Page 66 of Inside Silence

“I’m so sorry.”

“No. It was actually good. Phil certainly is an interesting character,” Nate continues. “And not really the match I would’ve picked for your father.”

I smile back, because he’s not wrong. I love Phil, but I was a little shocked to see her and my dad hit it off.

“I hear you, but they’re really good together. She forces him out of his shell and he seems to calm her crazy. It’s unexpected, but it works.”

“Well, she showed up yesterday and invited Tate and me to a cookout on Friday night. I said yes, but I’m not really sure if I should’ve checked with you first.”

“With me? Why?”

He shrugs. “It’s a bit odd, maybe? Your dad hated my guts and I’ve never met his new wife before yesterday. I feel like I’m the subject of some elaborate prank.”

I can’t believe I’m giggling in my current situation. Not only do I have what likely will be another day from hell waiting for me, but an impressionable teenager could walk in at any moment, making for an awkward discovery.

“No prank,” I quickly tell him. “With everything going on, I’d forgotten about the cookout. I plan to be there too, although I can’t make any guarantees. There are a lot of things unraveling at work I can’t really get into now, but I’m bound to be tied up for a while.”

He hooks me with a hand behind the neck and pulls me in for a hard kiss on my lips.

“Do what you need to do, but you’re going to have to eat at some point. Why don’t I show up with lunch, and you take fifteen minutes to feed yourself and decompress or talk or make out, or whatever you’re in the mood for. I’ll take whatever you can spare.”

My eyes well up. I remember this caring side of him no one but me seemed to see.

“Okay, but don’t be too nice to me or the wheels may come off.”

He kisses the tip of my nose.

“So noted. Now get out of here, I need to get my kid up and ready for school.”

Despite knowing the pile of shit I was heading into at the office, I’m wearing a smile when I get behind the wheel.

Nate

* * *

“Do I have to go?”

I glance over at Tate beside me.

“I’d like you to. We don’t have to stay long, but I think it would be a good idea to make an appearance. We can face the townsfolk together.”

She hums, not sounding too sure, but the more I thought about this last night, the more I think going to this cookout on Friday is a good thing. I have never been particularly social or outgoing, which was fine when I was on my own, but I have Tate in my life now. I don’t want her to grow up like I did; an automatic outcast because of who my mom was.

I’m sure those who want to think badly of me will do so anyway, but maybe showing myself to be just a regular guy, who also happens to be a single father to a fantastic daughter, will change the preconceived opinions of one or two of them.

I pat Tate on her knee as I pull up in front of her school.

“I’m sure we’ll have a good time.”

Her huff as she gets out of the truck makes it clear she’s not convinced. I have no doubt she’ll make other attempts to get out of it—the week is still long—but I’m not going to budge.

After dropping Tate off, I spend the morning doing some laundry and cutting vegetables for the quick Thai curry I’m whipping up to bring Savvy for lunch.

This is only my second day home and already I’m itching to get productive. I don’t like sitting still, but maybe I could have a look at Savvy’s place, see what needs to be done. It sounded like it would be quite the project, so I could start working it out on paper to get a bit of an idea of the scope. If she’ll let me grab a key off her at lunch, I could get started this afternoon.

Brenda is behind the reception desk, engaged in an animated conversation with a guy in a suit when I walk into the station. She catches sight of me and lifts her finger to the guy, asking him to hold on.

“You can walk right in, Nate. She’s expecting you.”