I look away from his face and at the setting sun.
His words are ones I’ve longed to hear, but…
I picture Myles’s ghost next to me, telling me to give Dad a chance.
He’s my father, bio or not. He was there for me when Mom never was. We were close.
Dad speaks, a hoarse quality to his voice. “When I watch you tomorrow, when you kiss your hands, when you put Myles in your heart, save a little room for me?”
I shut my eyes, my throat tight. His words settle deep, taking root. I let out an exhalation. “Yeah.”
28
“What’s that?” Romy asks as she bends over my shoulder.
Sitting at my desk, I push the sewing machine to the side and flick out her skirt. “I hemmed your uniform. It was frayed on the side.” I’m doing anything to keep me busy. If I stay on a task, then maybe I won’t think about him.
“I meant the gift on your desk.” She points down at the black box.
Oh. I stare at it. It’s been lying there for a week. “Just something I got for Dillon’s birthday, but—”
“Ooooo! What is it?” She tries to snatch it, and I grab it back, holding it to my chest.
“Nothing.” I push the skirt into her hands. “Mind your own business and go try this on—” I stop as Nana enters. “No bingo tonight?” I ask.
She plops down on the couch and waves me off. “I’m staying in. Thought I’d check on you.”
There have been lots of evenings when she checks on me. I know what they see. I’m grieving. My face is haunted, my eyes sad.
Romy dances around me and sits next to Nana. “Serena bought Dillon a birthday gift…”
I sigh. “I’m going to return it. I bought it before—”
“Anyone home?” Julian pokes his head in and holds up a six-pack of Bud Light. “Thought I’d check on my girls.” He grins broadly.
“And you brought sustenance!” Nana chortles as he twists open a bottle and hands it to her.
I take one—might as well—and we all clink our bottles together, Romy with a soda.
A few minutes later, Liam knocks and comes in.
“Oh, goody, Tree Boy is here. I say we do a Friday night movie,” Nana says, her arm curling around me on the couch.
Well.
It’s obvious they planned this, a whole Let’s keep Serena company brigade. I give them the fake smile.
“Creepy, sis,” Romy chirps, then she says, “I want Pride and Prejudice—”
“No,” Julian calls. “We’ve watched that one ten times!”
“Now it’s going to be eleven!” Romy says as she pokes him. “Suck it up.”
“Fine, but I’m calling dibs on the next one. Fast and Furious,” Julian mutters.
“Go get snacks from the house,” Nana declares, shooing them. “I’ll need my guacamole and chips. Liam, did I tell you Turo’s Italian?”
He bobs his head. “Yes, ma’am. Very nice.”
I manage a smile.
“Come with me, kids,” Julian says to Liam and Romy. “Let’s grab the snacks.”
Liam shifts a wary gaze to Julian. “Can I take a look at your bike?”
Julian narrows his eyes. “Don’t put smudges on it, and don’t even think about sitting on it.”
“Yes, sir.”
Romy grins and grabs Liam’s hand as they follow him out the door.
“Serena…” Nana pats my hand. “Let’s talk. I’ve kept my mouth shut, but, dear, you miss him terribly. You’ve had time to process, but you look like ten miles of bad road.”
“Nana…”
“You try so hard to be good, to be a role model for Romy, to provide for her, and you’re the kind of girl who’d never break a promise, but people do. Romy screwed up when she got in with a bad crowd and did wacky weed. You put your life on hold for Vane. Julian goes through women like water. I tend to say things I shouldn’t. And Dillon made a mistake. He didn’t correct his friends when he should have and you had to hear it in a horrible way. Men, in general, tend to not talk about deep things. Perhaps this incident is a hurdle, yes, but how you deal with it is what matters. You love him, and his face is happier than a pig in sunshine when he looks at you.” She hesitates. “Don’t judge him by another man’s scorecard. You’re scared because of Vane, but all I get from Dillon is a boy who needs you. He’s younger than you, yeah, yeah, but his soul is aligned to yours.”
“He’s…” Tears spring up behind my eyes and I blink rapidly. My hand hits my chest. “He isn’t Vane, I know it, but…” I don’t want to be hurt anymore.
The others come back in, and I turn away, swallowing. They find seats and I snuggle under a blanket as Darcy and Elizabeth battle it out for love.
The question is, what am I willing to do for love?
29
“This was on the porch.” Sawyer tosses me a package and I catch it. It’s in a brown manila envelope with an orange and blue ribbon around it. My name is scrawled across the front.
I sit back down on the bed, shoving my duffle for the game to the side. “Who left it?” My dad and Brianna have already given me their gift, a set of diamond cufflinks. Dad suggested I wear them for the NFL draft in April. He wants to go with me to New York and bring the family.
He shrugs. “Beats me. We got ten minutes before we’re due at the stadium.”
“Right.”
When he’s out of my room, I tear open the package, my chest tightening at the note.
Dillon,
I got this before. It felt wrong not to give it to you. I wish for you everything. Kisses in meadows. A sky full of stars. All the wonderful things destiny has in store for you. Happy Birthday.
Serena
Popping open the box, I pick up the sterling silver football charm. I shut my eyes,
