Page 146 of The Clover Chapel (Jamison Valley 2)
“You look well,” he said.
“You too.”
My father looked the same as he had during my childhood, except for the gray streaks in his brown hair and a few wrinkles around his eyes. I was glad to see that he had dressed casually and had left his signature gray suit and blue tie behind in New York.
“Let me introduce you to my husband,” I said. “Nick Slater, meet my father, Trent Austin.”
“Nice to meet you,” Nick said, shaking his hand.
“Pleasure,” my father lied.
“Trent, isn’t this place just so charming? And woodsy?” Steffie asked, sliding into my father’s side.
He gave her a skeptical look before sliding his hand down to palm her ass.
Steffie and my father had always flaunted their highly sexual relationship. I wished, just once, they’d remember how awkward it was for me to witness.
“We’ve made reservations for dinner out tonight,” I said. “You’ve got time to get settled first. I’ve opened a bottle of wine if you’d like some, Father. Or Nick has beer.”
“Wine,” he said.
“Fine. Please come in and sit,” I said, leading them to the living room.
“I’ll help you in the kitchen, Emmy,” Nick said when my father and Steffie were squished together on a couch.
“Emmeline,” my father corrected.
“Emmy,” I said. “Nick calls me ‘Emmy.’ ”
My father muttered something under his breath but I was already walking away so I missed it.
“That could have gone worse,” Nick said.
“Really?”
“We just have to make it through dinner and then we can escape,” he said.
“Right. Dinner then home.”
I could endure.
Nick and I had survived but dinner had been a disaster.
“How are we going to make it until Wednesday?” I asked.
“It’ll be okay,” Nick said. “We just have to get through the hike and then another dinner.” Nick was taking my father on a hike tomorrow for the man-date Steffie had requested while us girls were spending the morning at the Prescott Spa.
“He was so rude!” I shouted as I threw my purse on the dining room table. “His behavior tonight was awful! I wanted to snatch that phone from his hand and dump it in my water glass. And did you notice how every time we touched, he would glare at us?”
“I noticed,” Nick said. “Why do you think I started touching your leg under the table? It was either that or cause a scene by telling him to fuck off.”
“Obviously this whole trip was Steffie’s idea. He does not want to be here and couldn’t have made that more clear.”
“My favorite part of the night was when he started talking about your ex,” Nick said. “I really enjoyed listening to what a shame it was that you didn’t make it. Oh, and how well-bred your children would have been.”
“I’m so sorry, Nick.”
“Don’t you dare apologize for him.” He crossed the room and pulled me into his arms.
