4. Chapter Four #2
“Well, I need your advice too.” I’m not entirely sure he’ll be able to help me work out my issues, but it’s worth a try. I haven’t asked, and I’ll kick myself if he has some thoughts that might help me, but I didn’t ask out of embarrassment or fear of the truth.
“Shoot,” he says and mimics my rocking.
“The guys have been hounding me about fighting harder for Luna, but the truth is, I don’t know how to do that.
I’ve done all the small acts of kindness I can think of, but obviously those didn’t show her how much I care.
I thought about doing some big grand gesture, but after wandering through town today, I can’t think of anything that we haven’t done. ”
He nods along, sipping his coffee.
“I still want to fight for her, but Dad, I haven’t got a clue what I have to offer her if I’m honest. I can’t help thinking maybe she would be better off with a man who can give her more.”
“You have a home. A career. Deep love that can’t be broken. Faith. What else is there, Rafe?”
I shrug and blow out a deep breath. “The things she wants, I guess. A dream job as a curator, a guy who speaks in more than grunts when he’s put on the spot, someone who can articulate how he feels.”
Dad’s laughter strikes me as odd, so I narrow my eyes. He shakes his head. “I know Luna like she’s my own daughter, and that’s not what she wants. She wants you, always has, but she needs to feel supported too. You think after all these years that woman doesn’t know how you operate?”
“I’m pretty sure my method of operation is what drove her away, but thanks for laughing at my expense,” I say with a scowl.
“Nah, that wasn’t it. I think it was more the pace of your operation.
She wanted to be married, Rafe. To you.” Once again, he holds up a hand to quiet me before I even open my mouth.
“Don’t get me wrong. Selling the app and buying her a home, those are admirable things to want to do before marrying someone.
You wanted to build her a future. The problem is, you never let her in on the planning stages of that future.
It takes you both working together to make the dream work. ”
“Like you and Mom?” I ask.
“Exactly. Communication was never my strength either, but she knows with a few words where my intentions and heart are. So does Luna, but you have to say something to keep her feeling connected to you.”
“So what do I do? How do I go up to her and say all of that?”
He chuckles again. “I have an idea. You up for it?”
Relief surges through my entire body. Dad always knows what to do. Even as a grown man, I find I’m desperate for his advice. “Yes. Anything. I’ll do anything at this point.”
“Follow me inside. This is a covert operation, after all.”
Dad grabs his laptop and heads inside. I follow, a little lighter than before I arrived. Whatever he has planned, I pray it works because I’m not sure what else to do.
My parents’ dog, Ruthie, has taken up residence on Dad’s leather sofa in his office. Rather than disturb the elderly Great Dane, I settle in the chair across from my dad at his desk. He drops his laptop on the desk and begins tapping away for a moment.
“What’s the address of the place you’re staying?” He peers over the screen while I dig for the slip of paper Joe gave me buried deep in my pocket. I hand it over, still confused about what he’s planning.
After a little more tapping, he turns his computer around for me to look at.
“This is the cottage right here.” He points to a quaint little stone-front cottage complete with rose bushes and a vegetable garden.
“Over here are two other rentals. My suggestion is that you fork over the cash, rent one for Luna, purchase two plane tickets, and make a phone call.”
“What? Dad, that’s insane. She won’t even take my phone calls, and you want me to book a cottage and a flight for her without knowing whether she’ll come or…oh…oh, yeah…now I see where you’re going with this.”
“You can’t play it safe, Rafe. Not this time. You do the thing, take the big leap of faith, and leave it open for her to decide where she stands in this.”
“What if it doesn’t work?”
Dad frowns and turns the computer back around.
“Then at least you’ll know and you can start to sort your life out knowing you did all you could.
I’m not saying that would be an easy thing to do, but son, you can’t pine over the woman your whole life.
I think you know that, or else you wouldn’t have asked my advice. ”
I do know that. I do, but the thought of letting Luna go kills me.
And falling in love with another woman? Impossible.
It’s not something I could ever do. My father waits patiently while I mull it over, considering the possibilities.
He’s right about one thing: it’s definitely putting it all on the line.
No one likes to be crushed beyond recognition, but this is akin to pulling off the world’s largest Band-Aid from my heart… necessary, but painful.
“Okay. Yeah, let’s do it.” I hand him my credit card and let him set everything up for me. It’s only a few clicks and taps before the deed is done, and I’ve set myself up for potential failure.
“All done. I couldn’t get you on the same flight, but that might be for the best. It’ll give you both some time to think things through on your way there. The return flight is open-ended, so you’ll have to decide after you get there.” He peers over the screen again with a questioning gaze.
“Yes, I’m coming back even if Luna doesn’t show up.”
He chuckles and closes his laptop. “Okay, I just had to be sure so I could prepare a speech if you didn’t. If your mother heard that I helped you get out of town and you decided to stay, I might have to cross the ocean to live with you.”
For the first time in a long while, I laugh. It comes deep from my chest and feels good, but it’s soon slowed when reality hits me. Luna might not show up. But…she might, and if she does, there will be so much to work through.
The doorbell rings and Dad stands. “That’s my first meeting of the day, but I can reschedule if you need more time to talk.”
I stand and stretch. “Nah, it’s fine. I need to pack anyway, right?”
Dad clamps a hand on my shoulder and squeezes it.
“I hope you come home with a fiancée, son. I really do, but even if you don’t, just know that your mother and I are proud of the life you are building.
You’re accomplishing things I can’t even comprehend, and things will work out however God sees fit. Lean on Him, okay?”
It’s a solid reminder of what I already know. I need to fix my eyes where they should be, and that isn’t on my own ability or Luna’s emotions. I nod and head to his office door.
“Can you let Mayor Kilmer in, please?”
“Sure thing. See you in a week or more,” I say and wave on my way out. Thank goodness it’s the mayor at the door and not his wife, or I’d somehow end up sticking around to perform her to-do list rather than packing for a life-changing trip.
I pull open the door and step aside. “Good morning, Mayor Kilmer. How are you?”
“Oh, Rafe! Just fine, son. Just fine. Beautiful morning to talk politics with your father. You know I’m trying to get him to run for that open city council seat?”
I squint and try to think. Had anyone told me that? I shake my head. “No, I didn’t know that.”
“Well, you know your father. He’s too humble, but I’m telling you, I’m going to make a councilman out of him yet. We need men like him behind the scenes, keeping our little town running smoothly.”
I shuffle aside a little and motion for him to enter. “Well, if anyone can convince him, it’s you. He said to let you in. He’s already in his office.”
“Thank you, son. You have a great day,” he says and adjusts his coat and tie as he heads down the hallway to my father’s office. After he enters, I hear them exchange pleasantries, then Mayor Kilmer dives right into his pitch.
“I already told you, I’m not sure the town would—”
“Oh, bah! And I told you this town will be plenty happy to have you in that seat, Brenner. I need men I can trust, and your family never ceases to uphold what it truly means to be a Coldstone Creek family.”
I chuckle and shut the front door, knowing that by the time I return from Ireland, there is a good chance my father will have banners, posters, and all manner of signage all over Coldstone Creek to run for a position—most likely entirely unopposed—at the behest of our dignified and frustratingly insistent mayor.
But that is my father’s problem to manage. I have much bigger ones to ponder, so I turn myself toward my home and double-time it to get packing.