About Tomorrow - Abbi Glines Page 0,62

sure Albert had ever said that many words to me or to anyone at one time. “How do you keep from being the shit that happens?” I asked him.

He grinned then. “You’re not the shit that happens. You’re young and you will make mistakes that make you feel like shit. It makes you tough and gives you a resilience to survive when things truly go to hell.”

I wasn’t so sure I hadn’t already experienced the worst in life but I nodded. “Thanks.”

He took a drink of his coffee while studying the wall over my head. “It’s best to learn to find your happiness now. Whatever it is. Find it and hold onto it. That’s what helps get you through the shit.”

I didn’t have time to think of a response before he walked out of the room.

Twenty-six

November 22, 2019

It was almost time to close the museum when the door opened again. Ambre had already left because she had a plane to catch. She was headed to Ohio to spend the next week with her daughter and grandkids for Thanksgiving. Albert was in the back still working. I was left with watching the front and locking up.

I walked back around the counter where I had been putting away the brochures to greet the visitor when my eyes locked on who had walked in. “Dad?” I said in shock then ran toward him as he opened his arms.

Throwing myself in his embrace, I fought back tears. This week had been a lonely one and Creed hadn’t been home most nights. I looked for the lights in his house and rarely saw them on. Seeing a friendly face made my resolve to be tough crack.

“Hey, my Sailor girl,” he said as he held me and kissed the top of my head. “Miss me?”

I nodded my head against his chest and held all my emotions in check, before leaning back and smiling up at him. “I can’t believe you’re here.”

“You sent me the text about your new job and I wanted to come check it out and see you. I’ll be in Germany next week for Thanksgiving.”

I couldn’t remember the last time my dad spent a Thanksgiving or Christmas with me. He was always traveling. Then there was the one year he spent Christmas in Australia with his new wife. They’d been divorced by the next year, but he had been in Los Angeles then.

“I’m not sure I will be going to Nashville for Thanksgiving. Mom hasn’t called and said she was planning something. I doubt she’s in town.”

He frowned. “What about Griff’s family? Don’t they do Thanksgiving up big?”

Griff’s family…I had spent Thanksgiving with them the past few years. It was the perfect big event with kids running around and weird drunk uncles and pumpkin pie. I had loved going to this family’s holidays. I’d miss that.

“We, uh, broke up,” I said, not wanting to give dad details.

“Really? I wasn’t expecting that. I thought the boy was smarter than that.”

“It was my decision,” I told him, not wanting him to harbor any ill will toward Griff.

He squeezed my arm gently. “I am sure you had your reasons. Now, what about we go to my penthouse at the Four Seasons in Boston? I’ll have dinner brought in. You can tell me about life here and stay the night. Tomorrow, I fly out early afternoon. We can do brunch before I go.”

Not going home to an empty house and wondering where Creed was sounded perfect. I nodded. “Sounds great. Let me get my coat and purse,” I told him. I wasn’t sure when I’d see my dad again or get to spend time with him. This would be the distraction I needed to get through the weekend.

I hurried and got my things then let Albert know I was leaving and that I’d lock up on my way out. Glancing down at my phone to see if I had any missed messages, I pushed the disappointment aside when I didn’t. My dad was here, and I wasn’t going to let Creed fill my thoughts.

When I stepped outside, a black limo was directly in the front. Dad was already inside and the driver was opening the door for me to follow. I slid in and sat my purse down.

“Here you go,” Dad said, holding out a glass of red wine to me. “You look like you need it. When was the last time you got a good night’s rest?”

I should have figured he wasn’t fooled by my acting.