Rules of Their Fake Florida Fling by Juliette Hyland

Author:Juliette Hyland
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2022-10-13T19:05:06+00:00

CHAPTER SIX

“I LIKE SEEING you smile.” His father looked so happy in the video chat, his light blue eyes bright in the sun. No matter when he called his dad, the man was always on his porch. Soaking in the Florida sun or enjoying the cool night air. It was a practice he’d started after his mother passed, said he felt closer to her when he was outside.

“I smile all the time,” Asher chuckled. He was always grinning. It was one of the things his patients liked to comment on. Easy to trust a smiling surgeon.

“No.” His father shook his head. “You have a grin you wear constantly, but it’s not a real smile.” The words were said without any malice or judgment. Just the truth of a father knowing his son far better than Asher realized.

So he decided to let the discussion of whether his smile was real most of the time or not die away. His relationship with his dad was easy—most of the time. But there were things, hurts and angers, that he never addressed. His dad had lost enough already; he didn’t need to know how angry Asher had been at him too. How hurt... Light conversations, jokes, that was what he did best. “I’m bringing a friend with me to dinner this weekend. Hope that’s okay.”

“It’s always okay. Who is the friend, and do they have any dietary restrictions? I had planned to make chicken-and-feta-stuffed ravioli, but if they are a vegetarian or celiac or just hate pasta, happy to adjust. I have a stack of recipes still to try.”

“A stack of recipes?” Asher raised his eyebrow. He loved his father, and the man cooked more than he did, but that bar was exceptionally easy to get over. His dad had three “fancy” meals he made for their dinners. Chicken-and-feta-stuffed ravioli, tacos with seasoned shells and a vegetable curry that Asher always thought needed more kick.

“I signed up for a cooking class last week. The seniors’ center is offering a six-week course. The tagline was Explore your palate before you’re dead.”

Asher felt his mouth fall open. His father was very relaxed with the idea of passing now that Asher was an adult. He was fit, and tried new experiences, but he always said that being reunited with his wife was the thing he was looking forward to most.

Now he was just trying to rack up experiences. Many people feared death. Even Asher, who saw it more than most, was uncomfortable with his father’s easy acceptance of his mortality.

“That is an interesting marketing metric.”

“I thought so, though Alfred said it was a bit much.” His father hit a couple buttons on the video call, turning the camera to show Asher his blooming flowers before turning it back around. “That man plans to live to a hundred.”

“Is that such a bad thing?” Asher did his best not to sigh into the phone. He knew his father missed his mother, but life was exciting too. And a long life was an admirable goal.

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