Chapter 14

 

I couldn’t look at the sales girl as we walked out of the dressing room and paid for the dress. I wasn’t sure I could even put that on before Christy’s party without blushing. Or how the hell I was going to go to my dad’s after having an orgasm in a dressing room.

At least the orgasm calmed my nerves a bit before we had to make the trek to the North Dallas suburbs and my dad’s home.

I guess Dad had always wanted to live in one of the bigger suburbs in a neighborhood with an HOA and big brick homes.

Mom never wanted to leave the big farmhouse in tiny Friendship, Texas, that she and Dad had bought shortly after they married. I guess Mom had this grand idea that they would grow closer and have more to discuss besides their jobs if they spent time fixing up the house. Instead, it just gave them more to fight about, and then I came along, adding no free time and a falling down house.

Of course, Mom eventually got contractors in to fix the big stuff—like get indoor plumbing before I was born—but Dad still didn’t want anything to do with it. And it took him eighteen years before I guess he finally decided he didn’t want the house or Mom and me and wanted his secretary and brick two story that was so close to the neighbor I swore they could almost be attached.

“Holy shit, you weren’t kidding about these houses,” Jordan grumbled, the truck practically crawling down the narrow street, lined with cars on each side in front of the giant brick homes. I swore each of them was twice the size of Mom’s place with a yard about the size of my bathroom.

“There’s Dad’s place. Up there.” I pointed at the home on the corner, double checking my phone to make sure I had the right address. I’d been to his place a grand total of three times and didn’t exactly have it memorized.

“Are you sure it isn’t one of the other million houses that look exactly like it?”

I wrinkled my nose, spotting the open garage door with Dad and Missy’s matching Range Rovers parked inside. “This is definitely the place,” I muttered.

Jordan pulled into their small driveway and stared up at their house as he tossed his trucker cap and flannel shirt in the back. “Better get rid of these, or the neighbors are gonna talk and think some hood rat nineties kids are here to rob the Dillinger’s.”

Jordan and I walked up the cobblestone pathway to the large wooden double doors with the Texas lone stars carved into the front.

“Texans are serious about their stars,” Jordan muttered.

I nudged his shoulder with mine. “You know you missed it.”

“Yeah. There’s nothing like a bunch of giant metal stars on people’s houses to show state pride.”

“What does New York have? Apples?” I asked.

Jordan smiled, shaking his head. “Quit stalling and ring the doorbell.”

I rolled my eyes and pressed the bell, the ringing echoing throughout the brick entryway.

Less than a minute later, the door was thrown open, and Dad stood there, grinning from ear to ear in his pressed golf polo and khakis. “Abbey! Jordan! You made it! I was afraid you’d be like your mother and give a last-minute excuse. Come in, come in!” Dad motioned us into the foyer with its grand staircase, marble floors, and the bright chandelier above us.

“Mom doesn’t always do that,” I scoffed, already on the defense, and we had just stepped in.

“You do the same thing,” Jordan said, nudging my shoulder as we followed Dad out of the foyer, past his pristine office, and into the open-air living room that was attached to the bright white kitchen. Floor-to-ceiling windows looked out at their sparkling blue pool, which basically consumed their entire backyard.

“This is a far cry from Friendship, Mr. Dillinger, but it’s beautiful,” Jordan said, looking up at the cathedral ceilings.

Missy appeared out of nowhere or the playroom on the other side of the kitchen. She looked, as always, like she just walked off a runway in her floral sundress and beach waves with her perfectly airbrushed makeup. “Well, we like the place. Close to work for Keith and I was able to use the spare room upstairs to set up my office.”

Missy closed the distance between us and clasped my hand. “Oh! By the way, I have a new color in that I think you’re going to love! And it won’t kiss off on your cowboy,” she said, shooting a wink in Jordan’s direction that made my skin crawl.

“I’m not much of a lipstick wearer,” I stuttered. The same thing I’d told her every single time I talked to her.

She waved her free hand. “That’s because you’ve never tried my lipstick! Remind me, and I’ll pack you some samples before you leave.”

I reminded myself not to remind her.

