Chapter 29
Genevieve
“Hey, Kit.” Bells jingle behind me like a goodbye…for today anyway. “What’s up?”
“Are you at Bean Me Up again? I thought you were going to start brewing your own.”
“Yeah, about that…” The fancy espresso machine Luke bought me is sitting on my counter collecting dust. I’ve watched every instructional video, even ground my own beans, but nothing seems to work. “My latte’s just don’t taste the same.”
“Genevieve!” Katy calls out from down the street.
“Is that who I think it is?” Kit chuckles. “You know she’s not going to leave you alone until you talk to her.”
“Why should I talk to her?” I murmur, “She knows everything already.”
Closing my eyes, I let out a sigh before pinning a smile on my face and turning around. “Katy! Fancy meeting you here.”
It’s not a surprise; we seem to be on the same coffee schedule, and the real reason for the new espresso machine.
“Is it true that you and Luke Nichols are together?” She asks, her eyes sparkling.
It’s a rhetorical question. Katy Blake knows everything about everyone.
Including me.
And after the last three weeks, there’s no question that Luke and I are officially a couple.
She just wants the inside scoop.
“I’m on with Kit.” I pull the phone away from my ear and show her the screen. “Can’t talk right now.”
“Hey Katy! Give me a call later,” Kit calls out.
“Traitor,” I grumble to my soon-to-be ex-sister, before waving bye. “Gotta run!”
Katy’s mouth forms a small ‘o’ before pulling into a straight line as she stares after me.
“Have you been feeding her information?”
“Like I have to do that. The press has ‘LukEvieve’ covered!”
My phone buzzes in my hand.
“Look at the headline.”
Kit
‘‘Golf’s Grim Reaper’ is officially coming to reap the green now that his secret weapon has been revealed.”
“Great! Another ridiculous title.” I take a sip.
“Now we just need to get you a nickname. What do you think about ‘GenNicBog’?”
Nearly choking, I roll my eyes.
“Okay, how about ‘LuGen’?”
“That nickname is dumber than the last five you’ve come up with. Can we give it a break already? I’ll tell Luke not to let Bogey visit anymore.”
“No! Don’t take Bogey from me.”
“Why do Luke and I need a nickname? You and Beau don’t have one.”
“Because Beau isn’t as big as Luke, nor does he have a nickname, so we don’t need one.”
Scoffing, I take another sip of coffee just as I slam into something solid. The ‘oof’ tells me it was a ‘someone’ rather than a thing.
“I’ll call you back.”
My cup is squished, and liquid’s dripping off my hand.
“I’m so sorry!” Digging into my purse, I pull out a napkin. “I should’ve been paying better atten—”
Lifting my gaze, I find Luke’s dad in front of me, arms spread, a tan stain on his white shirt. He takes the napkin from my frozen, outstretched hand and grumbles. “I probably deserved this.”
My jaw drops open. “I’m sorry?”
Staring, I watch as the currently not-so-yappy ankle-biter briskly moves the napkin up and down his wet shirt, leaving little brown balls behind. He tries to brush them off, but ends up rubbing them in instead. His chest falls as he blows out a heavy breath.
Dang paper napkins!
“Well, I need to get going.” Far away from Luke’s dad before his personality flips, pivoting in the opposite direction I was heading, I call over my shoulder. “I have an appointment I need to be at.”
“Genevieve, wait.” At the sound of my name, I stop, but don’t turn to face him. “Do you have a few minutes?”
Every part of my being is urging me just to keep moving, not to engage. But there’s something in his voice that has me hesitating.
“Please?”
Blowing out a breath, I turn toward him. “Do you promise not to lecture me on how awful I am for your son?”
He raises his hands in surrender, and his mouth twitches. “I promise.”
Narrowing my eyes, I stare at him. Torn.
Talking to one Theo Nichols is the last thing I want to do, and yet if I’m going to be in a relationship with Luke, clearing the air is probably a smart idea.
Nodding, I walk toward him, and we head back in the direction of Bean Me Up.
The only sound is the steady scuff-scuff of our shoes against the pavement. Tossing my empty cup in the trash, a scrape sounds against the sidewalk as I pull a chair out.
“Do you want another drink?” Mr. Nichols asks as he holds the door to Bean Me Up open.
“No, thank you.”
