back. It was the first car I'd ever owned and even though
Austin had cosigned the loan he'd never put a cent toward
it. It had been too much car for me when I bought it. It had
been my debt and my work.
'No. Same car.'
'Huh. Looks new.'
I looked at it again. Lately al I'd been able to see were the
scratches and dings. 'Wel, it's not.'
'You had that when you and what's-his-name were
together, didn't you?'
'Austin. Yeah.'
'You see him at al?'
I gave him a hard look. The bright sunshine wasn't kind to
him. I saw his years in the lines around his eyes and mouth
and the sag of his jaw and the gray glint in his hair.
'Sometimes. Why?'
'Just that…hel. You were young. I should've told you not
to marry him.'
He was stil my dad, despite everything, and I loved him. I
think my hug surprised him as much as I surprised myself.
'Dad, you couldn't have stopped me.'
He laughed. 'No. I guess not. That's one thing I'l say
He laughed. 'No. I guess not. That's one thing I'l say
about you, Paige, you always knew just what you wanted
and how to get it, and you never let anything stand in your
way.'
His assessment took me aback. What could I say to that?
'Thanks.'
'Give Stela a cal, would you? See when's a good night
for you to come over. She knows the boys' schedules
better than I do. We'l give you dinner.'
'You don't always have to feed me.'
'I'm your dad,' he said and tucked a twenty-dolar bil into the pocket of my jacket before I could even register he'd
done it. 'Cal her. I'l see you later, kiddo.'
I watched him go and turned back to my car to look at it
with new eyes. Sunshine had made a mirror of the
windows, and in it I saw a woman who never let anything
stand in her way, who knew what she wanted and how to
get it. My father saw me that way and suddenly, I could
see myself that way, too.
Chapter 20
It's amazing how one smal thing can change so much. I
went back to the office humming under my breath. I'd have
danced and scattered glitter if people did that in real life,
but I settled for stopping at Starbucks to grab Paul a late-
afternoon coffee and scone. He'd need one.
Tension creased his brow when I gave it to him, but he
took the cup and bag gratefuly as he pushed back from
his desk. 'Thank you, Paige.'
