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“How long have you been seeing someone?” he asked. “You didn’t say anything at Mom’s birthday.”
“I met her that day. At the bakery. She’s the one who fixed the cake. I went back to thank her and asked her out.”
“And you saw her again last night.”
I nodded. “I like her. She’s going to be a nurse, so she understands.” I paused and met his eyes. “She reminds me of Mom. Her gentleness and her way of caring.”
“That’s high praise.”
“I know.”
“And she helped you last night.”
“She listened to me. Left me alone to call Gramps. Made me dinner. We sat and talked for hours. She made me laugh and relax. Sent me home to get some sleep because she was worried about me driving.”
He pursed his lips and nodded. “Sounds like a nice girl.”
“She is. Only one possible problem, but I am not going to worry about it until I have to.”
“Which is?”
“She has two years left in school. In Calgary. She is trying to be transferred to Vancouver, but it might not happen.”
“Long-distant relationships are difficult, but can be done,” he mused. “Vancouver isn’t that far away.”
“Calgary is more challenging. But it’s early days, Dad. We’re not ready to discuss a future yet.”
“And two years isn’t forever.”
I groaned. “So anxious to marry me off you’re encouraging this, Dad?”
He grinned. “Wait until your mother hears about it. She’ll be booking a church.”
I had to laugh. “Rein her in, then, Dad.”
“You should bring her to meet us.”
“Three dates. We’ve had three dates. I’m not scaring her off yet.” I didn’t tell him I had the next two planned.
He winked. “Yet.”
We cleaned up our lunch and headed to the door. “Coming for dinner one night?”
“Sure. Maybe Thursday.”
“Mom was planning a big Sunday meal.”
“Oh, I’m taking Maddy out for the day. I was going to ask if I could, ah, borrow the boat?”
“Maddy is her name?”
“Short for Madison.”
“Pretty.” He grinned. “So you want to borrow my boat to spend some time with Maddy?”
“Well, yours or Gramps’s.” I could handle either one. “But his is huge, and I just want to go over to one of the inlets. Your boat is far easier to handle and the right size for a short trip.”
He regarded me for a moment, and I had to chuckle.
