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Chapter 10
DANIEL
“So, who were you hiding from me this morning?” Nell asks counting out the drawer at the end of the day while I tidy inventory on the shelves around the shop.
“What?” I ask trying to hide the spike in my stress levels.
“Don’t try to bullshit me. I heard you talking to someone while I was getting the change. Which, by the way, was the worst excuse to get rid of me.”
“Yeah. I know.”
“So? Who was it?”
“My, umm… girlfriend.”I guess… Riley and I haven’t put a label on our relationship but it doesn’t seem right calling her anything else.
“Girlfriend?” Nell’s eyes are wide. “You never go out. How on Earth did you meet her?”
“You remember the woman I told you about meeting at the grocery store a few weeks ago?”
“Aww, really? That’s sweet. She sounded nice.”
“She is.” Better than nice. Amazing.
“So, are you going to let me meet her at some point? Without a door between us?”
“I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that. I’m going to take off early tomorrow to spend the day with her. She’ll stop by here when she’s ready to go. You can meet her then.”
“Sounds good. I’m happy for you, Daniel. And hey. It gives me hope. If an old fuddy-duddy like you can find someone, there’s hope for me yet.”
“You should demand your boss give you some vacation time to give you a chance.”
“No kidding. He’s such a jerk.” She lightly punches my shoulder.
And I make a mental note to force her to take that vacation because I know she’ll never ask for it.
My phone buzzes in my pocket.
That can’t be Riley. She’s well into the dinner service by now.
I take my phone out and lose my grip on it when I see Julia’s name over the message in the little rectangular text box.
“You okay?” Nell asks when my phone hits the counter.
“Yeah. Fine. You good to finish closing up?” I ask her picking my phone back up and heading for the stairs to my apartment.
“Even better without you here distracting me,” she teases and waves me off.
On my way up the stairs, I read the message.
Julia: Hey, dad. How are you?
How am I? Such a simple question with a not so simple answer.
I’m doing great but I can’t tell her that. For one, it would sound like I’m not missing her or still worried to death about her when I absolutely am. I’ve just had a damn good distraction from that worry. And she’d hate me for shacking up with Riley after I chastised her for being too young to live with someone she didn’t know.
Me: I’m okay. How are you?
I cringe when I hit send wishing Riley was here to help. She’d know what I should say.
