Page 77 of Rescued by the Single Dad

He never knew what he would walk into when he went to see his dad. His dad could be in a great mood and be fine with the fact that he didn’t recognize Clint, or he could be quick to anger and tell Clint to take a hike. Clint got called Gerald (his uncle’s name) a lot.

He reached the door and gave it a gentle rap with one knuckle.

“Come in,” came a grizzled old voice.

Clint turned the knob and opened the door to his father’s room to find his dad fully dressed and sitting on his bed with his hands clasped in his lap. He glanced up at Clint. “Hello. Who are you?”

Clint pressed his lips together for a moment. Sometimes his dad was fine when Clint told him the truth. Other times it was too much to handle, and he got angry and aggressive.

“How old are you?” Clint asked gently.

His dad’s thick gray brows knitted together. “I’m thirty-six. How old are you?”

Shit. If Clint told his dad that he was Clint, his dad would probably try to start an argument. How could Clint be forty-four if his dad was only thirty-six?

“I’m thirty-eight. I’m Gerald, don’t you remember me?”

His dad’s blue eyes went wide, then a smile broke out on his weathered face. “Gerald! Oh my gosh! I barely recognized you. You’ve changed your hair.” He pried himself off the bed with a grunt and a groan, then made his way over to Clint, wrapping him up in a big hug. “How is Martha? How are the twins?”

“Everyone is happy and healthy,” Clint said. “How about you, Peter? How are Janet and the boys?”

His dad heaved a sigh. “We’re having another baby, if you believe it. Number four.”

Clint smiled and patted his father on the back. “That’s wonderful news. We need to celebrate. How about breakfast?”

His dad smiled even wider. “Oh, that would be wonderful. Thank you. How about The Diamond Diner?”

“I’m afraid that place closed down a few years ago.” They headed for the door.

His dad stopped short and glared at Clint like Clint had three heads. “It did not. I was there last week. Got a BLT on rye with the corn chowder. Have you lost your damn mind?”

Clint chuckled awkwardly and scratched the back of his neck. “Oh, uh ... silly me. Must be thinking of another diner. But anyway, there’s a great place called the Lilac and Lavender Bistro that I think you’ll really like. I thought we’d try there. It’s also walking distance so we can get some exercise.”

His father settled down and nodded. “Sure. Though you can never go wrong at The Diamond.”

“No, you can’t. But it’s always nice to try something new.”

His father nodded, and they walked through the hallways toward the front door. “I’m not familiar with this hotel,” his dad said as Clint held the door open for him. “It was strange waking up not at home with Janet. Only been gone one night and I already miss her terribly.”

Clint patted his dad on the back. “I know what you mean.” His mind immediately went to Brooke, who was back on the island, in his home. He’d only been away from her for a few hours, and he already missed her terribly.

He knew that he and Jacqueline didn’t have the kind of love that his parents had, and if he was being honest, he knew they didn’t almost from the beginning. But he tried anyway. He tried for that kind of love with her. Maybe that’s the kind of love you shouldn’t have to try for, though.

They walked the three blocks to the bistro. It was a slow walk, since his dad was getting up there in age and walked with a bit of a hunch now, but they arrived and thankfully, there was a free table.

Clint settled his father at the table, then went back up to the counter and placed their order. He’d been to the bistro a few times, and their menu changed with the seasons. He ordered his dad the harvest breakfast with yam hash browns, poached eggs on sourdough and fried tomatoes, while grabbing himself the everything but the kitchen sink breakfast wrap. Then he ordered them each a coffee and greens smoothie and took their coffees over to the table while they waited for their food.

His father admired the floral mural painted on the wall. “This is very lovely. Don’t see this kind of thing at The Diamond.”

Clint smirked and set his father’s coffee down in front of him, then took a seat across in the booth. “How’d you know Janet was the one?”

His dad’s brows pinched together in thought. “You having issues with Martha?”

“Oh, no, no, no, nothing like that. Martha and I are solid. I’m just ... curious.” Clint quickly wracked his brain for more information about his uncles. Gerald and Martha had been married for fifty-eight years now and were still in love and living in their family home. Gerald had a scare with prostate cancer a few years ago, but he was healthy as a horse on their ranch in Idaho, now.

Oliver was the middle brother—Clint’s dad was the baby of the three boys—and if he remembered correctly, Oliver didn’t marry until he was closer to forty. That could work in his favor for this conversation.

“Oliver came to me. Guess he has a new lady in his life, and he was just asking how I knew that Martha was the one. Now I’m asking how you knew Janet was the one.”

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