not have known about that.
Tom’s nod was slow as he pushed the basket to the side. “I worked at the grocery store where her family shopped. Connie would always come in and get a Coke and then go sit in the parking lot. Somehow I always managed to find myself out there at the same time so we could talk.”
He picked up a French fry, looked at it for a minute, and then tossed it back into the basket. “I was eighteen. I had a car, so she used to sneak out the basement window at night. We fell hard, you know? We were reckless. Needless to say, her parents didn’t like me much then. And they don’t like me now. The way they see it, I’ve stolen their daughter from them twice. And now I’m trying to take their granddaughter.”
Libby felt a French fry lodge in her esophagus. She had wanted to hear this, to know about Rachel and why they lived apart. But she hadn’t given much thought to what went on before that accident, during the time he’d spent with a wife he loved and a family he adored. Thinking of it now was like tripping over something unexpected, a shove from some unanticipated force knocking her to the ground.
She’d known he’d been married, of course. It hadn’t bothered her that much when Ginny mentioned it. But it bothered her now, when he talked about it.
We fell hard, you know?
The idea made her feel a little jealous.
A crease formed between Tom’s eyebrows while he paused. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes, Libby. Falling for Connie wasn’t one of them, but getting her pregnant in high school was. Crashing that car was another. And being a shitty father, well, that’s the one thing I hope I can still fix.”
His life
was
complicated. Nothing in hers came anywhere close. She’d lost her job because of a stupid mistake, but that didn’t compare. Even losing Seth couldn’t help her comprehend what he’d been through. “What does Rachel say about all this?”
His smile was meager as he slouched down in his seat. “Nothing, except that she wants to stay with her grandparents. That’s why we need the collages, I guess. I can’t tell where her opinion ends and her grandparents’ takes over. Rachel’s aunt Kristy has been running interference for me for months. It was her idea that we see this counselor.”
“Do you think it’s helping?”
He looked around the sandwich shop for a minute, and Libby’s heart thumped a little erratically, hoping he’d say yes. He tipped his head, a small nod.
“I suppose so. It gives us a reason to be together. Otherwise she finds excuses to avoid me. Like not telling me about the talent show.”
“I think you should go anyway.”
Tom chuckled in unamused amusement. “I’m sure her grandparents would love having me show up unannounced.”
A sense of injustice welled up inside her. “But they’re not being fair to you. You have every right to see your daughter, even if she didn’t invite you.”
Her cheeks felt hot with indignation on his behalf, but he was calm over on his side of the table. “You think so, huh?”
Libby nodded. “I’ll be there. I’ll be backstage helping my sister, but you can sit with my parents.”
Now Tom chuckled. “Oh, that would be easy to explain.”
“What’s to explain? You work with my dad every single day. My mom’s a teacher at the school. And besides, isn’t Rachel performing enough of a reason? I’m no counselor, but I’d bet you ten thousand dollars she secretly wants you there.”
He looked at her now, his eyes dark but his tone light. “You don’t have ten thousand dollars.”
“Okay, fine. I bet you six dollars she secretly wants you there.”
Tom laughed, and Libby felt her heart lighten by an ounce, or maybe two. He was sexy when he laughed. He should do it more often. He was a good man. A little surly, sure, but he had some good reasons. She wanted to help him. It was the neighborly thing to do, after all. It didn’t have anything to do with his oxlike shoulders or the way her ankle
Tom’s nod was slow as he pushed the basket to the side. “I worked at the grocery store where her family shopped. Connie would always come in and get a Coke and then go sit in the parking lot. Somehow I always managed to find myself out there at the same time so we could talk.”
He picked up a French fry, looked at it for a minute, and then tossed it back into the basket. “I was eighteen. I had a car, so she used to sneak out the basement window at night. We fell hard, you know? We were reckless. Needless to say, her parents didn’t like me much then. And they don’t like me now. The way they see it, I’ve stolen their daughter from them twice. And now I’m trying to take their granddaughter.”
Libby felt a French fry lodge in her esophagus. She had wanted to hear this, to know about Rachel and why they lived apart. But she hadn’t given much thought to what went on before that accident, during the time he’d spent with a wife he loved and a family he adored. Thinking of it now was like tripping over something unexpected, a shove from some unanticipated force knocking her to the ground.
She’d known he’d been married, of course. It hadn’t bothered her that much when Ginny mentioned it. But it bothered her now, when he talked about it.
We fell hard, you know?
The idea made her feel a little jealous.
A crease formed between Tom’s eyebrows while he paused. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes, Libby. Falling for Connie wasn’t one of them, but getting her pregnant in high school was. Crashing that car was another. And being a shitty father, well, that’s the one thing I hope I can still fix.”
His life
was
complicated. Nothing in hers came anywhere close. She’d lost her job because of a stupid mistake, but that didn’t compare. Even losing Seth couldn’t help her comprehend what he’d been through. “What does Rachel say about all this?”
His smile was meager as he slouched down in his seat. “Nothing, except that she wants to stay with her grandparents. That’s why we need the collages, I guess. I can’t tell where her opinion ends and her grandparents’ takes over. Rachel’s aunt Kristy has been running interference for me for months. It was her idea that we see this counselor.”
“Do you think it’s helping?”
He looked around the sandwich shop for a minute, and Libby’s heart thumped a little erratically, hoping he’d say yes. He tipped his head, a small nod.
“I suppose so. It gives us a reason to be together. Otherwise she finds excuses to avoid me. Like not telling me about the talent show.”
“I think you should go anyway.”
Tom chuckled in unamused amusement. “I’m sure her grandparents would love having me show up unannounced.”
A sense of injustice welled up inside her. “But they’re not being fair to you. You have every right to see your daughter, even if she didn’t invite you.”
Her cheeks felt hot with indignation on his behalf, but he was calm over on his side of the table. “You think so, huh?”
Libby nodded. “I’ll be there. I’ll be backstage helping my sister, but you can sit with my parents.”
Now Tom chuckled. “Oh, that would be easy to explain.”
“What’s to explain? You work with my dad every single day. My mom’s a teacher at the school. And besides, isn’t Rachel performing enough of a reason? I’m no counselor, but I’d bet you ten thousand dollars she secretly wants you there.”
He looked at her now, his eyes dark but his tone light. “You don’t have ten thousand dollars.”
“Okay, fine. I bet you six dollars she secretly wants you there.”
Tom laughed, and Libby felt her heart lighten by an ounce, or maybe two. He was sexy when he laughed. He should do it more often. He was a good man. A little surly, sure, but he had some good reasons. She wanted to help him. It was the neighborly thing to do, after all. It didn’t have anything to do with his oxlike shoulders or the way her ankle
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