Page 39

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

ELLIE

“Congratulations to all of you. You’ve worked hard for four years in the classroom and on the ice. I hope you’re as proud of yourselves as we are of you. Cheers.”

Brennen’s dad stood up to give a toast at the restaurant where we had all gathered to celebrate graduation: Ralph, Matty, and Brennen. We were all dressed up, looking like peacocks, proud and ready to enter this whole new life.

I sat next to Daddy B at the table, working hard not to panic.

I knew there was actually nothing to panic about, but that didn’t take away the worry.

You could reassure me a hundred times, and in the back of my mind, I would still wonder if the hundred and first reassurance would be the straw that broke everything.

Daddy B told me I should let him know when I was feeling that way, but it felt ridiculous when there was nothing wrong.

So instead, I kept it to myself and went through the list we had come up with together for all the reasons we were fine.

They were posted on the refrigerator where I could see them and remind myself.

“Hey, baby boy, come back to earth.” He nudged me with his shoulder as he gave me the reminder. I turned and gave him an appropriate smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes. “I know change is hard, kiddo, but we’re gonna be okay. I promise. Everything’s gonna work out fine.”

Daddy B’s hand found mine underneath the table, and he squeezed my fingers tight.

His hand, truthfully, was more like a paw that offered reassuring strength that I would never not feel.

Even though his college hockey career was over, he still went to the ice a couple of times a week to work out and pick up games.

Unlike before, there was a lot more laughter, but no less cussing on the ice.

“I’m glad we’re having dinner with everyone, but I would rather be at home with you, baby boy,” Daddy murmured in my ear. I whipped my head around to look at him in shock.

“You can’t talk like that at the table with your parents here,” I whispered furiously back at him.

“It’s fine, sweetheart. We’re well aware that you and our son do more than play checkers at the home where you live together.” My face was on fire because my boyfriend’s mom realized that we were having sex.

“Umm, I don’t know how to answer that,” I stammered out.

“Kiddo, it’s fine. They were going to find out sooner or later,” Daddy B laughed. Benji and Rafe, who were supposed to be my best friends, giggled from across the table.

“I thought you guys would be on my side.” Since that just made them laugh harder, they must’ve figured out I wasn’t that upset about it. It was kind of dumb. I mean, we had lived together for months, so our secret was probably out of the bag.

“We’re on your side. We just think it’s funny.” Benji and Rafe high-fived each other, then sat back and stared at me with Cheshire grins. Matty, who sat on the other side of Rafe, didn’t join in but certainly looked indulgently at him.

As far as I could tell, Matty had stopped dating anyone, but he always made time for his former hockey captain, and they were constantly together.

I wondered if there was something going on, but Daddy B said it was probably just him taking a break from everything, seeing how he had graduated and started his job at the local child services office as a social worker.

Maybe he didn’t have time for dating, but I wondered if there was more to it.

Fortunately, everyone’s focus shifted back to our meal instead of speculating about whether Daddy and I were getting lucky. And we definitely were going to get lucky later tonight, but that would remain between us.

“Hey, Daddy B,” I leaned over and whispered in his ear.

“Yeah?”

“I wish we were at home right now too.”

“Say less, baby boy. We can get dessert to go.”

The trip to the cabin was uneventful. Traffic was a nightmare with summer in full swing and all the kids out.

Everyone was headed out for their vacations.

My previous trips to the cabin had all been during the off-season, and I kind of assumed—wrongly—that summer would be equally slow.

But Daddy B said the snowshoe trails turned into horse trails or biking paths, and that people like to go on nature tours and things like that up here.

Most of the lodges had outdoor pools, summer slides, and all sorts of activities that I probably wasn’t going to do, but I was sure other people enjoyed them when they rolled into town.

We swiftly dumped our bags, unloaded the back of the SUV, and headed into town like…

well…real adulting adults. Summer visitors crowded the sidewalks, heavily laden with shopping bags and holding out their phones to take peek-a-boo shots of the nearby mountains.

Even though it was touristy with some kitschy boutique stores, it still felt like a genuine town with a bakery on one corner, a few law offices, a medical center, and a sizable grocery store.

