Chapter Thirteen

Kate

"Hey, Dad," I say when he picks up the phone. "What time are we meeting?"

"I just have to wrap something up and then I'll head over there."

It's Sunday morning and I need to be preparing for the staff training tomorrow but this couldn't wait. I have to talk to my dad and find out what's going on with him and Celeste. Gavin said his mom didn't tell him much, other than to confirm it was a date. But I don't believe her. There's no way my dad would date Celeste.

We meet at a coffee shop just down from my apartment. I didn't want to meet him at my restaurant. It's too noisy there with the workers rushing to get everything done.

"How are you doing, honey?" My dad gives me a quick hug, then we sit down at the table.

"I'm okay."

"You look tired."

"I am. These last few weeks have been crazy trying to get everything ready for the opening."

It's not just that. I'm also tired because I haven't been sleeping much. I've been lying awake worrying that Gavin and I are growing apart. He's been working so much that it feels like we never talk anymore.

"Anything I could do to help?" He sets his phone on the table. "I could have Darren take some of my clients."

Darren is the guy my dad hired when his business took off last year.

"Thanks for the offer but I have plenty of help. It's just coordinating everything that has to be done before the opening that's making me stressed. But I'm sure it'll all work out. Henry keeps telling me that and I'm actually starting to believe him."

"You seem to really like Henry."

I smile. "I do. He's like a grandpa. He's always giving me advice, looking out for me."

My dad nods. "I wish you could've met your real grandfather. He was a good man."

My grandpa died before I was born. He was a cop like my dad. He was shot and killed during a gas station robbery. A few months later, his wife died of a heart attack. My dad was in his early twenties at the time. He'd just met my mom. Her parents are also gone. They died in a car crash a few months before she met my dad. I think that's why the two of them bonded so quickly. They were both grieving and helped each other get through that time. They ended up getting married just six months after they met.

"Kate?" my dad says.

I look up and see a waitress standing by the table. "What can I get you?"

"Just coffee. Thanks."

She walks away. My dad must've already ordered. I didn't even hear him. Guess I spaced out for a moment.

"Are you okay?" my dad asks.

"Yeah. I'm just tired." I check my phone and see eight texts from my crew, all questions I need to answer when I get back. There isn't a single text from Gavin. We used to text each other throughout the day but that hasn't happened since he started working for the senator.

"Is Gavin helping you?"

I set my phone down and look at my dad. "What do you mean?"

"With the restaurant. Is he helping you?"

"He does when he can but lately he hasn't had time. He's been working a lot, getting home late."

"He has to work late writing proposals? That doesn't seem like something that would be all that urgent."

I hesitate, not wanting to tell him this. He's not going to like it, but now he can tell I'm hiding something and he'll make us sit here until I tell him.

"Gavin kind of has a new job," I say, biting my lip.

"How do you 'kind of' have a new job?"

"He's only working there a few days a week. The rest of the time he's at his other job."

My dad sits back and folds his arms over his chest. "Let me guess. He's working for a politician."

I sigh. "How'd you know?"

"He studied political science, worked on his dad's campaign. I figured he'd want to get back into it at some point. Didn't you?"

"Maybe, but all last year he told me this isn't what he wanted. He said he wanted to be in a job where he could help people and make a difference, not work on a political campaign."

"That was before his father died. He may see things differently now. Working on a campaign is a connection to his father. He may need to do this as part of his grieving process."

"So you're okay with this?"

"That's not what I said. Personally, I'd rather he stay away from politicians and anything related to politics. But I can't make that decision for him and neither can you. If he wants to do this, or needs to, then that's what he's going to do."

"He knows I don't want him doing it. We had a fight about it."

"But he's doing it anyway. Did he explain why?"

The waitress drops off our coffee. I wait for her to leave, then say, "He thinks it'll help him connect with people who could get him a better job. He doesn't like the job he has now. He's bored with it. But I'm worried he's not telling me the truth and that campaign work is really what he wants to do."

