“Actually, I’ve caught the eye of the center director, and he’s been pretty impressed with me.”
“That’s great, honey,” Pops said, squeezing her arm. “Tell us more.” He glared at their dad.
“He said I was a natural, and there might be a job opening later in the year.”
Their dad sat taller, raising his eyebrow. “Anything specific?”
Ade froze, familiar with his pattern of questioning: she’d fail to come up with the answer he wanted, and he’d get frustrated. Then Pops would get in the middle of them, and everyone would end up upset.
“Ade? Has the guy said what this opportunity might be?”
Steph stepped forward. “Dad?—”
“Stephanie, I’m catching up with your sister. You don’t need toget involved.”
Steph pulled a face, and Ade stifled her laughter. “He said something about maternity cover. I don’t know. I need to talk to him more about it.”
“You need a plan, Adelaide. You can’t keep floating around like this and expecting to get paid for staring at marine life. You want to work in a pet store, be my guest, but don’t expect me to keep bank-rolling your PhD.”
“Nate, that’s enough.” Pops stood in between them. “Your father’s still jet lagged, honey.”
“No, Sam. The girls need some home truths. We’ve already spent several thousand dollars on this gap year. Stephanie should be making her way home to start her nursing internship, and Adelaide should be a whole lot clearer than she is about what she’s going to do when this year’s out.”
“Oh, now I’m involved?” Steph put her hands on her hips. “I’ll make my way back home soon enough. That internship is open for me when I’m ready to take it.”
Ade blew a big breath, thankful for Steph taking the heat of the interrogation.
“Let’s change the subject,” Pops said, running his hand over the table decorations they’d laid out earlier that day. “Did you make these, girls?”
“We did.” Ade smiled, recalling the calming motion of folding the paper into shapes. “I’m glad you’re here, Pops.”
“Me too, baby.” He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head, just like he’d done every day since she could remember.
Both her parents worried about her in different ways. Her dad fretted for her future and what she’d make of it. Her pops wanted her to be comfortable in her own skin, getting through the day with the least amount of friction with the world. He bumped along at her side through every awkward interaction. It had been that way forever.
With her fathers in the room, it was like Ade had the bumpers on at the bowling alley. Safe to err from the path, knowing they’d guide her back on track today, tomorrow and for the days to come.
She just hoped that one day she could be her own guide rails. That she could make her own way. Because right now, that wasn’t certain. If this year abroad had already shown her one thing, it was that being alone wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. But sitting in the closeness of her fathers and sister, she couldn’t imagine a future where she didn’t depend on them.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Sylvie checkedher lipstick in the reflection of Isa’s sunglasses. “I’m already running behind.”
“Just drink your coffee.” Isa pouted back. “You can be fashionably late. They’re Americans, they’ll just think you’re being European or something.”
“But I don’t want to let Ade down.”
“I don’t know why you agreed to go along with the plans at all. The last time we talked, you were going to keep your distance and safeguard your reputation.” Isa gave Sylvie a wide grin. “That didn’t last too long,” she whispered theatrically.
Sylvie had been over this in her own mind but had been unable to lock down her feelings for Ade. Putting her in a professional box had failed miserably. Sylvie deserved a little pleasure, and Ade’s friendship brought just that, as well as a lightness to her day, a gladness in her heart. She couldn’t explain it all to Isa, but she knew it deep down. Ade was a friend. Maybe even more than that.
Sylvie had stalled her response to Ade’s invitation just long enough to witness the disappointment spread in Ade’s face and body. Her shoulders sank, her lips turned down. Her gaze fell to her feet. Sylvie didn’t want to be the person that made Ade sad. She wanted to be someone who lifted her spirits, made her confident in the world, spread happiness in her soul and body.
“Earth to Sylvie?” Isa nudged her in the ribs. “You’re miles away.”
“I’m sorry. I was just thinking.”
“About Ade, no doubt.”
