30. Chapter 30
Chapter 30
Adalie
N ate doesn’t call me on Monday. I check my phone so often that, eventually, Vic takes it away from me.
“You have the ringer on. You’ll know if he calls.”
She doesn’t give it back until we finish dinner after our yoga class. I’m about to head home, but before I go, she gives me a tight hug. Vic isn’t someone who hugs people often, but she always knows when her friends really need one.
I stay up late working on the bungee jumping picture I started last night, but he doesn’t call before bed.
Maybe he’s mad at me? Maybe I should call him? I decide to give it another day and if he doesn’t call, I will. I don’t want this to be over because of one fight. That’s ridiculous. We can work this out.
At Blue Vista the next day, I’m distracted by my thoughts, staring at my computer screen without actually seeing what I’m looking at, when there’s a polite knock on my door. I look up, surprised at who has come to see me.
“Taylor,” I say. “I didn’t… What are you doing here?”
“Decided I’d make our delivery today.” He comes in and sits across from me. “Nate told me what happened.”
I swallow the lump in my throat, but don’t say anything. I know if I try to speak, I’ll just start crying again. And I’ve done enough of that over the past couple days.
“I wanted to confirm something with you,” he says. “I’ve been cutting Nate off anytime he starts to tell Dani you won’t be over on Thursday, because I believe you’re not going to let my brother’s idiocy stop you from coming over for your art lesson with her. Am I right?”
“Of course!” I say. “I wasn’t sure if he’d want me there, but I want to be. I don’t want to let Dani down.”
Taylor smiles. “You should come. Nate’s just in his head about this whole thing.”
“Why hasn’t he called?” I ask, then immediately shake my head. “Never mind. Don’t answer. You can’t know what he’s thinking.”
Taylor sighs. “I don’t know exactly what he’s thinking, but I can tell you what he told me. He thinks he broke your heart and that he doesn’t deserve you, which I assured him he doesn’t.”
“Taylor!”
He holds up his hand. “It’s true. You can’t convince me otherwise. I also believe he can deserve you. If he gets out of his own damn way.”
He’s put one of my fears to rest, at least. Now I know Nate’s lack of calls isn’t because he’s mad at me, but because he’s mad at himself. And he should be. He said some things that hurt. He almost said something that would probably have broken us up for good.
“I’ll be there on Thursday,” I tell him, eventually. “Maybe you could make sure you’re there when I arrive? To ease any awkwardness between us.”
He nods. “Absolutely. I’ll be there. And won’t let Nate tell Dani not to expect you.” He stands. “See you Thursday. And I’m sorry my brother is such an idiot.”
I stand at the door for a good five minutes before I bring myself to knock. As soon as I do, it’s flung open, and Dani’s infectious smile lights up her face.
“Adalie!” she says, squeezing me around the middle. “Dad said you might not be coming today, but Uncle Taylor said not to worry. I wasn’t worried.”
I hug her, unable to hold back the smile. “Nothing could keep me away.”
We step inside, and as she closes the door behind me, I allow my eyes to lift, immediately finding Nate in the kitchen where he’s preparing dinner. Our eyes lock and I see shock, pain, and shame in them before he returns his attention to the vegetables he’s chopping. Taylor sits at the island, a glass of beer in front of him. He smiles at me.
“Good to see you, Adalie,” he says. “You guys going to do the lesson upstairs in the art space?”
I offer him a grateful smile. “Yes. We’ll be up there if you need us.” I turn to Dani. “Ready?”
She nods and bounds up the stairs. I follow behind her, glad to not have to stay where I would be forced to remain in Nate’s presence. We get settled, and she begins sketching from the photo I brought, a picture of a maple tree. We’ve been at it for only a few minutes when she asks, “Did something happen between you and my dad?”
She doesn’t look at me when she speaks, focused on the photo and the sketchbook.
“E-excuse me?”
She looks up. “You and my dad. Are you mad at him?”
“I—Why would you ask that?”
“Because he’s been kind of mopey this week. And when you came in, you didn’t say hi to him.”
Damn, she’s observant.
“I’m not mad at him,” I say. And it’s the truth. I’m not mad anymore. But I still need him to make the first move to make things right.
“But something happened?” she presses.
I can’t lie to her. “Yes. Something happened.”
“Did you guys break up?”
My mouth hangs open for a minute and she looks at me when I don’t answer.
“I’ve known since the beginning,” she says. “Or at least, Uncle Taylor said it was the beginning. I saw you guys kissing outside. Uncle Taylor caught me and said you would tell me when you’re ready, but you never did. And now you’re broken up.”
She rolls her eyes like we’re complete idiots. I have to agree with her.
“I’m not sure if we’ve broken up,” I say slowly. “I don’t think I’m the right person to talk to about this.”
She sighs heavily. “You want me to talk to Dad, don’t you?”
“It’s probably better if you do, yes.”
“But you’ll keep giving me art lessons, even if you don’t work things out with my dad?”
She gives me such a hopeful look, it warms my heart. “I’ll make sure I can always give you lessons. If I have to, I’ll talk to your uncle or even your mom. But, as long as you want to keep going, I’ll keep coming.”
She gets up and gives me another tight hug. “I hope you and Dad get back together, Adalie. He was really happy when he was with you.”
Tears sting my eyes and my throat clogs up. I swallow a few times before I think I can speak. “I was really happy with him, too, Dani.” After another minute, we let go and I smile. “Now. Let’s see your tree.”