father, it was hard to
think about where to begin.
“My parents were born in Iran, which is a very unfriendly
country for Jews. They left in the late seventies before the First Gulf War
broke out. They left with almost nothing, just some cash really, and came to
America. There were a lot of reasons for leaving. He worked hard, starting out
washing floors and taking out the trash until he owned one business, turned
that into two and started buying commercial properties.” Sammi could hear his
father. Though a few years had passed since his death, Sammi could still recall
the way his father spoke, the timbre and quality of his voice.
“He sounds like someone I wish I’d met,” Autumn said. “I
mean, I did meet him a few times, but it was always in passing. Mary and Kellie
only have good things to say about him.”
Sammi nodded and breathed deep from the sea air. “You would
have. I think he’d like you, Sunshine.”
Hell, when he looked at it objectively, his father had been
help once too. But he’d worked his ass off to become more. With all of that to
consider, he liked to think that his father really would like Autumn for a
daughter-in-law, even if she wasn’t the ideal Jewish bride.
Autumn tilted her head to the side and smiled at him. He
couldn’t read anything in her expression, so he let the topic drop.
The sand slid between his toes and the waves lapped it away.
It was still comfortably warm, even with the brisk breeze blowing in from the
ocean. St. Maarten was beautiful, the perfect backdrop for this trip. He
couldn’t believe it had been so long since his last visit. But things had
happened. His father had passed away. His mother had had a break with reality.
Sammi had taken on his father’s role. And he’d thought there was time.
“What happens next?” Autumn asked, breaking into his
thoughts.
“I don’t know. I thought we’d do today by ear. Maybe do some
snorkeling or a boat ride tomorrow. What do you think?”
“That’s so not what I meant.” She pulled her hand from his
and slapped his arm. “I mean after this trip, when we go home. What then?”
“Oh.” He reached for her hand and she gave it to him. It
just felt right to walk like this. Sammi glanced out to sea, away from Autumn.
The “what’s next” pried into things he’d never shared with anyone, because he’d
assumed there was time for it to happen naturally.
“I know, it’s a really unlike me question. I’m trying to
think about the future a little now. Be responsible and all that stuff.”
Autumn’s rambling comforted him. He wasn’t the only nervous one.
“I have this house I was having updated and remodeled. I
think it would make a nice home.” He glanced at her from the corner of his eye.
Autumn’s gaze was on him, the corners of her lips drawn up
into a slight smile. “Tell me about it.”
“It’s a ranch style. Lots of open spaces. The exterior is
white with blue shutters. There’s trees outside and the landscapers are putting
in some more plants this weekend.”
The property had come to him by way of a bundled deal. He
wanted several properties a man owned, and because the seller had been
desperate to get out of the money-suck, the residential lot had come with the
rest. The first time Sammi had seen it, it was like a dream come to life. He’d
imagined this house, complete with a swing in the front yard, for his own. That
had been almost three years ago, and renovating it had been a process, building
dreams out of lumber, marble and tile.
“One-story or two?” Autumn asked.
“One.”
And plenty of room to scoot my future wheelchair around.
Sammi shook his head to free himself from the thought. They
had a limited time to enjoy their life together and morbid thoughts about his
deteriorating health weren’t going to help.
“What would you say to moving in with me?” Sammi asked,
flashing her his most charming smile.
“Gee, let me think. Move in with my husband—or not?” She
think about where to begin.
“My parents were born in Iran, which is a very unfriendly
country for Jews. They left in the late seventies before the First Gulf War
broke out. They left with almost nothing, just some cash really, and came to
America. There were a lot of reasons for leaving. He worked hard, starting out
washing floors and taking out the trash until he owned one business, turned
that into two and started buying commercial properties.” Sammi could hear his
father. Though a few years had passed since his death, Sammi could still recall
the way his father spoke, the timbre and quality of his voice.
“He sounds like someone I wish I’d met,” Autumn said. “I
mean, I did meet him a few times, but it was always in passing. Mary and Kellie
only have good things to say about him.”
Sammi nodded and breathed deep from the sea air. “You would
have. I think he’d like you, Sunshine.”
Hell, when he looked at it objectively, his father had been
help once too. But he’d worked his ass off to become more. With all of that to
consider, he liked to think that his father really would like Autumn for a
daughter-in-law, even if she wasn’t the ideal Jewish bride.
Autumn tilted her head to the side and smiled at him. He
couldn’t read anything in her expression, so he let the topic drop.
The sand slid between his toes and the waves lapped it away.
It was still comfortably warm, even with the brisk breeze blowing in from the
ocean. St. Maarten was beautiful, the perfect backdrop for this trip. He
couldn’t believe it had been so long since his last visit. But things had
happened. His father had passed away. His mother had had a break with reality.
Sammi had taken on his father’s role. And he’d thought there was time.
“What happens next?” Autumn asked, breaking into his
thoughts.
“I don’t know. I thought we’d do today by ear. Maybe do some
snorkeling or a boat ride tomorrow. What do you think?”
“That’s so not what I meant.” She pulled her hand from his
and slapped his arm. “I mean after this trip, when we go home. What then?”
“Oh.” He reached for her hand and she gave it to him. It
just felt right to walk like this. Sammi glanced out to sea, away from Autumn.
The “what’s next” pried into things he’d never shared with anyone, because he’d
assumed there was time for it to happen naturally.
“I know, it’s a really unlike me question. I’m trying to
think about the future a little now. Be responsible and all that stuff.”
Autumn’s rambling comforted him. He wasn’t the only nervous one.
“I have this house I was having updated and remodeled. I
think it would make a nice home.” He glanced at her from the corner of his eye.
Autumn’s gaze was on him, the corners of her lips drawn up
into a slight smile. “Tell me about it.”
“It’s a ranch style. Lots of open spaces. The exterior is
white with blue shutters. There’s trees outside and the landscapers are putting
in some more plants this weekend.”
The property had come to him by way of a bundled deal. He
wanted several properties a man owned, and because the seller had been
desperate to get out of the money-suck, the residential lot had come with the
rest. The first time Sammi had seen it, it was like a dream come to life. He’d
imagined this house, complete with a swing in the front yard, for his own. That
had been almost three years ago, and renovating it had been a process, building
dreams out of lumber, marble and tile.
“One-story or two?” Autumn asked.
“One.”
And plenty of room to scoot my future wheelchair around.
Sammi shook his head to free himself from the thought. They
had a limited time to enjoy their life together and morbid thoughts about his
deteriorating health weren’t going to help.
“What would you say to moving in with me?” Sammi asked,
flashing her his most charming smile.
“Gee, let me think. Move in with my husband—or not?” She
Similar Books
