Page 93 of Terms Of Un-Endearment
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.
Piper gives me a questioning look that I return with enough of a smile to soothe her. She goes back to taking notes on her iPad while Stella lays out the tactics she’ll use on social media to gain traction before the launch. I pause long enough to marvel how two girls in their early twenties have figured out how to start a company in a matter of days. It’s impressive is what it is and only makes me want to work with Piper more.
I’ve gotta have funds in place. I don’t want to hold her back while I make that happen. It’s not going to be as easy as simply selling the house.
I walk half a block up the street, away from the line of people outside Frothed and the other foot traffic, before ringing Dad. I pace twenty steps then turn and pace back, waiting for the inevitable voice message greeting.
When Dad answers, I stop short, shocked that I’m not ordered to leave a message.
“Archie?” Dad says when I fail to return his hello.
“Hi Dad.”
“Are you calling about your credit cards?” he asks. Dad’s not big on chit chat, buthow are youwould have been nice. Even ahow’s the weather?
“Yeah. The Amex got declined.”
“I warned you about your allowance, Son,” he says firmly but with a hint of regret, as though he’s sorry he has to teach me a lesson. “I didn’t want to cut it off, but if you’re determined to push back on coming home to Brisbane, I didn’t have another option. You need to know what to expect if you stay in LA.”
