Page 105 of A Much Younger Man
“Hm?” I guessed I’d been holding my coffee halfway to my lips for too long. I put it down.
“Would you like to take a little walk?”
“I don’t think so. I’m still catching up on sleep. I should go home.” I kissed Mom goodbye. Dad stood and gave me a bear hug.
Before he even guessed what I was up to, I picked up the check wallet. “Dinner was great, guys. I’ll take care of this.”
“Aw, no, son.” Dad grabbed for it.
“Nuh-uh. Done deal.” I held it away from him. “You have a good night.”
“You too.” Mom blew me a kiss. “Sweet dreams. See you here for dinner tomorrow?”
“Sure.” Friday. Pie day. Also, my guitar lesson, but I doubted Beck would want to carry on with those. At least not for a while. I didn’t want to sit at home thinking about things I couldn’t have. “I’ll text to let you know when I’m on my way.”
“Drive safe,” Dad admonished me.
“You golfing tomorrow?” He nodded.“Then you too.”
My mother snickered as I walked away. “He still says that every time.”
The joke was too old, but just then I felt too old as well.
Too old for Beck. Too old for tears.
Way too old for a broken heart that felt like it would never, ever heal.