My dad sips his coffee, then sets it down. "Gavin is young. He's still figuring out his life, his career. And on top of all that, he's dealing with the loss of his father. I think you just need to give him time. Once he starts putting in more hours on the campaign, he may find it's not as great as he thought it'd be." He smiles. "It'll take him away from my beautiful daughter and I know he doesn't want that."

I thought the same thing, and yet, so far, it hasn't seemed to bother him. Gavin doesn't seem to mind being away from me. What if that continues? What if he starts traveling for the campaign and gets so into his job that he doesn't even miss me?

"Who's he working for?" my dad asks.

"Senator Falkin from New York. It's his re-election campaign."

"The election is over a year away. They're already starting?"

"Yeah. Gavin's already working on the website." I lean toward my dad and lower my voice. "Why aren't you freaking out about this? Knowing what we know about politicians, aren't you worried about Gavin getting involved with Falkin?"

"Of course I am, but we can't do anything about it. This is Gavin's decision, not yours."

"I don't want him working for Falkin. I have to convince him to quit and focus on finding another job."

"You can try, but it'll likely just lead to an argument." He glances around to make sure no one's listening. "Not every politician is part of it." 

"How would we know if Falkin is?"

"We don't. But Falkin's young and inexperienced. I doubt they'd waste their time with someone like him."

"I still don't like Gavin being involved in politics."

He stirs his coffee. "You sound like your mother."

"What do you mean?"

He sets his coffee stirrer on the napkin next to his cup. "Your mother hated that I was a cop. When I worked nights, she couldn't sleep. She wanted me to quit but I wouldn't do it."

"Because you liked the job?"

"That, and the fact that my father was a cop. I felt like I was continuing his legacy, connecting with him somehow. I think Gavin might be trying to do the same."

"If that were true, and he really wanted to be like his dad, he'd run for office, but he's told me a million times he doesn't want to do that."

My dad puts his hand over mine. "Honey, I know you're worried about this, but right now, I want you to focus on getting the restaurant opened. You have enough going on. Focus on yourself right now. Get some rest. Try to stay calm. And call your father if you need help." He lets go of my hand and sits back, smiling. "I'm not great with a hammer but I could help in the kitchen."

I give him a funny look. "What are you talking about? You're a horrible cook."

He shrugs. "Maybe, but I can peel potatoes better than anyone. My mother used to make me do it as a kid. So if you need a potato peeler, call me."

I laugh. "Okay. Anything else you can do?"

"I'm pretty good with carrots too. Ask your mom. When she was pregnant with you, she craved carrots for the first five months. I've never peeled so many carrots in my life."

"Did she cook them or eat them raw?"

"Raw. She liked the crunch. She dipped them in Ranch dressing. One night we ran out and I had to drive forty miles to find a store that was open at midnight."

I can totally see my dad doing that. Even after my parents divorced, he'd do anything for my mom. All she had to do was ask, but she rarely did because she didn't want him to think they'd ever get back together. But I think deep-down, she wanted that. I know she still loved my dad and would've taken him back if she felt she could count on him to not drink again. But just when she'd think he'd sobered up, he'd fall off the wagon.

"Did you have a nice dinner last night?" he asks. "With your mom?"

"Yeah, it was fun. She really likes Henry."

My dad's brows rise. "Isn't he a little..."

"Oh. No. Not like that. I mean she likes him as a friend, not anything more than that. He's way too old for her. And even if he wasn't, she's not ready to date. It's too soon." As I say it I'm reminded why I asked him to meet me. "So, um, how was dinner with Gavin's mom?"

"Good." He takes a sip of his coffee. "I'm going to do some work for her."

"What kind of work?"

"I can't say. It's confidential. You know that."

"Are you working directly for her or is she hiring you for a friend?"

"Kate." He gives me that look that says to stop asking questions because he's not giving answers. He did this when I was younger and would ask questions when I saw people I knew at his office, mostly parents of my friends. They're all divorced now so I assume he caught them cheating.

