Page 39 of Small Town Swoo
I shrank back a little. “You think Dad has a girlfriend? In all the years since Mom died, he hasn’t so much aslookedat another woman.”
“I know. ‘It only happens once’ and all that.”
I cocked my head, squinting at Xander. “But you think that’s changed?”
“I do, and I’ve got proof. When Kelly tours, she and her mom share their location. It’s their way of staying connected while Kelly is gone. And over the weekend, her mom was at a resort hotel casino in Detroit called the MGM Grand. Shesaidshe met some friends for a spa weekend.”
I folded my arms and waited for him to go on.
“Just now, I was waiting for this to heat up in the microwave, and that box where Dad keeps all his receipts like it’s 1985 was out on the counter. I happened to glance at it.”
“And?”
“And there are a bunch of receipts from the MGM Grand in Detroit. Valet parking, restaurant, room.”
My jaw fell open. “Seriously?”
Xander plunked the fork into the empty container and set it aside. “It’s official. Dad has a girlfriend.”
“I think it’s nice,” I said, once I recovered from the shock. “Do you like Julia?”
“Julia’s a little different, but yeah, I like her.”
“What’s ‘different’ about her?”
Xander ran a hand over his bearded jaw. “She’s just a little out there. But she’s sweet, she’s high-energy, she’sattractive, and she and Dad get along really well. She could be good for him.”
“How old is she?”
“Fifty-nine.”
“And Dad’s what, sixty-six?”
“Yep.”
“Good for him.” I locked my hands behind my head, leaning back in the chair. “So why’s he hiding it?”
“I don’t know. He must think we won’t like the idea.”
“That’s ridiculous. We’ve been telling him for years he should make an effort to meet someone.”
“I know. And Kelly is thrilled—she adores Dad and knows he’ll treat Julia like a queen.”
“Maybe we should?—”
The patio door slid open, and our dad stepped outside carrying a white paper bag from a local bakery. “Decided to run into town. I had a hankering for a ham and cheese croissant.”
I couldn’t help but regard my father differently. Did he look a little younger? A little happier? He’d told me he was going to the gym three days a week, and I thought his renewed energy was due to taking better care of himself. But maybe there was another layer.
“Hey, son,” he said to Xander. “Didn’t realize you were coming over or I’d have brought extra.”
“No problem. I already ate.”
Dad set the bag on the table. “I’ll just go get us something to drink. Want a water or something, Dash?”
“I’ll take a water, thanks.” I fished a sandwich out of the bag and took a bite.
“Xander?”
