Page 25 of Chasing After You
“Open it,” Tori presses.
“I will.” I just need a minute. Just one minute to reel in all the crazy fantasies unraveling inside my mind and setting off a flutter of butterflies in my stomach. Because whatever is in that bag, couldn’t possibly warrant this reaction. This...hope.
CHAPTER SIX
MATTI
After Vale leaves, sleep is out of the question.
I called both kids when I got here, but they were busy with their cousins, and getting calls from me while I’m out of town isn’t exactly a novelty, so they were eager to ditch me and get back to what they were doing.
Maybe now’s my chance to have a real conversation with one if not both of them. I check the clock. With the time difference, I ought to have better luck this go around. It’s nearly midnight there. Even on their vacation schedule, things should be winding down a bit for them.
Plopping down on the sofa, I peel my phone from my pocket and try Isobel first, banking on her inner ‘daddy’s girl’ to garner me some of her undivided attention.
“What’s up, Dad?” The second she answers, I know she’s still wholly distracted by something else.
“Just thought I’d try to get in a real conversation with you before the day is over,” I tease. “Everybody still hanging out?”
“Yep. It’s Trivial Pursuit night. You know what that means.”
I do. Means they’re going to consume enough sugar to stay up playing until sunrise. I’m about to comment on it when I hear her turn away from the phone to talk to Rayna, her cousin. A second later, she’s back on the line. “Where are you at anyway?”
I laugh. “I told you that earlier when I called. I’m in Hawaii.”
“Same as Mom?” This at least draws more interest from her.
“Yeah. Weird, right?”
“Considering you never spend time together when you’re both home, in the same city, yeah. It’s weird.” Things get muffled again, like she’s moving around the phone, then I hear her call out, “Nate, did you know Dad’s in Hawaii, too?”
I wait for a second, giving him time to answer. “Did he know?”
“He knew.”
Good to know at least one of my kids still retains some of the information I share with them. “Alright, well it sounds like you guys are pretty busy. I’m going to be up for a while, how about you call me when you’re going to bed.”
“I can do that.” She already sounds distracted again.
“Good. And tell your brother to do the same.”
“I will. I gotta go.”
“Love you.”
“Love you, too.” The last of her statement gets clipped, she’s in such a hurry to end the call.
I sigh.
I both love and hate this phase. It’s so fucking exciting to watch them both become these new versions of themselves, like they’re previews of the adults they’ll be one day. But it sucks how much I miss them while they’re busy spreading their wings, growing more independent with each passing second, and naturally, preferring their peers over my company.
My eyes catch on the clock again.
It’s too late to do much of anything. The lobby is closed, and so are the restaurant and gift shop. I saw a pool while I was out running, but I’m guessing that’s not twenty-four hours either.
And then there’s the barn. Even if that shit’s not locked up, there’s no way in hell I’m wandering in there on my own. After dark. Or ever. Let’s be honest.
I drag myself upright and stretch my arm as far as it will go until my fingertips grasp onto the remote lying on the coffee table, then I fumble with it a few times, trying to slide it closer to me where I can get a better grip on it.