“Mommy, is dinner ready yet?” My half-brother Erwin walked out of his playroom, dressed like a little J Crew toddler in his little polo and khaki shorts with boat shoes. The kid freaking dressed better than I did.

“Not yet, sweetie. Daddy’s going to put the steaks on the grill now that your sister, Abbey, is here. Wanna say hi to Abbey and Jordan?” Missy asked, blinking her big blue eyes at Erwin and giving us the same puppy dog look.

“Hi, Abbey. Hi, Jordan,” Erwin said, waving.

“Keith, how long will those steaks take?” Missy asked, giving my father a look that I didn’t know was condescending or pushy.

Dad smiled, squeezing my shoulder before he headed to their giant Sub-Zero fridge and pulled out a tray of steaks that must be at least an inch thick. “On this infrared grill, it’s usually about seven minutes to a perfect steak. It’s amazing,” Dad said, I don’t know who he was trying to impress but he looked back and forth between Jordan and me.

“Wow. Cool,” Jordan said, trying to fake his enthusiasm.

“Come with me, Jor. You can see how this baby works,” Dad said, motioning to Jordan.

“I come to?” Erwin asked, looking up at Dad with his big blue eyes.

“It’s ‘Can I come too,’” Missy corrected.

Erwin sighed, sagging his shoulders. “Can I come too, Daddy?”

Dad laughed. “Sure, sport.”

Jordan raised his eyebrows in question. I wanted to scream ‘don’t leave me with Barbie,’ but I couldn’t exactly do that, so I just smiled as he walked out the sliding glass door, following Erwin and Dad to the small patio.

“How about a drink, Abbey?” Missy asked, practically floating to the small wet bar next to the living room. Why one needed that when it was literally ten steps from the kitchen was beyond me.

“Uh. Sure.”

I’d need all the alcohol if I was going to get through this night.

“Your dad and I took a mixology and wine pairing class that said red wine goes best with steak, but I’m not much of a red fan, so I can make us some martinis, or I think I have a few bottles of white in the wine chiller.”

A martini sounded like a good idea to get hammered, but then I wasn’t sure I’d be able to keep my mouth shut around Missy, and Jordan would have to drive my drunk ass home. Christy would never forgive me if I missed her party.

“A glass of white would be lovely,” I said, forcing a smile.

“That’s my girl,” Missy said with a wink, pulling a bottle out of the mini fridge and grabbing two crystal glasses from a rack above the sink.

I wasn’t her girl. I wasn’t her anything, except possibly able to pass as her older sister, not younger; I think the girl had better skin than I did.

Missy poured us each a glass then walked over to me, handing me the one in her right hand. “So tell me, Abbey, it’s been a while. What have you been up to? Still working at that repair shop?”

Holy shit, it had been a while since I talked to Dad and Missy. I quit the car repair shop I was working at in Lavon over a year ago. The bakery gave me a more flexible schedule, and I didn’t always smell like oil and tires.

“No. Actually, I’m working part-time at a bakery and still doing photography work for a studio out of Richardson,” I said, taking a tiny sip of my wine when I just wanted to take a giant gulp.

“Oh! I didn’t know you worked for a photography studio! Erwin’s birthday is coming up, and I’d love to get some family portraits!” Missy looked at me over her glass, grinning so wide I thought her face would split.

“Uh. It’s not exactly a studio. It’s a company that does school portraits.”

“Oh.” Missy’s smile faded as she took a sip of her drink.

“But I do some photos on the side. I actually just did a newborn session.”

“Oh! Do you have the pictures? I love looking at baby pictures! It might get me baby fever, but you know I’ve got an empire to build before I can think about baby number two!” Missy said with a giggle.

“Yeah … I think I have some on my phone.” I pulled my phone out of my back pocket and opened my photo app, scrolling through until I came to Christy’s nephew’s newborn session and handed my phone to Missy.

“Oh em gee! These are so sweet! Did you really do these?” she asked, glancing up at me then continued scrolling.

“Yeah. Took those at my friend’s ranch.”

“And these! These could be in a magazine!”

“I didn’t think they were that good,” I muttered.

“Not the baby. These,” Missy exclaimed, turning my phone around so I could see the screen filled with the pictures I took of Jordan at The Harbor. Shit. I should have known Missy was the type of girl to keep scrolling. Luckily, there weren’t any nudes of him there. Those were reserved for Snapchat.

