Page 39 of Close Match
“Then why don’t we take it one day at a time. See where this goes,” I suggest.
“That sounds good. How about letting your father escort you back to your hotel? It’s a long walk and all.” He has this adorable, quirky sense of humor that just dives in and grabs my heart in the sweetest way.
“I’d be honored.” He holds out his arm, and I let my father escort me into the lobby of the Hamilton before we finally part for the night.
Twenty-Three
Montague
September
“Well, I have good news for you, Ev. It appears you’ve slipped back into a chronic state.” Dr. Spellman’s voice arrogant voice holds a tinge of relief. “It gives us more time to find you a donor.”
I’m about to speak up to let him know about Linnie when Ev shakes his head sharply at me. Frowning, I sit back in my chair and listen to Spellman. “I’d like you to keep taking the Imatinib, but let’s change the dosage back down to 400mg now that your bloodwork is showing an improvement.” Making some notes in Ev’s online computer record, he turns to ask, “How are you for pills?”
Ev replies, “I have enough to last about another three weeks on the adjusted dose.”
“I’ll order you some more.”
I’m seething as I wait for Ev to wrap up his appointment. It’s a good thing my mother’s in the middle of a financial meeting. Otherwise, my fingers would be flying asking her what the fuck Ev’s doing?
Soon, Spellman leaves, and I turn on my stepfather like he’s a hunk of juicy meat to a hungry lion. “Not here, Monty. Let’s go grab some food, and I’ll explain.”
“You up to driving after, old man? Because I want a drink,” I snap.
Sighing, he bends enough to tell me, “Yeah. You might need one.”
Crap. Doing a quick mental inventory of the restaurants between here and Middleburg, I settle on Ford’s Fish Shack. I have a feeling a good dark and stormy plus a lobster roll might suit what Ev’s about to tell me. When I mention one of our favorite haunts, his face lights up. “Your mother hates the spice on their calamari,” he muses.
“I know. Let’s go get some food, and you can tell me why you stopped me from telling Spellman about Linnie.” The look that crosses his face does nothing to encourage my appetite.
For food.
“Yeah. Let’s get settled. I’ll text Char the good news for when she’s done with her call and let her know we’ll be home in a while,” he agrees.
I don’t let him see the way his capitulation affects me. We make our way down the halls after we stop to check out. Soon, we’re flying down US-50. I’m keeping an eye out for cops as there’s little traffic at this time of day and I can open up the car a little bit, a rarity around here.
Besides, I want to get to Ford’s so I can find out what the hell is going through Ev’s head.
* * *
“What the helldo you mean you don’t plan on telling Linnie you’re sick?” I demand. A copper mug is set down next to me. Snatching it up with a muttered “Thanks,” I take a giant slug of the rum-and-ginger brew combination. Before the waitress can leave after putting Ev’s iced tea down, I stop her. “You might want to put in an order for another one of these.”
Ev raises an eyebrow but even if he’s concerned, he doesn’t say anything. He knows the bomb he just dropped on me has rattled me to the core. We spent months trying to find someone who might be a match for him. Finally, we found someone—his daughter for Christ’s sake—and now he’s balking at the last fence. “Why? Can you tell me that at least?”
Ev runs his finger in the water ring left by the glass on the wood table. “I don’t know if you’ll understand.”
I lift my drink to my lips again, but before I take another large swallow, I bite out, “Try me.”
He sighs. “Monty, you’ve known me for almost thirty years. You know the kind of person I am. Linnie’s met me twice? And the lunch we had alone wasn’t exactly easy on either of us.”
Silently, I give him that. After his doctor’s appointment in August, Ev had lunch with Linnie in Tyson’s Corner. It was, per his description, awkward. “Linnie’s lost since the death of her mother. Her whole world’s been shaken,” Ev begins.
And mine hasn’t?The thought flashes through my mind, bitterly. Finding out someone you love and respect may have less time than you anticipate is an insidious feeling that grabs you by the throat when you least expect it. I’m just about to speak when our calamari and my second drink arrive at the table. I tip my head back to drink as much of the first as I can before the ice starts to angle itself toward my face dangerously. “Here you go.” I hand the waitress my glass. Ignoring the flash of surprise on her face, I reach for one of the small plates. “So, you’re going to lie to your daughter instead?’
Ev flinches at my words. “I wouldn’t call it that…”
I interrupt him. “Of course you wouldn’t.”
