting our bottles on that shelf.
The hostess sat us at a round table near the center of the room. Jordan ordered a bottle of red for the table before we were even seated. I gestured for Jennifer to sit next to Annie. That I’d bite the bullet and sit next to my dad, but she smiled that same smile at me and moved one over. I looked at her in confusion, but she was already sitting next to my dad. A buffer. Just like I’d been for her parents.
I didn’t argue with her and took the seat between the girls, drawing the menu up in front of my face. Everything at Funky Door was delicious, but I barely saw the options. I was thankful when the wine Jordan had ordered was placed in front of me. I needed it to get through tonight.
“I really appreciate you boys agreeing to have dinner with me tonight,” my dad said with a smile. “And your lovely girlfriends, of course.”
Annie raised her glass to him. “We’re all here for the free wine.”
My dad guffawed. He looked at Jordan and winked. “I like this one.”
Jordan’s gaze landed on Annie. “Me too.”
“So, your flight was delayed?” I asked.
Jennifer touched my knee under the table. Not a warning, but reassurance. She was here. We could get through this.
“Yes,” my dad said, ignoring the bite in my voice. “Getting out of Sea-Tac is always an adventure.”
My brow furrowed. “You flew in from Seattle?”
“Yes. I thought Jordan told you.” He looked at Jordan, but Jordan’s face was neutral. He clearly hadn’t revealed anything to me. Dad would have to win this one on his own. Good. “I relocated a couple years ago.”
“Why?” I hated to give him the satisfaction, but there it was. I hadn’t even known the most basic thing about my dad.
“Well,” he said, clearing his throat, “everyone and everything I loved was gone. Vancouver held old memories. I didn’t want to stay there anymore and deal with it being empty.”
“That sounds difficult,” Jennifer said thoughtfully.
My dad smiled at her. “It was, but nothing compared to these boys moving across the country to be with their mom. That took real guts.”
I almost rolled my eyes. Had he always been so transparent?
“What are you doing there?” I asked. “I can’t see you moving somewhere and doing nothing.”
“Julian, this isn’t an interrogation,” Jordan said. “It’s dinner.”
Our dad held his hand up though. “It’s fine, Jordan. Julian is entitled to his questions. I haven’t always been the best father. He has every right to be skeptical.”
I almost snorted. The best father? What an understatement.
I’d worshipped the ground he’d walked on. Then he’d shattered every ounce of that love into pieces. He was a liar. He’d always been a liar. And I didn’t know how to let him build back the trust.
“I’m working in corporate America now. I’m sitting on three boards right now. Before, I was consulting with a local commercial construction company. Nothing like running my own branch of a Fortune 500 company, but I ruined that for myself.” He shrugged. He almost sounded…remorseful. Like he regretted the actions that had led to him being removed from his position at Wright Construction. He’d lost everything when he bet on that.
