Page 39 of All Because of You

But right now, he had to deal with his dad.

He zigzagged through the crowd, tugging at the collar of his button-up shirt. When had it gotten so stuffy in here? Even though it was after nine on a Monday night, many people old and young still lingered, and it wouldn’t surprise him if they headed to the Frosted Cake for a bite of pie. After congratulating him on a job well done, Madison had ducked out, claiming an early morning at the store.

It was good she was gone, though. Because right now, he needed to get to the truth.

The knot inside Evan was so big it threatened to overwhelm him. Making his way outside, where the cool night air provided some welcome relief, Evan located his dad chatting with a group of men and women near his Lexus in the tiny City Hall parking lot. As he approached, their conversation drifted toward him.

“I hope we can count on all of you to be sponsors for the festival, which I know is going to be a huge success.”

“Seems like a great opportunity to come together as a community, Mayor.”

Even in the dim light of the City Hall parking lot, Evan could see his dad’s eyes twinkle. “That’s what we were hoping would happen when we dreamed up this whole thing.”

We. Unbelievable. His father was only supporting it now because the whole town seemed behind it. At least he was indeed supporting it.

But there was still something fishy going on. First, Roxy’s visit to the store on Saturday. Then, Dad’s comment during the council meeting about the“potential new store going in there.”

Evan kicked a rock across the lot as he marched closer to the group.

His dad angled his head up at Evan’s approach. “Ah, and here’s my fellow dreamer now. Son, these folks are anxious to support our festival. What do you say to that?”

With a discipline borne of practice, Evan hooked a wide grin that he didn’t feel. “That’s fantastic, ladies and gentlemen. I don’t quite have all the details yet about what sponsorships will entail, but I’m meeting with Ashley Baker this week to start coordinating our efforts and get a committee formed. They will be contacting you within the month to get your support finalized.”

The businesspeople smiled and chatted a bit more among themselves, and Evan crept closer to Dad. “We need to talk.” The words tasted chalky in his mouth. As much as Evan wanted to get along with his dad, it was quite possible he’d gone too far this time. Evan just had to know for himself.

Slipping on a half-smile, Dad made a show of checking his watch. “I’m sorry, folks, but I promised my wife I’d be home by now. Thank you again for your support.”

The crowd said their farewells and disbanded, leaving Evan and his dad alone by the Lexus.

Evan shoved his hands into the pockets of his trousers, and he couldn’t help the slump in his shoulders. “Where’s Mom?” She almost always attended every public event with Dad.

“She had a headache and stayed home.”

“Tell her I hope she feels better soon.”

“Will do.” Pulling his keys from inside his jacket, his dad spun the key ring around a few times before palming it. “Did you need something else, son?”

Here went nothing. “What new store were you talking about tonight? The one that will bring jobs here?”

His dad studied him for a moment, lips pursed, jaw tight. Then he nodded to the passenger side of his car. “Get in. I’ll give you a ride home.”

“I don’t live that far.” And really, the walk down Main Street and up Park Road in the brisk air sounded just about perfect right now. If he’d had on tennis shoes, Evan might have even jogged it. Anything to get rid of all this pent-up frustration roiling through his body.

“If you want to talk, get in.”

As Dad ducked inside his vehicle, Evan resisted the urge to slam his fist against the roof. Instead, he moved to the passenger’s side, opened the door, and slid in. “Tell me.”

“Watch your tone. I’m still your father.” A picture of calm despite the venom seething in his words, his dad adjusted the controls on the dashboard. Heat poured through the vents. Then he put the car into drive and started out of the parking lot.

Evan began to sweat. His fingers itched to roll down his window. “Well? Are you going to tell me?”

Dad kept his eyes on the road. “I’m referring to Herman Hardware. Negotiations are underway once more.”

“How can they be? That was my project, and I haven’t heard a word from them in weeks.”

“Yes, itwasyour project.”

“Excuse me?”

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