the lips, and I’m surprised by the love I see reflected in her eyes for him.
I’m not sure what to make of all this, but I’m jerked back to reality by Haley’s hand on my chest. “It’s fine,” she says.
Meredith looks at me. “Don’t worry about Haley. I want to tell her all about my greenhouse.”
I look at Haley, a quizzical look on my face. “You want to go with me? I hate leaving you here alone.”
“Go,” she says with a laugh. “Meredith said ‘greenhouse’ and I’m all ears.”
“Okay.”
Looking into her eyes, all I want to do is kiss her like Dad did his wife. But I don’t want her to think I’d only be kissing her as a part of an act, a facade for God knows who right now. I won’t do that to her. When I kiss her, I’ll take my time. But I need to touch her, so I stroke the backs of my knuckles down her soft cheek and then head across the room.
“Thank you for this tonight. Not necessary, son, but thank you. The presents were overkill, though,” Dad says in between sips of whiskey.
“Yeah,” I say, my eyes not leaving Haley. “We told them on the invite to donate to the Children’s Hospital. Apparently, your friends don’t take instructions well.”
He chuckles. “There’s a big one in red paper. I’m curious what it is.”
“That’s from Meredith. I could tell you what it is, but she kind of scares me.”
Dad claps my shoulder as he laughs again. “Always pick a woman who scares you a little. They keep you in line that way.”
I take a drink from a server as he walks by. “I don’t want to be kept in line.”
“You will. When you meet the right woman, you’ll appreciate the help in making sure you don’t screw up your life.”
Haley laughs as she and Meredith walk to the table. They sit, Haley’s mouth going a mile a minute.
I’m not surprised she fits in here, but I am surprised at how seamlessly she’s done it. As she sits with my father’s wife like they’re old friends, I wonder what it would be like to walk in here on a Sunday afternoon to this. Or on Christmas Eve with a few kids playing on the floor and a few hundred rolls of wrapping paper strewn around.
I shiver. Dad laughs. I drink half the liquor in my glass.
“I think,” Dad says carefully, “that you got me the best gift out of everyone.”
My attention is dragged from Haley at the table to my father. “Uh, I didn’t bring you anything. Sorry.”
“No, you did.” He smiles coyly.
“You mean the party? You’re welcome.”
“I mean that look in your eye, son.”
I scoff. “There’s no look in my eye, old man.”
“As you just so kindly pointed out, I wasn’t born yesterday.” He tosses me a wink, one of those gestures that dads do that lets you know they’re way smarter than you.
I’m not sure what he sees in my eye, and I’m completely sure I don’t want to be kept in line by a woman. I like spice and variety, and that will do me for years to come. But Dad did too. He had a revolving door after the divorce from Mom. Until Meredith.
Seeing him and Meredith standing together, seeing how their love seemed so similar . . . genuine, has made me wonder. He’s truly happy, and I think Meredith is too. Maybe he needed the right person to step in and open his eyes. As Dad moves away to talk to other guests, my eyes naturally swing to Haley.
I think about taking her home tomorrow.
That she doesn’t need résumé help anymore.
That the house is wrapping up and doesn’t need me anymore.
That there’s no reason for me not to walk away anymore.
CHAPTER TWENTY
HALEY
This is the time I usually check out of these parties.” A man saunters up to the kitchen island and takes a caramelized fig with bacon. He’s cute in a basic kind of way and has a friendly smile. “But I’m here for these things.”
I laugh as he takes a bite and pretends to melt. “Those are so good. I think I’ve eaten ten tonight. Or fifteen.”
“This is my eighth, so not far behind you.”
I smile at him, grateful for the distraction. The party has gone on for what feels like forever. My feet are starting to hurt in my heels, and I’d kill someone for a hot bath and a book.