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“No, don’t look at me like that,” he waved me off. “I’ve made peace with it. Just take my advice and be better than I was. Your kids need you, and I bet if you open up to them, they’ll do the same for you.”
“I dunno. I think they need a mother.”
“Well, Cheryl certainly isn’t coming back, so I wouldn’t start barking up that tree,” he snorted, pressing the lid on a sour cream container filled with corn and stowing it in the fridge.
“I don’t mean Cheryl, Dad. But I’m a poor substitute for the complete family they deserve. I’m not in a hurry, but I hope to meet someone who genuinely wants to be their mother and take care of our home.”
“Bah, that’s a load, and you know it. This is your chance to really have a relationship with Ethan and Olivia, Jacob. Don’t blow it waiting for another woman to make your home complete. There are millions of people in the world who raise children on their own, a lot of them much less capable than you.”
“I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or an insult.”
“Maybe it’s both. Focus on being their father, Jake. That’s all they need right now.”
Chapter6
Ellie
* * *
“Well, that sounds positive?” Tessa’s long sweatpants-clad legs draped over the side of my swivel chair, and she swirled the glass of wine in her hand. “I mean, from where I’m sitting, it sure sounds like he’s on your side.” She spun in the chair like it was a theme park ride, and I knew better than to comment about it. She’d just go faster.
“Then I’m doing a poor job of explaining it,” I sighed. “It doesn’tfeellike he’s on my side. Just when I think he’s seeing things my way, he brings up asking my dad for a freaking list of goals.” I rolled my eyes, certain Tessa couldn’t see it where I lay sprawled on the couch.
“That… also seems reasonable,” Tessa replied. “How are you and your dad ever going to see eye-to-eye if you don’t know what he wants in the first place? It has frustrated you since day one because he didn’t give you a specific job. And now you’ve got Jake here saying the same thing. You can’t be mad at him for it.”
“It’s not that simple, Tess. Sure, it was frustrating at first, but I made it work. I created my own programs, really took ownership of something, you know? And now he’s brought in this guy to tell me all the stuff I’ve done is pointless.”
She paused in her spinning and regarded me skeptically. “Is that really what he said?”
“No, it’s not.” I sat up and retrieved my wineglass from the table. “But that’s how it feels. It would have been great to have him here three years ago, but now? I feel like I’ve got a handle on things. I know what I need to do, and my dad should trust me to do it. It honestly feels like a slap in the face for him to bring this guy in now and try to tell me what to do.”
“I know it sucks, and I’m sorry. Now, do you want to whine some more, or do you want to hear about my latest catch?”
I glared at her, then took another sip. “No, you’re right, I’m whining. Sorry. Tell me.”
“Okay, so this guy came into the brewery and started hitting on me straight off. He was with his buddies, all obviously here for biking, and obviously married.”
“How do you know he’s married?”
She leveled a stare at me. “Please, I’m no amateur. He had a freaking tan line from his wedding ring.”
“Okay, fair enough. Continue.” I gestured and leaned back into the couch.
Tessa sat up in her seat to refill her glass and leaned forward with excitement. “So, he started asking what I did for fun around here.”
Realization set in, and I straightened. “Tessa, you didn’t.”
“You bet your ass I did.” Her grin was incredibly evil.
“How many poor saps have you done that to now?”
She snorted, leaning back in her chair. “Listen, if they’re up here looking to cheat on their wives, they deserve it.”
“I know, but getting tourists to skinny dip with you in a leech-infested lake, then stealing their clothes and ditching them is kind of high school, don’t you think?”
“I don’t actually steal their clothes, Ellie,” her condescending tone was heavily sarcastic. “I leave them one piece every quarter mile or so for the walk back. By the time they get to their car, they’re fully dressed.”
“Yeah, but I bet they don’t realize they’ve brought back hitchhikers until they get into the shower.” The laughter bubbled up in my throat, but I tried to stifle it. “It’s really…” I pursed my lips, trying to keep the giggles in. “It’s really… cruel,” a laugh slipped out, and Tessa started snorting. “What kind of impression are you giving our guests about Aspen Ridge?” Tears were forming at the corners of my eyes as I tried to hold back the peals of laughter that wanted to escape.
