Page 43 of Just a Little in Love

Mine to love.

Chapter twenty-two

Daddy really didn’t want to leave Rowan the next day, but because he was leaving his job, his boss was relying on him to train his replacement, and Daddy didn’t have much choice. Daddy had said they were going to talk about what Rowan wanted to do with his immediate future after dinner tonight, as the talk yesterday had got a little derailed.

Not that Rowan minded. Touching and being touched by Daddy was the best thing ever. Rowan hugged himself delightedly. He wanted to get some laundry done, and Daddy had shown him how to work the slow cooker, so he thought he might have a try with that as well. It was a healthy breakfast day, so Daddy had made Rowan two boiled eggs and wholegrain toast soldiers, which was his favorite, and left some soup and salad fixings for later plus fruit for snacks, which somehow Daddy had found the time to cut up for him before he left.

Daddy had told Rowan he could text him as many times as he needed, and Daddy would call in between meetings as well.

Rowan loaded the washing machine and wandered into the living room. Daddy had left out an e-reader for him as well if he wanted to read, and shared his account, telling him to order whatever books he wanted. Rowan picked it up, really curious to see what Daddy liked to read. He scrolled through a lot of fantasy and science fiction books, then got to one without a cover, simply marked First draft – G. Then another that said G- The Club. Rowan’s finger hovered over it indecisively. It had to be Daddy’s book, but what was the second one? What if it was private?

Feeling brave, Rowan decided to text and ask if they were private or if he could read them.

Of course. The first is fantasy. A mage is arrested and saves the kingdom. The second is a little closer to home.

Which was a really odd thing to say, but Rowan got the bottle of water he’d promised Daddy he would drink and started on the fantasy. He really wanted to know why Daddy had given it up. Twenty minutes later, Rowan got one of his notebooks and started making notes.

Four hours later, Rowan looked up as his phone rang.

He blinked into focus and eyed his phone. It was a little after two. Then it rang again. Daddy said he would call, but his dad’s name flashed on the screen, and he answered it. “Hi Dad.” He knew his dad preferred the shortened name.

“Hi Rowan, how are you?”

He glanced down at the copious notes he’d made and managed to stifle the giggle. “I’m doing some editing work for a friend. I was thinking of maybe doing a mixture of that and private math tutoring.”

His dad was silent for a moment, and Rowan’s initial happiness vanished. “Rowan, I think that’s a great idea. I know Hilary has many students that could use extra help, plus she knows a lot of the principals in the area.” Rowan blew out a relieved breath. “Is Gabriel there?”

“No, D—Gabriel’s at work.” He winced a little at the almost slip. “Did you need to talk to him?”

“No, Rowan, I was hoping to see you. I’m only five minutes away. Do you want to meet me for a coffee or one of those milkshakes you like? I can pick you up?”

Rowan smiled. Daddy had said his dad was trying to mend fences, and he knew Daddy would be supportive of him going. “That would be great.”

Rowan put his notes on the table next to the e-reader, then he pushed them both into a drawer out of sight because he wanted to show Daddy the notes, not just have him see them. He sent Daddy a text saying where he was going and that his dad was collecting him and Daddy texted back immediately, telling him to have fun. Daddy wouldn’t be home until six, and a coffee wasn’t going to take that long, so he would still have plenty of time to make sure dinner was ready, plus he was loving Daddy’s story and couldn’t wait to tell him his ideas. He wasn’t sure what Daddy would think of his suggestions, though. He’d sound him out before he told him everything. He’d just locked the door when he saw his dad’s BMW pull up and waved. They talked idly while his dad drove, but Rowan started getting the impression that his dad wanted to tell him something. He didn’t seem relaxed.

“Is something going on with Mother?”

Dad glanced over at him. “Not that I know of. Why, has she tried to see you again since yesterday?”

Rowan shook his head. But then they arrived at a small pastry shop that had a few tables on the patio outside. It would be closing in an hour, and now that the lunch rush was over, they had the patio to themselves. Rowan opted for a latte. The milkshakes were something between him and Daddy, and it felt wrong to let his dad get him one.

Dad ordered a couple of cherry scones, as they were his favorite, apparently, and Rowan chose a brownie. His dad bit into his scone, chewed, swallowed, then put it down and sighed. Rowan hadn’t started his because he knew his dad wanted to tell him something. His dad eyed him. “Rowan, have you withdrawn any funds from your account?”

Rowan gazed at his dad in shock. Of all the questions he might have guessed at, he hadn’t expected that one. “Not since…” Rowan thought. “I got a hundred dollars out in cash the Friday you told me you were marrying Hilary.” Mother permitted him a hundred dollars every other week for things he might need for school, although that was a separate small account, not the main one. He hadn’t told her he hadn’t started his classes this year, but he brightened. That was a conversation he didn’t need to have now.

His dad leaned back. “Son, don’t get angry, but I have to ask, does Gabriel know your bank info? Do you write your passwords down?”

“What?” Rowan asked. “What has Gabriel got to do with anything?” He shook his head. “But no.” He didn’t say that he didn’t even know them.

His dad sighed. “When was the last time you went into the bank or got a statement?”

Rowan flushed and pushed the brownie away. What could he say that wouldn’t make him sound like a child? But maybe it was time to be honest. “I’ve never done either. The only reason I know what’s in there is what you tell me.” He reddened. “And I don’t have a password or a pin number for the account you put money in.” Mother said he would forget it.

His dad went very still. “But you wrote checks for your tuition, medical expenses, clothes. You have two credit cards.”

Rowan gaped. “Credit cards? I don’t have any credit cards and Mother paid my tuition.”

His dad frowned, leaning forward. “Rowan, think very carefully. Did you sign any of these checks?” He took out some papers from his jacket pocket. They were photocopies of checks for tuition. Another was a credit card company for seventeen thousand dollars. Rowan looked at the signature. It just said R. Wilson, but he had never seen any of them. “That isn’t me. I never signed these, and I would write my full name.”

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