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My body tensed, and I felt hesitant. I still wanted to press him more about his drinking, but Dad was so good at chumming up close to you and steering clear of uncomfortable subjects. He flattered me with compliments while we waited for the elevator.
“I swear, Izzy. Every time I see you, you look more beautiful than the last. You really look like a womannow.”
“Oh, please,” I said, rolling my eyes.
“No, I’m serious. There’s something different about you. I don’t know what it is—but you look like you’ve arrived, you know?” He looked at me and simpered. “I can’t believe it. My baby girl’s all grown up.”
Oh, if you only knew …
The elevator doors opened. “So where are you wanting me to take you, anyway?” I asked as we stepped on.
“I just want to drive around a bit and maybe see a few places.”
“Like what?” I asked, figuring he had the usual tourist spots in mind.
“I can tell you on the way,” he muttered.
Weird. Why’s he acting like this?
We cut through the parking lot and made it to my car. I fired up the engine and turned to Dad.
“Okay, so where are we going?” I asked.
He pulled out his cell phone. “Let’s check out this place first,” he said, and read off an address.
My eyes narrowed. Whatever that place was, it wasn’t a tourist destination. The address he’d given me was located in old South Henderson, AKA Hendertucky, a nickname the neighborhood had earned because of its, well, let’s just sayhillbillyvibe.
“Hendertucky? What do you want to see over there?”
“Just a place.” He waved his hand at the road. “Go ahead, drive. I’ll tell you on the way.”
“Um, okay …”
I put the car in gear and made a right on Tropicana. It was a fifteen minute drive, and we made small chat on the way over.
“So how’s the dog sitting going?”
“Oh, fine,” I said, running a hand through my hair.
“How’s working for Rust? Is he a good boss?”
“Yeah, he’s a great … boss,” I said, struggling with the word. Because I never thought of Rust as my boss. I never took his money for watching Minka, and he eventually stopped offering it.
“It’s a shame he never had any kids of his own. He’d make a great dad, don’t you think?”
“Definitely. Er, I mean, maybe?” I stammered nervously. “Why do you say that?”
“Well, yousee how much he spoils that pup.”
“Minka’s such a sweetie, though.”
“Sure, sure. But she’s just adog,you know? Anytime you see people spoiling their pets and treating them like children, you can be pretty sure they’re trying to make up for something. I’m always telling him he needs to get back out there and meet somebody new and try again, but hell—you know Rust.”
I gulped. “Yeah, heh. Sure do.”
“Love the guy, but he’s got a one-track mind, you know? The only thing he cares about is hockey. His ex-wife wasbegginghim to put a baby in her, but he didn’t want to do it until he won a Cup.” He snickered. “Then hewona Cup, and he still didn’t want to do it! To tell you the truth, I don’t think he wants kids—that’s why he kept giving Laura the runaround.”
I gulped. “Is that right?”
