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“Want me to talk to her?”
“Hell no,” he said sharply. “You tell her I want her to come visit more often, and I’ll never see her.”
He was right. Whatever anyone wanted my sister to do, it was best to say the opposite.
I looked down the sidewalk, and then back toward Trish. I’d asked my dad to dinner just to spend time with him, but that wasn’t the only reason. Bright Side met my gaze, her nod of acknowledgment giving me the courage to say what I needed to.
“I saw Mom.”
The fork slipped out of Dad’s fingers, bouncing on the sidewalk a couple of times. I caught the cake before it followed suit.
“Dad? You okay?”
Without a word, he got up and walked away like a zombie.
Chapter Twelve
Trish
“This is a mistake.”
My steps slowed to a near crawl down the sidewalk.
“Out of my way.” Baker grabbed the handles of Ella’s stroller, effectively barreling me out of position. “At the rate you’re moving, we’d be lucky to get there by Christmas.”
“You’re dragging your feet,” Mrs. Quinn pointed out, picking up the pace to keep up with Baker.
We’d run into her on our way out the door of Paths of Purpose, and I’d extended the invitation before I even thought about it.
“Is this a date?” I asked, trailing behind them. “It’s not, right? His dad asked, so it can’t be.”
Mrs. Quinn paused, linking her arm through mine. “It’s pizza and only something more if you want it to be.”
Baker had filled her in on the few details she had about Andrew while we walked.
“Chill, Trish,” Baker called over her shoulder without slowing down.
“He doesn’t know about Ella.”
“In about thirty seconds, he will.”
The sign for Dino’s loomed ahead, and I nearly stopped. It wasn’t just Andrew who had me nervous, but being out in the world again. Until I opened the food truck, I hadn’t left the shelter in five months. Sometimes it was fine. Others, it was an adjustment.
“If you didn’t want him to know, you wouldn’t have brought her along.” Leave it to Mrs. Quinn to be the voice of reasonandmy subconscious.
“I’m stillmarried.” I halted, surprised that that not so small fact had only now occurred to me.
“Only on paper,” Mrs. Quinn said, her voice tight. “As soon as we can rectify that, we will.”
My attorney had already drawn up the paperwork, but we’d agreed that I should remain hidden until it was necessary I make an appearance to my husband.
“We’re making new friends. Something you and I have talked at great length about wanting to do.” Baker threw open the door to Dino’s. Mrs. Quinn held it so Baker could wheel Ella inside. Any chance to back out was gone.
It was a few minutes after four, and the place was crowded. Mr. Dixon was waiting by the door, his eyes lighting when he saw me.
“Trish.” He took my hand and kissed the back of it.
“Hi.”
