for the right time. We were finding our feet.”
Lind reached out to put a hand on her thigh. They sat next to each other on the small outdoor wicker couch. “It was rocky there for a bit,” he admitted. “But we pulled through.”
Eve was surprised at how comfortable Lind was with discussing such a topic with her parents. Alan couldn’t even kiss her in front of them.
“I’m damn glad you did,” Junior said, toasting them with his beer.
Lind smiled and returned the toasted. “Thanks, man.”
Man? Eve shook her head in wonderment. Lind and her brother had quickly clicked over their mutual love for motorcycles. Lind had shown Junior a few pictures of his beloved Harley (which he couldn’t drive for obvious reasons, and so they had come with Eve’s car), and her brother had gushed all over it. Lind had promised to take him to the garage sometime and give Junior’s own wheels a makeover.
Harold cleared his throat. “Eve, sweetie, could I have a moment?”
Eve frowned in confusion. “Sure, Dad. Excuse me,” she said to Lind. She kissed him briefly and stood, following her father back inside. Her stomach clenched in apprehension. Was the moment she had been dreading finally coming? Was he going to tell her that Lind was not good enough for her? Were they going to fight after having been apart for such a long time?
“I just wanted to tell you,” Harold said, “I’m very happy for you.”
“Dad—” Eve cut off her automatic protest once her father’s words registered. “Wait, what?”
Harold smiled. “You heard me. You did good, sweetheart. I like him. I can tell he’s a good man.”
“He is, Dad,” Eve said, looking at him in surprise.
“I’ll admit, it was hard for me at first, getting used to idea of you not being with Alan anymore. And of you not working at the real estate agency anymore,” Harold said. “It threw me. I thought those were both things you wanted.”
“I thought so, too,” Eve admitted. “But it turns out, it just wasn’t me.”
Harold nodded. “I understand. And I wanted to tell you that I respect you so much for having the guts to get out of a life that you didn’t feel fit you. I’m so proud of you, Eve.”
Eve felt a sudden lump grown in her throat. “Thanks, Dad,” she choked out. She threw her arms around him, composure be damned, and smiled when she felt him return the embrace.
It was just what she had needed to hear, she realized. Her family being okay with who Eve really was—whoever that was. It was still a work in progress as far as she was concerned, but it was the last piece of the puzzle. Now she really could leave all the bad things that had happened behind and move forward.
They stayed like that for a few moments, relishing each other’s presence and the comfort it gave them. Eventually, they pulled back, and Eve could have sworn her father’s own eyes were a little wet.
“Let’s go back outside,” Harold said. “I can’t wait to hear more of Lind’s stories. That man has a unique view of the world.”
You don’t know half of it, Dad, Eve thought, but of course she didn’t say anything out loud. She just smiled.
What Lind had to say next, it turned out, was nothing that Eve would have ever expected. He had finished his cigarette, and once he saw her walk back towards him he held out a hand to stop her.
“Wait,” he said, “don’t sit down yet.”
Eve frowned. “Why? What is it?”
Lind cleared his throat and squirmed a little in his seat, clearly uncomfortable. For a fleeting moment, Eve wondered if anyone had said anything to offend him while she was gone and if he wanted to go home.
“There’s something I need to ask you,” he said. “Well, all of you, really.” He licked his lips nervously. His unease was making Eve uneasy, but she bit her tongue and refrained from saying anything. She knew Lind needed to do
Lind reached out to put a hand on her thigh. They sat next to each other on the small outdoor wicker couch. “It was rocky there for a bit,” he admitted. “But we pulled through.”
Eve was surprised at how comfortable Lind was with discussing such a topic with her parents. Alan couldn’t even kiss her in front of them.
“I’m damn glad you did,” Junior said, toasting them with his beer.
Lind smiled and returned the toasted. “Thanks, man.”
Man? Eve shook her head in wonderment. Lind and her brother had quickly clicked over their mutual love for motorcycles. Lind had shown Junior a few pictures of his beloved Harley (which he couldn’t drive for obvious reasons, and so they had come with Eve’s car), and her brother had gushed all over it. Lind had promised to take him to the garage sometime and give Junior’s own wheels a makeover.
Harold cleared his throat. “Eve, sweetie, could I have a moment?”
Eve frowned in confusion. “Sure, Dad. Excuse me,” she said to Lind. She kissed him briefly and stood, following her father back inside. Her stomach clenched in apprehension. Was the moment she had been dreading finally coming? Was he going to tell her that Lind was not good enough for her? Were they going to fight after having been apart for such a long time?
“I just wanted to tell you,” Harold said, “I’m very happy for you.”
“Dad—” Eve cut off her automatic protest once her father’s words registered. “Wait, what?”
Harold smiled. “You heard me. You did good, sweetheart. I like him. I can tell he’s a good man.”
“He is, Dad,” Eve said, looking at him in surprise.
“I’ll admit, it was hard for me at first, getting used to idea of you not being with Alan anymore. And of you not working at the real estate agency anymore,” Harold said. “It threw me. I thought those were both things you wanted.”
“I thought so, too,” Eve admitted. “But it turns out, it just wasn’t me.”
Harold nodded. “I understand. And I wanted to tell you that I respect you so much for having the guts to get out of a life that you didn’t feel fit you. I’m so proud of you, Eve.”
Eve felt a sudden lump grown in her throat. “Thanks, Dad,” she choked out. She threw her arms around him, composure be damned, and smiled when she felt him return the embrace.
It was just what she had needed to hear, she realized. Her family being okay with who Eve really was—whoever that was. It was still a work in progress as far as she was concerned, but it was the last piece of the puzzle. Now she really could leave all the bad things that had happened behind and move forward.
They stayed like that for a few moments, relishing each other’s presence and the comfort it gave them. Eventually, they pulled back, and Eve could have sworn her father’s own eyes were a little wet.
“Let’s go back outside,” Harold said. “I can’t wait to hear more of Lind’s stories. That man has a unique view of the world.”
You don’t know half of it, Dad, Eve thought, but of course she didn’t say anything out loud. She just smiled.
What Lind had to say next, it turned out, was nothing that Eve would have ever expected. He had finished his cigarette, and once he saw her walk back towards him he held out a hand to stop her.
“Wait,” he said, “don’t sit down yet.”
Eve frowned. “Why? What is it?”
Lind cleared his throat and squirmed a little in his seat, clearly uncomfortable. For a fleeting moment, Eve wondered if anyone had said anything to offend him while she was gone and if he wanted to go home.
“There’s something I need to ask you,” he said. “Well, all of you, really.” He licked his lips nervously. His unease was making Eve uneasy, but she bit her tongue and refrained from saying anything. She knew Lind needed to do
Similar Books