“Oh. Yeah. That was just me and Jordan playing around at The Harbor,” I muttered, taking my phone and shoving it back into my pocket.

Missy shook her head, her blond curls flying around her head. “If that’s just joking around, then I’d love to see you not joking around. You know I have some photographer friends. Most are in New York, but some are in Dallas if you’re interested in any kind of internships or being an assistant and learn some of the ropes. They’re mostly fashion photographers, but some have been in national magazines.”

“Actually, I’m going to New York with Jordan at the end of the month,” I blurted without even thinking about it.

Missy squealed and clapped her hands before she ran to the counter, picking up her phone. “Oh em gee! That’s so exciting! Let me message Jean and Lucian and see what they’re doing. Oh, they’re fabulous! Oh, they’ll be thrilled to have you! And, of course, I’ll have to visit. I mean I’ve put on about five pounds since having Erwin, but I’d love to shoot again,” Missy rambled off, furiously typing on her phone.

“Oh. Uh. You don’t have to do that,” I muttered.

Missy squealed. “It’s done! And Jean asked for your email, phone number, and portfolio!”

“What?” I blinked, not sure I heard her right.

Missy turned the phone in my direction, showing me the messenger app, where sure enough, there was a small picture on the side of the beautiful-looking man in a tailored suit with the same words she just told me.

“I don’t even know if I have a portfolio. Oh, my God. I have to make one!” I put my hand to my chest. None of the other photographers I talked to on Facebook asked for that, though they were mainly wedding photographers, happy just to talk to someone as an unpaid assistant.

“That’s easy! Those pictures of Jordan will be perfect to start, and if you want, we can go to my office and look for some more before the boys get back inside.”

I stared at the woman who I wanted to hate for so long because she broke up my family. But now, I saw the woman who actually seemed to want to help me for more than just lipstick. The one who could help me with a future in New York.

“Okay, Missy. Let’s do this.”

 

***

 

The steaks were cold, and no one took out the side dishes by the time Missy and I walked downstairs, still talking about Jean and how he saw potential in Jordan’s photos and wanted to set up a phone call for next week.

Dad smiled from the head of the table with Missy and Erwin at one side and Jordan and me at the other.

“I’m glad to see my two favorite girls getting along so well,” Dad said, grinning widely.

“Don’t get too used to it unless you plan on finally taking us on a trip to New York,” Missy squealed, finishing her second glass of wine.

“New York? You’re moving to New York, Abs?” Dad’s eyes grew wide.

“Well, yeah, her and loverboy! The artist and the photographer!” Missy squealed.

Dad raised an eyebrow.

“I take it you told Missy, and that’s what you two were gabbing about upstairs and not just this lipstick,” Jordan asked, pointing at his own lips.

I rubbed my lips together, feeling the smooth pink gloss between my lips. “Yeah. Missy actually knows some photographers in New York from her pageant days, and one is interested in taking me on for an apprenticeship.”

“Do you have a place to live? A plan for a full-time job or school? A budget?” Dad asked, forcing me to look in his direction with his deep voice.

These were all the questions he asked me four years ago, and I didn’t have any answers, so I just cried. But not this time.

“I’ve saved up a lot since high school graduation and have been working full time since I finished my associates. Living with Mom, I’ve saved some money, and there are quite a few bakeries and coffee shops I already scoped out to give my resume to. I have enough saved for at least a year to live off, and I hope by then I’ll have a job that’ll pay rent and other necessities.”

Dad nodded slowly and then a small smile appeared on his lips. “Well, Abbey, it looks like you finally have it all figured out.”

I shrugged. “I’m trying.”

“And what happens if it doesn’t work out? Do you come back here and live with your mom? Go to school in Dallas?” He cocked an eyebrow.

“Keith,” Missy hissed.

I raised a hand. “No. It’s okay. I can answer.” I turned to face my dad fully and felt Jordan’s hand go to my knee, squeezing it lightly.

Four years ago, I didn’t have him by my side for these conversations. This time, he was with me. This time, we were going to be together every step of the way.

“I don’t plan on failing, Dad.”