Page 193 of Terms Of Un-Endearment
“Dibs on this jacket.” Stella points to the oversized quilt jacket I’ve created.
I’ll bring it to life with vintage quilt scraps, old towels, and discarded sweatshirts in a color palette of pastel pinks, peaches, creams, and ocean blues. Every seam has visible mending.
“It’s perfect for cool nights at the beach,” she adds.
“That’s exactly what I made it for,” I say, excited that she sees the same vision I did when I drew it.
Archie scrolls to the last piece—a bomber jacket with a repeating wave pattern—and studies it carefully. “I like this one.” He turns the iPad so I can see. “I recognize this wave.”
He points to the image on the back of the jacket.
“It’s Hokusai’s Great Wave—he was a Japanese artist.” I glance at Archie and whisper under whatever Stella is saying to Britta and Frankie, “I thought of you when I sketched it.”
His mouth twitches into a smile.
“I almost used the ‘Surf City’ image from your apron, but I went with the wave instead.”
Archie laughs.
“What’s funny?” Frankie asks.
“Nothing.” Archie shakes his head and sends me a smile that catches my breath. There’s a barely contained laugh behind his grin, but also gratitude. Like, he needed to laugh, and I’m the person who helped him do it.
I like making Archie laugh.
I want to do it again, but I settle for shifting slightly so our knees touch.
His attention is on Frankie. He nods as she talks, all while sliding his hand down his leg until he finds my knee. With his thumb and forefinger, he draws slow circles there. Warmthripples through me, growing into a wave of heat when it reaches my stomach. I close my eyes and take a long breath.
I know what the fight ahead will cost Archie, but I may be even more excited for Mom’s divorce than she is.
Kissing him can’t come soon enough.
Chapter 33
Archie
Piper, Stella, and Frankie are all talking about Piper’s designs and what’s next for launching her brand when Britta slides me the credit card I left at the counter to pay for our order.
“It was declined,” she whispers.
“I’ll get you another one.” I reach for my wallet in my back pocket but with a concerned expression, she shakes her head.
“This one’s on me. They’re all on me for as long as you want. Dex and I owe you everything.” Her low but earnest words say everything we both know without actually saying it.
The only reason my card would be declined is if Dad has cut off access to it. And if that one doesn’t work, neither will the others in my wallet. I’d still make her try every one of them—just to make sure—if I didn’t think my insistence would draw Frankie’s attention. I’m happy to keep this situation between Britta and me.
“Thanks,” I tell her.
“Dex is home if you want to drop in.” She pats my shoulder, then goes back behind the counter.
The subtext to her suggestion is that I could get advice from Dex. At the very least, I could tell him what Dad’s done. But I’m not ready to talk about it with anyone except Dad.
“Excuse me a minute, ladies.” I stand and push in my chair. “I need to make a call. Keep planning. I’ll be right back.”
I’ve been waiting until Monday to ring Dad and dispel any thoughts he still has about me coming back to Brisbane, but I guess he actually got the message. If I were like him, I’d take this as a sign we’re done and walk away without looking back.
But I’m not Dad, and if there’s a chance I can maintain a relationship with him while following my own path, I’ve gotta try. Like Piper said, his choices are his own. I want to make sure, though, that he knows my door is always open.
