Page 53 of Hold Me Instead
“How’s your dad?”
He fell back against the seat. “Fine. Ornery. Toward me that’s nothing new though, so seems we’re on par.”
“Ah.” She returned to her menu, the din of the restaurant emphasizing their silence.
When the waitress arrived, they ordered their burgers—caramelized onions for him, cheese and pickles for her. Each with a side of fries, per her encouragement.
Then they were alone, no menus to distract them. No kittens in need of care—a situation that had launched him down memory lane to when he and Charlie had helped his dad with a litter of puppies as students.
He grabbed a packet of sugar from the little tray on the table, tapping and flipping it, his eyes following the motion.
“I know you two don’t have the best relationship—”
“That’s putting it mildly.”
“Look, I’m sorry to bring him up. I didn’t want to bother your mom, and Sandra’s been swamped.”
“I get it,” he said, now disappointed he was a last resort. He tossed the sugar packet to the side and took a giant gulp of his beerright as the waitress set it down. “He’ll most likely go home by the end of next week. Beyond that… His heart attack was really serious. It’ll be a couple months before his doctor clears him to work.” He took a deep breath. “Even then, he’s pushing for Dad to retire.”
Charlie’s head bobbed up and down slowly, eyes wide as the words registered. “Wow.”
“Yeah.”
She took a small sip of her iced tea, then slid her finger through the condensation on the glass. “He must’ve hated that news.”
“Yeah, well.” Zachary scratched his head. “Apparently, Dad moved past the idea as if his doctor hadn’t even mentioned it.”
“Shit,” she whispered.
“Basically.”
She leaned on the table and looked out the window. “He’s not ready to retire.”
Her voice was scratchy, and Zachary almost reached for her hand, as though the comfort would help. As thoughhiscomfort would help the woman who would take over the practice.
The one spiraling beyond both their control, she just had no clue.
“Well, that’s good for me to know. Best to have the heads-up that we might be looking for a more long-term replacement, then.”
The thought of someone like Dr. Fletcher stepping in to do a job he could do better grated. “I don’t think that’s necessary right now. Let’s give it a little time. We’ll see what the word is when he goes home and go from there.”
“We have to prepare for when you’ll be leaving us too.”
Leaving us.
“I won’t leave you in a lurch, Harris.”
“What about your job in Chicago,Lee?”
“Like I said, I had a sabbatical planned.”
The waitress appeared with their food, setting down plates piled with fries next to giant burgers. Perfect for a distraction from Charlie’s prying gaze.
He took a large bite of the burger, the flavor of the meat mixing perfectly with the onions and sauce. “Damn.” He shoved another bite into his mouth, glancing up to see Charlie pushing fries around her plate. “Definitely better than Al’s. I would’ve regretted going there.”
Charlie allowed a small nod. “You’ll have plenty of time to fit in a visit there, I guess.”
Zachary grabbed a couple fries and popped them in, watching her as she picked at her food. “That bother you? That I’ll be in town longer?”
