His phone rang and he fumbled in his rush to answer it. “Hello?”
My eyes narrowed on his back as he walked out the back door for privacy. Did my dad have a new woman? If that were the case I’d be damn happy. He came back inside a few minutes later with his face glowing.
“Got a girlfriend?” I asked casually, hiding my amusement.
“What? No!” He reached into his pocket and handed me a key. “That was just Julie. She asked me to pick up the balloons for Chance’s birthday party tomorrow.”
“Don’t tell me you’re dipping in that again,” I told him, shuddering at the picture that came to mind.
“Caleb, watch your mouth. I won’t allow you to be speak crudely about your stepmother!”
“Stepmother?” I choked out. “Are you forgetting the divorce?”
He appeared embarrassed. “Former stepmother.”
That sounded a hell of a lot better. “So,” I drawled, “Chance’s birthday party is tomorrow? Am I invited?”
A determined look came over his face and he began typing something into his phone. I laughed, walking out to my car. If Julie was trying to weasel her way back into my dad’s heart she’d be forced to play nice with his son.
Between her contrived hospitality tomorrow and Gianna’s discomfort, the party could turn out to be fun.
I only hoped I’d be invited.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“What love we’ve given, we’ll have forever. What love we fail to give, will be lost for all eternity.”
-Leo Buscaglia
GIANNA
Caleb was here.
And I was freaking out.
Helping with the party was a good excuse to ignore him, but wouldn’t last forever. My dad gave me strange looks as I ran around keeping busy. After a half hour, he pulled me aside. “Why is Caleb glaring at Gage?”
“Because I broke up with him,” I answered with fake nonchalance. I was totally freaking out.
His eyebrows shot up. “And he blames Gage?”
“Maybe,” I prevaricated.
“Tell me,” he commanded. Jeez, I liked having my dad around full-time, but he wanted to know everything.
I lowered my voice, not wanting anyone to overhear. “I kind of told him Gage and I were together now.”
“Are you?”
“Together?” I asked, deciding how to answer. “Of course not, we’re just friends.”
“Why did you feel the need to lie, Gianna?”
As if I’d tell my dad the truth. Without getting too personal, I said, “I don’t think I’m in a place to have a boyfriend right now.”
His face softened in understanding and I had the urge to call my therapist to yell at her. She needed to quit blabbing to my dad about me. “Just tell him the truth, Gianna.”
“I’ll think about it,” I snapped, turning my attention back to the superhero piñata I was stuffing candy inside.
“Dad!” Chance called from where he and his friends sat shoving pizza in their mouths. My dad’s attention returned to the birthday boy as he moved to see what Chance wanted.
It was odd to have everyone here at my mom’s house. And I didn’t mean the Chance’s friends. My mom, dad, Scott and Caleb were all here for the party. How my mom was okay with Caleb’s presence I didn’t know. I suspected the way she kept acting sweet to Scott might have something to do with it.
The backyard was decorated in an explosion of superheroes, with dozens of balloons tied to chairs. We’d set up games for the kids and my mom had made both a cake and cupcakes. Scott and my dad had met a few times, so they were cool with each other. My mom had thawed out in recent months toward my dad and they were finally on more amicable terms. Maybe after two failed marriages, she’d realized she might be doing something wrong.
If I weren’t in the middle of it, I’d find it amusing that my mom was obviously making a play for her ex-husband. Scott, not my dad, thank god. If she’d tried the same thing with my dad, he’d run away back to Houston.
“Need help?” Gage asked after joining me by the tree.
“Sure,” I said, handing him the rope to throw over a branch.
He tossed the end of the rope up, making it on the first try. “Do you think he’ll try to kick my ass again in front of all these kids?”
“No, and I’m still sorry about that.” I glanced to where Caleb stood talking to my mom. My mom’s smile was totally fake, but she was trying to impress Scott. When she put another piece of pizza on Caleb’s plate I wasn’t sure if I wanted to laugh or cry.
Now she makes the effort to get along with him.
Caleb was eating up more than the pizza, clearly amused at my mom’s insincere friendliness.