Page 72 of Hearts of Wealth

Timothy

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THE SUN WAS WARM AGAINST my skin as I sat on the beach, the sound of the waves lulling me into a state of relaxation. John was beside me, his gaze fixed on the horizon as he soaked in the beauty of the ocean in the beach chair. It was a rare moment of tranquility for both of us, and I cherished it. It was peaceful. Most of the summer people had gone home, leaving the beach nice and empty.

The party had been a success. We were supposed to leave yesterday, but Catherine wanted to stay another day. John was enjoying himself, and the ocean air seemed to being doing wonders for him. It wasn’t like I had anything to do. If it helped John heal faster, I’d stay a week. A month. I was happy. Truly happy. The feeling was strange. I thought I had known happiness before, but this was different. This was true happiness.

As we sat in companionable silence, Catherine approached us, her smile radiant as she joined us on the sand. She spread out a blanket and stretched out with her sunglasses on.

“Dad, how come you didn’t tell me about the proposal?” she asked, half-joking.

“It’s called a surprise, Catherine,” John answered with exasperation.

“But you could have given me a hint.”

“Yes, I could have,” he replied. “But that would have ruined the surprise.”

“What else have the two of you talked about?” she asked.

“None of your business Miss Nosy,” I teased.

“She’s never been good at waiting for things,” John said. “You should see her on Christmas. I had to hide her gifts to keep her from ripping them open.”

“She doesn’t have a lot of patience, does she?” I asked with a smile.

Catherine lowered her sunglasses and looked at me. We both knew what I was talking about.

“I just think there are a lot of things that need to happen on any given day,” Catherine retorted. “No need to be waiting around.”

I listened as she and her father argued about not being in a rush. It warmed my heart to see them together, their bond stronger than ever. It was clear John was feeling more like his old self. That was a good sign. I knew it was a huge weight off Catherine’s shoulders as well.

“I’m glad you two have figured out how to get along,” Catherine said. “You are both a couple of grumpy old farts.”

“I’m not old,” I retorted.

“Older than me,” she countered.

I couldn’t help but smile, knowing that our relationship had come a long way since the early days of awkwardness and tension.

“Now that you have finally found the right guy, I have to stay healthy,” John said.

“What do you mean?” Catherine asked.

“I want to be around for my future grandchildren. I want to see Paisley graduate high school. Can’t do that if I’m six feet under.”

“Agreed,” Catherine said. “It’s not like I haven’t been telling you that for years.”

John grumbled at Catherine’s response, but there was a slight glint in his eyes, revealing the fatherly love he tried so hard to hide under his rough exterior. The banter between them was natural and filled with affection.

“What about your future husband?” John said.

My ears perked up. “What about me?”

“You’re not exactly a spring chicken,” John said. “She better get you on a diet now.”

I laughed and patted my flat stomach. “I’m good.”

“He eats a lot better than you, Dad,” Catherine chimed in. “And he runs.”