"It's always hard to leave at the end of the season, but our lives are elsewhere. We'll still get to visit." Was I trying to convince her or myself? "You should talk to your dad about this. He'd want to know how you're feeling."
I couldn't shake the feeling that I should probably take my advice. But this was different. She was a kid, and I was an adult.
"I don't want to make him feel bad."
"You can always be honest with him about your feelings. He'll want to know how you're doing and what you're going through." I wasn't a parent, but this was how I would assumed he'd feel.
"You're right. I should talk to him."
"He'll appreciate your honesty. He loves you."
She pulled her feet out of the water, wrapping her arms around her knees. "This has been the best few months."
"I think so. I'm going to miss this place so much."
Hayden looked over at me. "When are you going to tell him how you're feeling?"
My attention snapped to her. "What are you talking about?"
"Do you think I don't know that you like my dad? That something is going on between you two?"
"I— We weren't going to talk to you about it because it isn't serious."
She arched a brow. "Isn't it?"
"This is between your father and me, and it's up to him whether he wanted you to know about it." I guess we were naive for thinking that she hadn't noticed anything transpire between us.
Hayden shrugged. "I'm not upset about it. I want my dad to be happy, and I'd feel better if you were going to be here when I left."
It was hard to draw in a deep breath. "I can't promise you that. My job is in Jacksonville, and we haven't discussed whether there's a future for us."
"Is that because you don't want one?"
"I don't know what I want. I just got out of a serious relationship. Plus my life is elsewhere. And you're his priority, as you should be."
"You're using me as an excuse?"
"I am not," I said, feeling like a teenager now.
"Yes, you are." She stood and brushed off her shorts. "Don't use me as an excuse to walk away from my dad."
Then she was gone, and I was left with my mouth hanging open. Since when did Hayden get so smart? Was I using her as an excuse not to talk to Marshall about us?
Marshall appeared from the path to the beach. He lifted his shirt, wiping the sweat from his face. When he saw me, he asked, "Everything okay?"
"I think I just got schooled by your daughter," I said, a little bewildered.
He chuckled and dropped down next to me. "How's that?"
"First of all, she knows about us," I said still not quite believing what she'd said.
He raised a brow. "Seriously?"
"We didn't say anything to her, but we danced at the party the other night." We didn't kiss in front of her though.
"I suppose we should have talked to her before now."
"She wants you to be happy. She's worried about you being all alone when she leaves." It wasn't about me. She was worried about him. That wasn't a reason to upend my life to stay here.
