Page 34 of Worth the Vow

“Yeah you did. I’ll never be good enough for you. I get it. I’m used to it. Somehow you’re still pissed that Alex joined the military and didn’t follow in your footsteps, and you’ve made it my fault. I gotta go, Dad.” I don’t bother listening for a response. Ending the call, I toss my phone onto the couch across from my desk. I’m sick of this same argument happening over and over again. It seems like once a quarter, my dad decides to start shit with me. It’s exhausting.

“You okay?”

I look up to find Kate standing at the door, a bag in her hand. “What’s that?”

“I thought you might be hungry,” she says as she hesitantly steps into my office.

I see the faint outline of a to-go container in the shape of my favorite Mexican place in town, and I automatically salivate. “Is that from Guac and Roll?”

Kate giggles, the melodic sound drifting over me like a pleasant and warm wave. “I love how this town has the most bonkers names for places.”

“Bonkers?”

“Yes! It’s not just Stone’s barbershop, or Stone’s Salon. It’s Stone Cold Cuts. Then the dang bowling alley is the Holy Rollers. Isabella’s bakery is pretty cute though.”

My middle sister, Isabella, named her bakery Bake, Batter, and Bowl. There’s also a coffee shop called Brew HaHa, and a very small bookstore and cat cafe called Purrfect Books. Eternity Springs is eclectic, and we’re known for it. I may be the most closed off of my siblings, but even I can recognize how amazing our hometown is.

As soon as Kate comes closer to my desk, I can smell the food in the bag. “Please tell me those are enchiladas.”

“I knew I couldn’t show up here without enchiladas, Dominic,” Kate teases.

“Did you bring enough for both of us?” I ask, and Kate shakes her head. “Sit down. I can share.”

“It’s not necessary. I can eat at home,” she says, putting up a hand in a defensive gesture.

“Katharine, there’s more than enough in here,” I tell her. Pulling out two containers, I find what appears to be a double batch of enchiladas, refried beans, rice, and my favorite fiesta corn salad. Rosa and Pedro have owned and operated Guac and Roll for as long as I can remember. At the bottom of the bag, I find two plates and two sets of plastic silverware. “It seems Rosa assumed you’d be eating with me.”

“I swear I didn’t expect this,” Kate gushes, and I chuckle.

“I never said you did. I’m assuming the entire town already knows we’re married, so Rosa naturally added a plate for you as my wife.”

A delightful pink hue covers Kate’s cheeks at the new moniker. I wonder if she enjoys it as much as I did when she called me her husband.

“Was that your dad on the phone?” Kate asks quietly, jarring me from my thoughts.

“Yes.”

“Was he telling you off again?”

“Yeah — wait. Again? How did you know he’s done it before?” I ask.

Kate gives me a shy smile. “Arianna mentioned it ages ago. And when I moved in, I heard him reading you the riot act over something dumb. I think it was about late check-out fees.”

I remember that conversation. It was very one-sided. My father refuses to listen to any of my suggestions on ways to streamline our check-out process. He’s old school, and still feels guests should come to the concierge to turn in their room keys and get their bill. I want to allow guests to text us when they’re leaving their rooms, so we know what rooms can be cleaned as soon as guests vacate the premises. I’ve even talked to Leo a bit about creating a simple app for the hotel, but I haven’t bothered to bring that up to my dad.

While I’m technically the CEO, my father is still the figurehead that everyone associates with the hotel. He gets the accolades whenever something good happens, but I get the disapproving glares when something goes poorly. It’s a messed up situation, but there’s not much I can change.

“My father is … stuck in his ways,” I tell Kate.

She hums as she chews, then shrugs. “That’s a lovely way of saying he’s a stick in the mud who doesn’t respect his son’s position.”

Chuckling, I take a large bite of enchiladas and immediately moan in bliss. I’ve never had a bad batch, and they’ve become my comfort food. I didn’t realize how much I needed this today. “How did you know I needed this?”

Kate smiles softly. “We got married yesterday, Dominic. The fact that you’re working on a Sunday tells me you either have a lot of work to do, or you’re avoiding me. In either case, I knew I had to come here and find out.”

“What if I had told you I was avoiding you?” I wonder aloud.

“You’d have to tell me that face-to-face. I don’t like toxic situations. I don’t want to wonder what you’re thinking or feeling. I’d rather we have adult conversations so we’re on the same page. I really figured it was work, though.”

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