And then I saw the best place in the world.

“Daddy B, pull over. We gotta stop.” Because he loved me, he swerved hard into the nearly passed parking lot and we jumped out of his SUV.

The building was a stone and wood structure with my favorite words carved into the massive sign hanging over the double-doored entrance: Public Library .

Daddy B pushed the door open and waved me inside.

“After you, kiddo.”

The clouds parted, the angels sang, and I’m certain I heard a chorus in the background.

This was beyond words. The three-story building’s ceiling was wooden and books lined the walls.

In the center of the first floor was a reference and checkout desk with comfy couches and sofas.

Off to the side was an on-site coffee shop that, according to the sign, was partially staffed by the local shelter workers on some days and local organizations on others.

There was a signboard advertising daily classes, including genealogy, creative writing, and tutoring, along with community offerings such as scrapbooking or cooking for kids.

“Kiddo, you can’t move in,” Daddy B warned me.

That got him an instant pout, but a quick glance from him had me in line. The last thing I wanted was to write sentences—his go-to punishment when I messed up and my least favorite because I dreaded it so much.

“Well, we don’t encourage living here, but visiting is always welcome,” the librarian said with a laugh, coming up behind us.

We hadn’t even noticed her approach. She was in her mid-forties, with several visible tattoos, wearing a retro muumuu, and sporting purple streaks in her hair.

If I were straight, I’d already be head over heels.

“I guess I’ll have to be okay with that then,” I answered with my own smile.

“How can I help you all today?”

“I’m staying here for the summer. Would I be able to get a library card?”

“Are you a student?” I nodded, trying not to grab Daddy B’s hand in excitement and jump with giddy happiness.

It wasn’t a big deal at home, but maybe it would be a problem here?

“If so, no problem. Assuming it’s an in-state school, we can give you an auxiliary card and you’ll have access to all the services. ”

“B, you’ll be able to find me here every day I can be,” I said without bothering to hide my giddiness at the prospect.

“Somehow that doesn’t surprise me,” he said dryly, complete with a little hip bump that was meant to be gentle, but sent me stumbling. “Oops, sorry about that, kiddo.”

“Are you two coming up here to work?” she asked, looking between us.

“I’ll be working at the sheriff’s office, and he’ll be knocking out a few credits online.”

“Oh, that sounds like a blast. What are you studying?”

“Information science. I’m on track to graduate next year and plan to work in a library while pursuing my master’s.”

“Count me in. We’re always on the lookout for volunteers, and if you’re interested, I’d be happy to help you focus on the hands-on aspects of library work.”

“Oh my gosh, are you serious? I’d love to apply. I’ll just need to sort out my schedule with my classes and his schedule since I don’t have a car, but if we can make it work, I’d be happy to volunteer.”

“Fantastic…let’s get you set up with a card.”

Melanie, but all her friends call her Mel—and I guess we were friends now—gave me the application packet, signed us up for cards, introduced us to the team working, and sent us on our way after extracting a promise I’d get the paperwork back to her tomorrow.

Best. Detour. Ever.

Our next stop was the grocery store. Daddy pushed the cart, and I found the items he was calling off his list. Since we were now living there full-time and not just on weekends, we needed everything. Sadly, there wasn’t much junk food on the list.

We brought the coolers to put in the back of his SUV to store all the cold items. That was my idea, and Daddy said it was a good one.

After seeing the traffic on the way to the cabin, I’d worried about everything spoiling and the money being wasted.

I appreciated that Daddy recognized I was good at things, even if I was messy and disorganized.

Daddy wasn’t great with a budget. I might be poor and have none, but I was better at making money stretch.

He was good at organizing chore charts for me, but I did better at managing a budget.

His parents had told him he didn’t need to pay rent since they owned the cabin outright, but he felt that wasn’t fair because they wouldn’t be able to use it as often now that he would be living there.

They’d offered me the same deal since I was staying in the apartment, but I insisted on paying rent too.

I didn’t like the idea of taking advantage of them.

Mrs. Tate said it wasn’t taking advantage when it was being offered, but that didn’t make me feel better about it, so we compromised with me accepting a discount.