Page 88 of Summer People
“Don’t jump while chewing.” Fisher pushes to his bare feet and ambles toward me. With a yank, he pulls me into his chest. “Congrats, Princess.”
Bewildered, I look back and forth between them. “What are you talking about?”
Fisher frowns down at me. “I’m sure your phone’s been going off.”
He knows I’ve been ignoring everyone. He’s seen me silence enough phone calls and dismiss dozens of texts. But he never presses. Instead, he reminds me that he’s here when I’m ready to talk.
That time is fast approaching. If I want them to truly be mine, Fisher deserves to know what brought me here. He needs to know what the real world will be saying once they find out where I’m hiding.
Though it doesn’t feel like I’m hiding. Not anymore.
It feels like I’m finally living.
“Libby!” Sutton drags me from my thoughts. “Did you hear me? You’re going to win an Emmy!”
I throw an arm out, signaling for her to join our hug. She settles against my stomach, squeezing me tight. “Thanks, pretty girl. I did hear you; I’m just trying to understand. Where’d you hear this?”
“It was on TV. Everyone’s talking about it because no one’s seen you for months. Kind of silly. You’ve been here the whole time; it’s not like you’re hiding.”
I smile. She gets me. “You’re right, pretty girl.”
Eyes closed, I soak in the feel of the two of them, but within seconds, my phone is buzzing in my pocket again.
Fisher presses a kiss to my forehead and looks down at me, his expression almost pained. “You should probably get that.”
As much as I hate to pull away from them, he’s right. I’m no longer hiding, and that means facing the real world.
WhenDadflashes across the screen, I can’t help but smile. “Hey, Daddy.”
“Oh, could this possibly betheElizabeth Sweet?” he quips.
“Ha ha.” I step out onto the porch and settle on the top step.
“You’re harder to reach than the damn governor. I’m being serious. I talked to her an hour ago. She doesn’t even screen my calls the way you do.”
I roll my eyes but bite back a smile. “I get your point, Daddy. Is there a reason you called?”
“I wanted to talk to my daughter. It’s been a week since I’ve heard your voice. Does a father need any other reason?”
“Oh, it’s not because I’ve been nominated for an Emmy?”
He chuckles, the familiar sound a comfort. “Oh, you don’t say?”
“I haven’t even seen the reports. Sutton just told me.”
The door opens behind me, and Bing bounds out. Fisher and Sutton are next, but they follow the dog to the yard without stopping, Fisher shooting me a wink as they go.
“In the best supporting actress category, Libby. Congratulations. You deserve it.” My father’s voice cracks.
That’s when the gravity of the moment finally hits. I’ve been acting since I was a kid, but this is my first nomination. Though my performance this season couldn’t even be called acting. Every emotion the academy saw on the screen was one I felt during those last few months on set. The irony of that is not lost on me.
“Thank you.”
“You’ll have to come back to California. Robin has a plan to get the win.” That’s the funny thing about awards. Acting is only part of the process. Lobbying the judges is where the real work is.
“I’m not leaving, Daddy.”
Though he’s trying to give me privacy—sticking to the other side of the yard while he tosses a ball to Bing—Fisher’s eyes cut to mine when I make that declaration.