“Hi, Theo,” Katy smiles like a Cheshire cat as she exits the coffee shop before turning to me. “Gen.”
Dang it! Relationship confirmed.
Mr. Nichols walks into Bean Me Up, the door floating closed as Katy continues to stare at me. Her grin widened.
“Was that so hard?”
“More than you’ll ever know.” I glower at her, her smile getting larger. “Besides, my subversive sister was keeping you abreast of all the details.”
“Genevieve Garrett,” Katy clucks her tongue and shakes her head. “You know I love to confirm all rumors with the main source.”
The bells jingle, and Mr. Nichols places my fresh drink on the table before pulling out the chair across from me.
“You two enjoy the rest of your day,” Katy sings over her shoulder as she walks away.
Sighing, I wrap my hands around the warm cup. “So.”
“So.” Luke’s dad shifts his coffee between his hands as he intently studies the lid. “I owe you an apology.”
My eyes nearly pop out of my head. “A what?”
“An apology. I was…” He stops and clears his throat, lifting his gaze to mine, before he brusquely pushes out, “Wrong.”
My throat works, and I press my lips together.
“I had no right to talk to you like that.”
Nodding, my shoulders drop, trying to decide if I should say anything. When my mouth opens, he holds his hand up.
“No, let me finish. Please.”
Splaying my hand out and moving it across the table, I lean back against the chair and take a swig of my coffee.
He heaves out a heavy sigh, and in that moment, I can see an even greater resemblance to his son. “I have made many mistakes where Luke is concerned. But the biggest one I made is pushing him away.”
I dip my chin, waiting for him to continue.
“When Luke…fired me.” His Adam’s apple bobs. “I knew that I messed up, but I didn’t know how to fix it. When he started playing well with J.B.’s help, I was jealous. Jealous that he could give my son the support he needed.”
“Have you told Luke this?”
“No.”
“Have you tried?”
He scoffs. “Yes, but it was pretty ugly.”
“Why are you telling me?” I ask, fiddling with the cup's label.
“Because Luke told me that if I wanted to have anything to do with him, I needed to start with you.”
My brows shoot up in surprise. “He did?”
“He did,” he chuckles. “It’s the first time my son has ever stood up to me, about anything. And it’s all because of you.”
My eyes narrow, and he raises his hands.
“In a good way. You’re not a distraction. And if his current rate of play says anything, you’re probably the best thing to happen to him.”
Chewing my bottom lip, I’m rendered speechless. I start, then stop, before finally finding the words. “Luke was always a great player. I had little to do with—”
“No,” he says firmly. “Between you, J.B., and the dog that I thought was a silly idea, my son is the best version I’ve ever seen. I can admit when I’m wrong.”
“You can?” My brows shoot up.
“Listen, young lady.” he points a finger at me, but then, to my surprise, the corners of his mouth lift. “Okay. No, I can’t. But I love my wife, and my son, and after all this time, I’m tired of trying to be right, when it’s obvious I am so very clearly wrong.”
“Well, alrighty then.” My eyes widen, and my lips twitch. Looks like the yappy Chihuahua has invited me into his inner circle. Typical.
“That’s all you have to say?” he snaps.
“Sorry, you caught me off guard!” It’s my turn to throw my hands up. “I laugh when I’m nervous. It’s always gotten me in trouble.”
“Well, in case you haven’t noticed, I get rude.”
“Oh, I noticed.”
His eyes bulge out of his head just before he throws his head back and laughs. “I like you.”
“Jury’s still out for me,” I shrug.
“Good thing we’ll have a chance to get to know each other better over dinner.”
“Dinner?”
“Yeah, Kelly said she invited you and Luke for dinner next week—” He stops, just as my mouth drops before I can snap it shut. “Guess my son hasn’t told you yet?”
“He did not.”
He scoffs. “I’d like to be a fly on the wall for that conversation.”
“Excuse Me. I have a phone call to make.” He laughs as I get up from the chair, but I hesitate before leaving. “Mr. Nic—”
“Please. Call me Theo.”
“Okay.” I swallow hard. “Theo. Thank you.”
His brown eyes soften, and he gives me a stiff nod.
“I’m looking forward to getting to know you and your wife. But right now I need to talk to Luke.”
Soft laughter follows me as I walk away. Grabbing my phone from my purse, I pull up Luke’s contact.
He has some explaining to do.