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“You’re no longer a kid.” Dad smiles, though follows with a long-winded sigh. “You’re a beautiful, intelligent woman, one who will break some man’s heart one day.”
“Oh, so you admit that I’m not a nun?”
“Quite the comedian,” he notes with dark amusement. “If I could have my way—”
“I know, I know,” I drag, rolling my eyes. “If you could have your way, I’d be a spinster. A virgin spinster.”
“You know me well.”
I cross my arms, though, with the purpose of not looking awkward when I ask the question. “So, what does Will have to say about me? Lord knows he’s still traumatized by our childhood. I mean, you make someone scrape their leg once, and they’ll hold it against you for the rest of your life.”
“Surprisingly, he only speaks positively of you. Of course, he has his own things to worry about. We’re this close to finalizing London. If all goes well, he’ll be there in a few months.”
My stomach hardens the moment my heartbeat slows down to what feels like a complete stop. London. I have no idea how many miles away but crossing over an ocean indicates very far away. It shouldn’t come as a shock given the fact that it was raised at Thanksgiving. But I’ve deluded myself into thinking it will all change because we’re together. How stupid of me. According to my dad, I may be beautiful and intelligent, but I don’t have the power to stop a man from becoming the next billionaire.
“That sounds amazing for Will. I’m sure he’s excited to move to London.”
Dad hesitates, lost in thought. “Between you and me, I thought so too. But something has changed over the last month. He’s said a couple of things, which, if I read between the lines, indicates he wants to try to make it work from Manhattan, but it’s just not feasible. Not to mention costly. To make this work, he needs to be in London.”
“Maybe it’s just cold feet,” I suggest, though wondering if I’m the reason he’s hesitating. “He’s lived his whole life in the States. I’m assuming that moving to another country can be daunting.”
“That could be it, or he has someone here he doesn’t want to leave.”
I clear my throat. “C’mon, Dad. He’s a player. I highly doubt it.”
“You don’t know him to like to I do, sweetie. He’s changed.”
This is my chance to extract anything I can about Will’s so-called changed behavior. It isn’t exactly like I can ask Will these very questions. He’ll assume I’m clingy and desperate like most women out there.
“He looks the same to me. How do you think he’s changed?”
Dad ponders on my question, a little too long for my liking.
“His head isn’t clear as it was a few months ago. So much of him reminds me of my younger days, pre-marriage to your mother. I thought I was invincible, and no one could stop me. Then I saw her at a restaurant with another man. I knew then and there that nothing else mattered. Not a single cent of what I sacrificed to become this untouchable wealthy man,” he pauses momentarily, then continues, “And I see that exact same thing with Will.”
“Maybe it’s just a phase, Dad,” I tell him, desperate to make him think otherwise. “Maybe this woman he’s supposedly seeing is just a phase.”
“I think this one has crawled under his skin,” he admits, sure of his himself. “I warned him this would happen one day, and he joked and told me never.”
“Well, we all fall in love one day, right?”
Dad turns to face me with a knowing grin. “You’ve got time, Amelia, just focus on studying for now. All that love business will come when the time is right.”
I nod, unsure of what to say.
“Is everything okay?” Dad questions, tilting his head. “You look disappointed.”
“No, Dad.” I give him a lopsided grin, forcing myself to remain positive. “Everything you’ve said is true. I need to focus on studying. There’s always time for love later.”
Not long after, the rest of our family arrives for lunch. Andy and his family are the first to arrive. I don’t get to chat with him much since Dad wants to catch up with him, stealing all his attention.
My Uncle Noah and Kate arrive with my cousins, then shortly after, my parents’ friends. I consider Haden and Presley like family since they always attend all our family events. They have three sons, their oldest, Masen, being Ava’s age.
Then Mom’s bestie, Eric, arrives with his husband, Tristan. They don’t have children, just two dogs they take everywhere with them—Gloria and Diana. French Bulldogs with a diva-like attitude if you get near them.
“Where’s my little Gilmore Girl?” Eric calls, stretching his hands out to me.
I furrow my brows, unsure what that means. “What’s a Gilmore Girl?”
