Page 76 of Feels Like the First Time
Ali’s heart gave a little tug. “He’d love that and I could use the help.”
Bridget smiled. “And I could use a sister again. Which is why I’m asking Dad if I can move in for a little while. Just until he gets back on his feet.”
“You’re moving home. Like Dad’s home?”
“Why does everyone sound so surprised when I say this? Yes, I want to be here while Dad heals, is that so bad?”
“What about the job you were talking about?”
“That’s the best part, it’s here in town,” Bridget said, and Ali tried to tell herself that this was a good thing. It provided the post-release care her dad would need, and eliminated having to hire a live-in caretaker. Also, Bridget had the right to be near Marty. He was her father, too.
But working in Destiny Bay, starting her career here, making the networks she’d need to start her own business. Everything hit Ali like a bucket of dried concrete.
“Once-in-a-Lifetime Moments,” Ali said, uncertainty and desperation colliding. “You’re going to open that here? In town?”
“Destiny Bay doesn’t have an event planner, and after talking to Hawk about coming back home, I realized that I could really make a go at this. That this is where I want to be.”
“Hawk knows about this?” Disbelief rattled around her chest, making it hard to hear. Because if he’d known Bridget was considering moving back, he would have called her. Or at least texted her to give her a heads-up.
She checked her phone. No missed calls or texts. In fact, nothing from Hawk all day.
“You were right, he is an amazing man,” Bridget said, her eyes filling. “Even after everything I put him through, he’s willing to forgive the past and let me come home. Start fresh.”
Ali opened her mouth, but too many questions and emotions formed all at once, choking her. Sending that earlier confidence back ten years. Hawk said he wanted to hold her forever, but that had been when Bridget wasn’t a viable choice. But now Bridget was coming home—and Hawk had put their past behind them.
Which led her to the most important question, the one that had been bubbling up in her for so long but she’d never taken the time to ask. What about her future?Theirfuture?
Ali’s hands began to tremble because she had started to allow herself to picture it. To give in to the hope that it was possible. Wanted more than anything to believe that it could happen.
“It’s not nice to tempt a changed man.” Marty’s voice was groggy with sleep and from the medication.
“We didn’t mean to wake you,” Bridget said, moving to the side of the bed to take his hand.
“I was having dreams of swimming in a vat of chocolate pie.” He squeezed Bridget’s hand, then looked at Ali and gave a tired smile. “Still not as good as time with my girls, though. That’s all I want, is more time with my girls.”
“Well, then today’s your lucky day, because we aren’t going anywhere,” Bridget said, then looked out the door. “Except maybe to ask the nurse what’s taking so long with those results.”
“I’ll go find out,” Ali said, needing to get out of there. To see Hawk. To see what had happened since he’d dropped her off.
To see if he still meant what he’d said. Or if he’d said it in a vulnerable moment.
“I can do that,” Bridget offered. “You’ve been here all day, let me handle things so you can go home and get some rest.”
Right, this went back to the whole sharing people she loved when all she wanted to do was keep them to herself.
“Yes, honey, go rest. We can visit tomorrow,” Marty said, and Ali nodded, choking on all the what-ifs and past fears making her head spin.
And her heart ache.
She kissed her dad on the cheek and told Bridget, “Text me with the results when you hear.”
***
Ali pulled into Bay View, her heart taking another hard hit when she saw Hawk’s motorcycle parked in the driveway.
When she’d arrived at her apartment and found it empty, she’d held out hope that Hawk was still at Marty’s finishing up, or perhaps the grocery store. So she’d texted him, asking where he was. He’d responded with sweet and simple,Working something out. PS. pie’s in the fridge.
I’ll wait, she’d replied.
