His father tilted his head and grinned.
“What?” He had the weirdest habit of just looking at his children like they should be able to read his mind. It freaked Drew out now he was older because it was no longer amusing. “If you have something to say, say it. Don’t expect me to read your mind. I’m not a kid that needs to be amused anymore.”
“Son, I bet you can figure out exactly what I’m thinking.” He folded his arms and stared, a smile on his face.
“No. No, don’t even go there.” He had it wrong. But when had his father ever been wrong about anything?
Atticus nodded his head. “Yeah, you know I’m right. You still love her. We could see it the way you looked at her the other night. Just as well she came back, isn’t it? Time you settled down.”
This wasn’t going to go anywhere other than to turn into a massive argument which neither man would win. They were both as stubborn as each other.
“She doesn’t want to hear how I feel, alright? We spoke at the office earlier to make peace and be friends because otherwise it would be too hard to work together. She agreed before I finished suggesting it.” He jammed his hands in his pockets, dejection hitting him hard now he’d said the words out loud. Admitting defeat had always been hard for him. “She was over me when I was in med school and that hasn’t changed apparently. I admit I made a mistake, and look where it’s got us. You know something, Dad? When I was interning just before we broke up, I might have hinted that she wouldn’t be able to handle the life of a doctor’s wife. The long hours, the broken sleep.”
He hated the look he saw in his father’s eyes at his admission. “Sounds to me like you didn’t give her enough credit. You may as well have told her you didn’t trust her. Seems like it would have done the same kind of damage.”
“I admit it. It was all my fault. I pushed her away because I was worried she’d crack under the pressure of it all. Hell, I found it hard to take, but I was too busy myself to try and make it right. I wouldn’t blame her if she never wanted to talk to me again.”
His father reached out and put an arm around his shoulders. “Son, there’s more to this story than you think. The poor girl has had a hard time of it and needs you. She needs all of us and we’re here for her.”
“Great. That’s just great, Dad. I’m the one who got dumped and you’re here for her. Cool.” Life was so damned unfair when your father supported the enemy. “Guess I deserve it though.”
“I’m closer to you than anyone else, Drew. You’re as stuck on that girl as you were when you were kids. You broke up, deal with it. Far as I can see you were both too young for commitment anyway. But right now she’s here and needs you more than you both know.” He tipped his head at the workers packing up their tools. “You renovated this house with her in mind even if you don’t want to admit it. It has all the things she liked in it.”
Drew glared at his father ready to argue. There was only so much honesty he could put out there in one day. “I did nothing of the sort. This house is for me. Always was from the minute I bought it.”
He chuckled. “When Jeff showed you nicer houses you turned them all down because they weren’t on the point you two used to go park up at.” Atticus tilted his head when Drew growled. “What, you think your old dad didn’t figure out where you two used to hang out? Son, I know more about what you two got up to and what goes on in that head of yours than you do. I understand it whereas you were mighty confused with it all. Still are by the sound of it.”
Drew wasn’t sure whether he should agree or argue more. He wouldn’t win. The annoying thing was that his father was always right and it frustrated the heck out of him. “I can’t have her. She doesn’t want me. Made that plain today.”
Atticus rocked back and forth on his feet, contemplating Drew while he found the words. “I had a chat with April today, son. If I was a betting man, I’d say the best thing you could do was be kind to her, get her to trust you again, and let her see you’re there for her no matter how much pride it costs you.”
“I’m not sure that’s the right thing to do. As much as I hate to admit it, you’re right. I never fell out of love with her and seeing her when she arrived made me very aware of that.” He gazed past the living room into the high-tech kitchen he’d had installed with all the latest gadgets. Would she like it or think it was over the top? The April he knew had simple tastes, but that was years ago and everyone grew up eventually. There was no guessing what she would like now and that included him.
“Just be kind to her, son. She’s been hurt real bad. I’m hoping between us and the island, she will heal back to her happy self.” He patted Drew on the back.
“It hurt seeing the children more than I thought it would. They should have been mine. There was a time when I thought all she wanted was to settle down with me and have my babies. It seemed I was wrong and I can’t figure out how to move past