"Fine. You can't tell me." I glance to the side, then back at my dad. "So anything else going on there?"

"On where? What are you talking about?"

"You and Celeste. Last night kind of seemed like a date but she's totally not your type so I'm sure I read it wrong." I let out a laugh.

"It was a date," he says casually, "but we also talked business."

My eyes bug out. "You're dating Gavin's mom?"

"It was one date. Just dinner. Nothing to get riled up about."

I huff. "Are you kidding? It's Gavin's mom!" I cross my arms over my chest. "You can't date Gavin's mom. Why would you even ask her out?"

"I didn't. She asked me out."

"That doesn't make sense. Celeste only dates rich guys. Not that you're poor, but you're not rich enough for Celeste. She only dates millionaires. Or billionaires."

"Kate, you're making too much out of this. It was one date."

"So you're not seeing her again?"

He sips his coffee instead of answering.

"Dad, are you seeing her again or not?"

He sets his cup down. "She asked me to go with her to the symphony next weekend."

"And you agreed to it? You don't even like the symphony."

"She doesn't want to go alone. She always went there with Niles and since his passing, she hasn't been back."

"So you're going because you feel sorry for her."

"Honey, would you stop questioning me about this? I'm a grown man. I'm allowed to choose who I go out with."

"Meaning you're choosing to go out with Celeste? So it's not a pity date. You like her." I feel sick thinking of the two of them together. Just seeing them at dinner made my stomach queasy. "How could you like Celeste? You two have nothing in common. And more importantly, she hates me!"

"She doesn't hate you. In fact, last night she went on and on about how much she likes you and how she thinks you're perfect for Gavin."

"She was lying. She's trying to make you think she likes me so you'll go out with her again." I pick up my coffee cup, then set it down. "Why is she interested in you? None of this makes sense."

"I'm not that bad, am I?" His lips turn up.

I sigh. "You're a great catch, Dad, but for someone else. Not Celeste. Definitely not Celeste. You can't date her. Gavin and I will find someone else to take her to the symphony. Maybe Gavin could go with her."

That would mean I wouldn't see Gavin on Saturday night but I'm willing to give up our date night if it meant my dad wouldn't be out with Celeste.

"Kate, I already told her I'd go. And..." He rubs his hand over his jaw and looks to the side.

"And what?"

He looks back at me. "And I want to go. I'm not doing this out of pity. I know you don't care for Celeste but I actually had a good time last night. It's nice to have a woman in my life again."

"Then date someone else. Join one of those online dating sites. They have tons of single women who would love to go out with you."

He gives me the dad stare. "We're done discussing this. I'm going out with her and that's all I'm going to say about it."

I roll my eyes. "I can't believe you're doing this."

He stands up. "I hate to leave but I need to meet a client back at the office at ten." He tosses a twenty on the table. "Come give your dad a hug."

I get up and hug him. "I know this lady who works at the restaurant supply company who's about your age and—"

"Kate." He stands back, smiling. "Let me worry about my love life, okay? You have your own things to worry about."

Love life? Just hearing him say the word 'love' in the context of his date with Celeste has me wanting to gag. What if they keep dating? What if they fall in love? Get married?

"Goodbye, honey."

"Bye," I say as he leaves. I sit back down at the table and call Gavin. He doesn't answer so I text him, Our parents are dating! My dad just confirmed it!

He texts right back, Don't worry. It won't last.

If he's able to text, why didn't he answer my call? He used to always answer my calls. He'd even leave a meeting to answer my call. So why isn't he now? What is going on with him? 

 I can't worry about it. I have so much to do before the restaurant opens. When it finally does, I'll try to figure out what's going on with Gavin. And if my dad is still dating Celeste, I'll find a way to convince him to stop seeing her. Because she's not right for him. And he's not right for her. They can't be a couple. This relationship they've started has to end, and soon.