pulling a textbook over to her side. “Thanks, Cole.”
With a jerk of my head, I acknowledge her words and head out and to the parking lot. I’m done with classes for the day and I have to get to work.
14
Zoey
I lock the front door of the main office and turn off all the lights up front. Grabbing my bag, I sling it over my shoulder and head through the shop so I can leave.
“Hey,” Cole calls out to me, wiping his hands off on a rag. “I have to finish up helping Jay and then I’m headed home too. You want to get Chinese tonight?”
My stomach rumbles and I frown. “I’d love to, but I can’t. I said I’d have dinner with my dad and his family.”
“Ah,” he nods, “I hope that goes well.”
“Thanks.”
I’ve been trying to have dinner with my dad once a week, but last week he canceled when the boys and Allison came down with a bug. Things are slowly getting better with us, but it’s still a little strained and awkward. Years of distance are to blame for that. I put up so many walls when it came to my dad. I guess it’s taken getting older, to see things in a different light, that while I wanted to believe my dad didn’t love us, that he left us, he never actually left me. People fall out of love and that’s okay, but when I was young and being sat down and told that my dad was moving out and my parents were getting a divorce, my brain translated that to dad doesn’t love me anymore. But now I see how hard he tried to always see me, to talk to me, to be there, and I pushed him away time and again. I did that. I caused my own heartbreak.
The girl I was wanted him to hurt as much as I was and I caused us both so much heartbreak.
But now, I’m not sure how to fully mend that bridge.
I get in my car and sit there, gripping the steering wheel. Tears stream down my face. I know I need to start my car, pull away and go to their house so I’m not late, but I can’t seem to move.
The back door of the garage opens and Cole’s head pokes out, his brows furrowing when he sees me still here. Worry fills his eyes when he notices my tears, no doubt they’re shining wetly on my cheeks thanks to the bright parking lot lights.
He steps outside, his long-legged stride carrying him quickly to the driver’s side. He doesn’t wait for me before opening the door, leaning down with one hand braced on the car.
“What happened?” His brows are drawn, eyes scanning the darkness like whatever, or whoever, has upset me is lurking there.
“Having a realization,” I sniffle, wiping beneath my nose. I’m sure I look like a crazed mess, but Cole doesn’t seem bothered.
“About what?”
“My dad,” I croak.
He knows bits and pieces now, that my mom’s gone and they got divorced when I was young and how we’re trying to reconnect.
“What’d he do?” There’s a protective tone to his voice, like he’s ready to jump to my defense.
“Nothing.” I wipe away tears but more replace them. “It’s me.” He waits for me to elaborate. “It’s just … he’s tried. All these years now, I see how much he’s tried to have a relationship with me, and I pushed him away over and over again. I guess I was subconsciously trying to hurt him for leaving us, but he never gave up on me. Even now, when I’m adult, and he shouldn’t have to try so hard, he’s still putting in the work.”
Cole’s eyes are full of understanding. “Sometimes we do things and later on we don’t understand why we’ve done it. You were a kid, Zoey, and you were hurt by their divorce and that’s okay. You’re allowed to feel your emotions, but now that you’ve had this realization tell him that. Be honest. Try to … rebuild, I guess.”
“Thank you,” I sniffle.
“Anytime.” He pulls something out of his pocket and hands it to me. “It’s clean, I promise. I haven’t used it for anything yet and it’s fresh out of the laundry.”
I stare down at the rag he’s given me, smiling at the gesture.
“I better get going.” I pass the rag back.
His fingers tap out a beat against the roof of my car. “I’ll see you later?”
“See you later.”
He steps back and closes