Page 108 of Daddy, Sir

Semi-formal… of course, knowing Sara Ann, she could have guessed. But that was fine because Jamie was in the mood to dress up. It wasn’t just about Oliver either, though that was a big part of it. She couldn’t stop herself from thinking about him, from wondering how much he’d changed.

She’d had so many wistful daydreams over the years that it was impossible not to be excited about the chance to see him again. He probably remembered her as a gawky teenager, still growing and filling out, and she wanted him to see the woman she’d become, which meant dressing the part.

But as she wandered through the mall, window shopping and trying things on, she realized just how long it had been since she’d taken some time for herself. The late nights in the office, the weekends spent working from home, had stripped away her social life.

Even on the rare occasion she went out for a drink, or for a meal, it was somehow always work related. She wasn’t sure when her life had become so unbalanced, but she was startingto look forward to the weekend back home for more than one reason. Maybe, regardless of what happened with Oliver, it was time to start looking at some changes in her life.

The one good thing about all the long hours, was that she rarely had time to spend her paychecks. She had a respectable balance stashed away in her savings account. She could use it to change the course of her life, but first she had to figure out what she wanted to do with it.

Chapter Three

She was on the road early the next morning. As much as she dreaded the drive, it really wasn’t that bad with her playlist blasting. She was on the freeway most of the time, and there was hardly any traffic. She made a stop for coffee and a quick breakfast about halfway, and that was when she realized she hadn’t actually told her mother she was coming home for the weekend.

Her mother’s house didn’t really feel like home anymore. The time between visits had stretched out, until she was lucky just to make it back for the holidays and she’d actually missed Thanksgiving and Christmas the year before because of a crushing deadline. Dropping in without warning felt strange now, especially since her mother’s social life was a lot more active than hers.

She called as she was getting back in the car. It rang so long that she expected it to go to voicemail, but finally there was a click as the phone connected. “Mom?”

“Jamie? Well, thisisa surprise. Is it my birthday already?” The snarky tone wasn’t lost on Jamie.

“Ha-ha. It hasn’t beenthatlong since I called,” Jamie retorted.

“Three months actually.” The fact that Alice Allard knew immediately how long it had been since her last call wasn’t a surprise. She tended to keep track of things she could complain about.

She might have been wrong, but Jamie tried to think back and honestly couldn’t remember. “Sorry, Mom. It’s just that work has been hectic lately. I feel like I never get a minute. You could have calledme,you know.”

“I did, last month. You never called me back.” The acid in the voice wasn’t getting any lighter.

Whoops. “I could have sworn I…” She sighed. “Sorry. I saw the missed call, but you didn’t leave a voicemail, so I figured I’d just call you back when I had time, but…”

“But you never have time. I get it, Jamie. I know you’re busy.”

“I hope it wasn’t anything important. Did you need something?” She’d get on her mother’s good side before announcing the trip.

“No, nothing like that. You had an invitation for your high school reunion, and I thought you might be interested.”

“Oddly enough that’s why I called. It’s this weekend, and I kind of decided, spur-of-the-moment, to come home for it.”

“Oh.” There was a long silence.

Finally, Jamie said, “Mom? You there?”

Her mother laughed. “Yeah, just… well it’s ironic that you’re finally making a visit and I’m not going to be there.”

Jamie’s brow furrowed. “You’re not?”

“Nope. Jerry and I went away for the weekend. You remember Jerry?”

Did she? She was almost certain that her mother had been dating a guy named Rick last time they’d talked. But it was hard to keep track. “Uh, maybe?”

Her mother made an exasperated sound. “He’s the helicopter mechanic from the base. I’m sure I told you about him.”

It wasn’t ringing any bells, but it was going to be faster just to agree. “Oh, right. Sure.”

“He’s such a sweetie, and so romantic. Anyway, I’m sorry, but I won’t be there.”

Damn. It wasn’t a major issue, but it did put a hiccup in her plans. “That’s too bad. I can get a hotel for the weekend, no problem, but I was really hoping to see you.”

Her mother snorted. “Don’t be silly, Jamie! Why would you need to get a hotel? Your key still works, obviously.”

---