Page 127 of Off the Mark
“I’m here to seeyou. Are you wearing your charm?”
“Wouldn’t leave home without it.” I pulled the chain from around my neck to show her.
She admired it, then winked at me. “You won’t need any luck though. You’re all heart. So are you surprised? Rowan had the lovely idea to invite everyone along.”
I followed her gaze to the stands, just as he appeared by my side, slipping an arm around my waist. Pink glitter signs flashed bright, a whole handful that readCharlie Maddox is #1!They were held by Dean and Tabitha. Dean’s mothers and Eddie. And Dempsey, in a black-and-white suit. She blew me a kiss, then cheered my name.
“They came for me?” I asked around a lump in my throat. “I never had a cheering section before.”
Alice touched my hand. “What else is community for? And I adored meeting your father. What a charmer he is, all that hair and those tattoos.”
I blinked. “My…who? What?”
“Your dad.” She pointed to the parking lot, where I spotted a very familiar man with long gray hair, faded tattoos, and a leather vest. He raised his hand toward me excitedly.
Rowan leaned in and whispered, “Surprise.”
When I gawked up at him, he shrugged. “I made a secret trip up and back to Syracuse last night when you were out with Riley and Quinn.”
Tears sprang to my eyes. Alice waved as she walked off, with a cheerful, “Make South Philly proud!”
The second she was gone, I grabbed Rowan by the collar and dragged him in for a kiss. “You brought my dad to see my race?”
“I sure did. You should go say hi. He’s super happy to be here with you. He was mobbed immediately by fans when we got here early, but he gave them strict instructions to leave him alone until he could see his favorite daughter.”
I grabbed his face. “I love you so much.”
He kissed my forehead. “Love you more, gorgeous. Now go fuckingwin.”
Grinning, I made my way through to the parking lot with about ten minutes to go. My dad opened his arms, and I fell into them for a hug I hadn’t known I needed. He smelled like bike grease and worn leather.
“Hiya, honey. I sure did miss you.”
I sighed. “I’m so happy you’re here.”
“I had to see you win, didn’t I?” he said. “Plus, I wanna stick it to those Bettencourt assholes if I see ’em.”
“Don’t worry. Dempsey’s already scared them off. Did you walk the track earlier?”
He cast his gaze out over the dirt and jumps. “That stair set on the third curve will be killer. If you keep your grip loose and the throttle light, you’ll sail over it like a star.”
I made a mental note and said, “Got it. And did Rowan really drive you the five hours to Philly?”
He chuckled. “That’s one hell of a guy you got there. And I’m not only saying that because we did, in fact, spend five hours together. But he talked me through some of the nerves I had about the financial program I’m signing up for. I felt so much more comfortable by the end, honestly I did. I’m grateful that you told me about it.”
After I’d asked Rowan for help, he’d asked Elaine's advice. She had colleagues in Syracuse working on a pilot program that mitigated evictions for seniors, a program that acted as a mediator between the homeowner and the mortgage company. It would require a lot of work, and a longer payment plan, but if all went well my dad would keep the house—all on his own.
“I’m glad, Dad. Money stuff is so frustrating and confusing. But Rowan and Eddie and Dean are experts in helping people through programs like that. You’re gonna do great.”
He was nodding but holding my hand with a more serious expression from him than I was used to. He sniffed, looking around, then said, “Charlie, I…all this stuff with the eviction, talking to Rowan, it's making me think about things, about memories that are difficult to go back to.”
I blinked, remembering Rowan lying in the grass, the compassion on his face as he saidhow didyoufeel?
“What kinds of memories?” I asked.
“Oh, well…how challenging it is as a parent, when you get older, when you have to live with the mistakes that you've made. I made a lot of mistakes with you, Charlie, and sometimes I avoid talking about them because it's tough.”
He passed a hand over the top of his gray hair. “There was a long stretch there when you weren’t my priority and should have been. I know what you did for me, honey. Know how hard you worked to keep a roof over our heads when you were nothing but a kid. I can't undo that, though I wish every day that I could. But I can work on the stuff I'm not good at.” A sheepish grin. “Like money.”
