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“Why are you nervous?” I look back at Hope. Her face is turned up toward me, her eyebrows knitted together.
“I don’t know.” I blow out a breath. “I haven’t spent that much time with my dad over the last couple of years. He kind of feels like a stranger.”
“But he’s not. He’s your dad.”
“I know.” I nod.
“It might be a little weird at first, but I bet within a couple days you’ll feel right at home again. Besides, you can go see some of your old friends. That has to be exciting.”
“Yeah.”
“Hey.” She knocks her hip against mine. With her close, I can’t help but wrap my arm around her. “Cheer up, buttercup. You’re acting like your dog just died or something.”
“Sorry.” I force a smile. “I’m just nervous. It’ll be fine.”
“Yes, it will. And I expect you to Facetime me at least once a week. I’m not above hunting you down on the West Coast.”
“Is that a promise?” I wiggle my eyebrows at her. “Because I might conveniently forget to call you in hopes that you’ll fly out to see me.”
“Ha. Ha.” She sticks her tongue out at me before wiggling out of my grasp.
Fuck, why does she have to be so damn cute?
“You think I won’t. I’ve never been to the Pacific Ocean. I’ve heard the beaches there are the best.”
“They are,” I agree, though I’ve only been to one beach that wasn’t on the West Coast, and that was when I was little.
“Stay here. I have something for you,” she tells me, jogging off before I can object. I watch her disappear inside the house and then reappear less than a minute later.
She’s holding a small blue box in her hand as she approaches.
“What’s that?” I ask when she stops in front of me and extends the box.
“Open it and find out.” She smiles, rocking back on her heels.
“You know I hate surprises,” I remind her, taking the box from her hand. I slowly peel open the top, the amazing smell of baked goodness hitting me in the nose seconds later. “You made me macarons?” I look down at the assorted colored cookies and then back up at Hope.
“I know how much you love them. I thought you could take them with you on the plane. You know, in case you get hungry.”
“Come here, Russell.” I grab her shoulder and tug her to my chest, wrapping my free arm around her before dropping my lips to the top of her head. “You are something special, you know that?”
“I know.” She giggles when I squeeze her side before releasing her. “We can put them back in the kitchen for now if you want. I just didn’t want to forget to give them to you.”
“Actually, I think I’ll stick them in my car really fast. Otherwise,Imight forget them and then I’d be pissed tomorrow. I’d be back here making an early morning wake up call to get my damn cookies.”
“Okay, you go do that and I’m going to run upstairs and grab a sweater. It’s kind of chilly out here tonight.”
“Meet me back here.”
“Yep.” She spins around and once again takes off toward the house.
Right as I reach my Jeep, my dad calls to confirm my arrival time for tomorrow. I end up talking to him for a few minutes, and by the time I make it back to the party, the thin crowd that remained has begun to filter out.
I spot Wendy next to the table, clearing some of the leftover food away and I offer to help.
“Here, let me get that.” I slide up next to her and start taking the condiments out of her hands. “Have you seen Hope around?” I ask.
“She walked a couple friends out front and then I think she went inside for something.”
