When It's Right by Denault Victoria

Author:Denault, Victoria
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Published: 2018-08-13T16:00:00+00:00

15

Griffin

I glance at my phone. It’s been two hours since Sadie’s dad went in for surgery. Is that long enough to fix a hip? I wonder as I put my bag in the back seat next to Charlie’s booster seat and jump into the driver’s seat. The team leaves on a seven-day road trip this afternoon. Management has made the decision to send the entire coaching staff, which is rare, but we’ve been in a losing streak and we’re on the verge of falling out of playoff contention, so they’re pulling out all the stops.

Of course they didn’t tell us until this morning, and so I have to change my schedule with Charlie…which is going to give Lauren fodder for her custody case. Hunter swears it won’t be a big deal and that the case is still bullshit, but I still worry. A lot. I pull up in front of Lauren’s place and don’t see her car in the driveway. I should have called, but if I called she wouldn’t let me come over, and I wanted to say goodbye to Charlie myself. I’m at the point where I wonder if my messages to Charlie via Lauren are getting through.

Despite not seeing her car I head up the path to the front door. I ring the doorbell and wait. I’m there so long I’m positive she’s not home, so I pull my cell out of my pocket and sit on the swinging bench I installed on the porch for Lauren the day she moved in…when we were on better terms and trying to be actual friends. I start to text her, but then suddenly the front door opens and my daughter is standing there grinning with joy.

“Dad!” she squeals, delighted, and holds open her arms. “Bring it in!”

I laugh despite the fact I’m stunned she opened the front door by herself. I didn’t think Lauren let her do that. I don’t let her do that. “Hey, Charlie bug! Why are you opening the door by yourself?”

“Because I saw it was you on the security camera,” she explains. “I promise I wouldn’t do it if it wasn’t you. I remember what you told me.”

“Oh. Okay.” I pick her up, which she normally tells me she’s too old for now, but she doesn’t complain this time. “I came to say goodbye in person. I have to go on a business trip.”

“So I don’t get to go to the boat this weekend?” She looks devastated, and the blood pumping through my heart gets thick with guilt.

“Not this weekend. I’m gone until next week,” I explain, and her face falls even more. I suddenly wish I were an accountant or a lawyer like Hunter and could have more control over my schedule. Of course I’d be miserable, but maybe that’s the tradeoff. “I’m here to talk to Mom and see if I can come get you that night, as soon as I’m back, and we can go to the boat then.”

“Mom’s not here,” she says, still pouting.

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