Page 13 of Maverick
Once the meals were finished, the seniors played a few rounds of bridge. I didn’t know Dad played, but I laughed at his competitiveness. Something he’d definitely passed on to me. I moved to the bar and sat with Lexie, who’d come back out during the lull.
“You should come here on a Saturday night,” she said.
I laughed. “Let me guess, senior supper?”
Lexie smiled and shook her head. “Not at all. It’s dance night with a deejay and half price shooters. I’ll ask about getting you the gate code, that way you can use the trail to walk home.”
I cocked my head to the side. I wasn’t one to drink a lot. I didn’t like the lack of control. But getting a little numb didn’t seem like such a bad idea.
“Are you working?”
Lexie shook her head. “Heck no. That’s my night off.” She raised her hands in the air and waved her hips. “It’s my night to paaaartay!”
I snickered. “I probably won’t make it this weekend, but I’ll keep that in mind.”
9
Kat
“You better stay out of that water, girl!” Dad chuckled as Noodle splashed into the pond. “She never listens. The other week, I had to mop twice in one day because she ran through the house with muddy feet.”
“She definitely keeps you on your toes.” We waited by the edge of the pond while Noodle swam around the weeds.
I could hardly believe two weeks passed so quickly. I had settled into Dad’s routine with surprising ease. Most evenings were spent hanging out with Dad and watchingThe Unit. Not my usual cup of tea, but all those rough, rugged men reminded me of someone. Someone I hadn’t seen since our gun shop visit. Not that I wanted to see him again. Not really. Well, maybe a little.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d spent the evening relaxing. No reports to work on or projects to finish. It was strange to have free time. But it was also nice.
I’d worked my ass off to get to where I was. CFO of a medium sized tech company. Twelve to eighteen months away frommoving to a larger company. My name on the deed to my condo. A BMW that drove like a dream and a list of gentleman I could call on if I needed and ignore when I didn’t. My life was the picture of stability, and I loved it.
Dad was older than my mom. She’d barely graduated high school when they met. She married him thinking she’d found someone to take care of her, only to realize she wasn’t cut out for country living. But then she’d been stuck without any skills or work history and we’d ended up living with her parents.
She was determined not to meet that fate again, so she enrolled in classes at the local community college. That went well at first, until she met a visiting instructor and I got stepdad number one. After that, Mom made sure she had someone lined up before leaving. I loved the woman, but her inability keep a job had her relying on a man her whole life. We moved every couple of years and I was never able to put down roots. The only time I had anything familiar was when I visited Dad.
So even though I didn’t follow her example, Mom did teach me the importance of establishing my own career and identity. I made sure to do well in school and stay through to my master’s so I’d always have a means to support myself. I’d never be stuck with a man I no longer loved because I’d be homeless without him.
I had put down roots. I sort of knew my neighbors. I could borrow cups of sugar. It’s what I’d always longed for growing up.
But that also meant I hadn’t taken a vacation in years. And not that this was one, but it was a nice break from the daily grind.
I’d never thought about what Dad did all day. Since he was retired, I’d assumed he just puttered around. He quickly proved that wrong. We took Noodle on a walk around the property twice a day, anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour, depending on their moods and the weather. We checked on the pigs, but atthis point Dad rarely had to feed them. The MC sent over their restaurant scraps every day, so they were happy and healthy.
Dad also had a nice garden that he kept up with. It had been a lot larger at one time, but the portion he worked with now had tomatoes, a few herbs, and other veggies like cucumbers and peppers. I gathered a few items for a salad and we walked back to the house.
“Don’t take everything. I gotta leave a few for the guy.”
I sighed. “What guy?”
“My friend. I forget his name, but he comes around here and buys from me. He doesn’t trust the grocery stores, thinks the food sits on trucks for too long and gathers up all them diesel fumes.”
“Right, well, there’s plenty left if he comes by.” Assuming he was even real.
“Good. He always gives me a crisp hundred, no matter how much or how little he picks up.” We walked to the back deck of the house and stopped in front of the door. Dad grabbed a towel off a hook and wiped down Noodle’s feet.
“You can’t forget this step, Katie. The other week, I had to mop the floor twice in one day because of her muddy paws. That was not fun.”
I forced a smile. “Yeah, you mentioned that.”
Dad’s head tilted. “Did I?” He yawned as we walked up the deck steps. “I think I’ll take a nap.”
