Chapter 56
MAC
“Morning,” I said, heading for the coffeemaker. I just got out of the shower and Andy was stomping around upstairs trying to find his favorite socks.
By the time I got home the night before, it was late. By the time I updated Ralph and Dad on what happened, it was even later. Ralph went home and Dad said he was content sleeping over so I didn’t have to go back out.
Now, Dad was up before me and at the kitchen table with the newspaper. He’d tackled the stairs fine, but the clomping of his walking boot woke me.
“Morning.”
“Georgia coming down to take Andy to school?”
I shook my head and filled my to-go mug to the brim. “She stayed in the apartment. I told her last night I could take him. I’ll go on to the station from there. Today’s my photo shoot. I’m the last one.”
He smirked and I glared.
“The project’s wrapping up then,” he said. “I think Georgia said she was going back home on Friday?”
I shrugged. We never talked about the actual date she was to go.
“Guess so.”
He put the paper down and stared. “You guess so? She’s leaving town for good and you guess so?”
I took a sip of the steaming brew. “We’re not in a relationship, Dad.”
“She’s been sleeping in your bed.”
He knew and he wasn’t an idiot. There was no doubt Andy told him all about Georgia staying in my room.
I was thirty-five. Still, I blushed.
“Because Andy put her there.” That was my excuse and it sounded flimsy.
“She’s been taking care of him,” he reminded. “Driving him to school, staying with him when you work.”
“Because you broke your foot.”
“She helped you deliver a baby.”
“That’s my job.”
He sighed. “Your job? You helped bring your friends’ baby into the world. It’s joyous! You have a woman who is in love with Andy. That’s really special. She cares for you. Maybe even loves you.”
I blinked, then shook my head. Love? “No. Nope. She’s looking for a guy to give her a baby.”
“She said that?”
I nodded. “Last night.”
“And he can’t be you?”
“Me?” Was he insane?
“Yes, you.”
I shook my head. “She’s going back to Georgia. This has been… between us, well, we both went into this with our eyes wide open.”
“So you don’t care about her.”
I sighed. “She’s leaving, Dad.” How many times did I have to say that to everyone? “I’m trained to not get emotions involved.”
“Because of your job,” he said, repeating my words back to me.
I nodded.
Andy clomped down the stairs and dashed into the kitchen. “Found them!” He held the socks up. They were green and didn’t seem all that special, but what did I know?
“Grumpy made you breakfast. It’s on the table,” I said. “As soon as you’re done, we’re taking him home on the way to school.”
Then I was going to my photo shoot. With an adoptable puppy or kitten. This wasn’t what I had in mind when working for the fire department, but sacrifices had to be made. Right?