Blindsided (Indigo Love Spectrum) (16 page)

“You will, Norris.” Gail gathered the dessert plates. “It’ll just take time. Today was a good start.”

“I guess,” he said, helping her with the dishes.

“I know,” she replied. “You two hit it off pretty well.
It’ll only help more when she finds out about you and
Dahlia.”

The saucer in Norris’s hand crashed to the shiny
wood floor, breaking in four pieces.
Me and Dahlia?
He
quickly gathered the shattered dish. “I’m sorry, it
slipped.”

“Uh-huh,” Gail grumbled, her arms folded at her
chest and doubting eyes boring into him.

Norris dumped the broken pieces into a waste can in the corner. “I’ll buy you a whole new set of dishes.”

“It’s not the dish I was talking about.”

“Then what
are
you talking about?”

“Norris, please. Dahlia and I had lunch yesterday.”
Norris shrugged. “Dahlia?”

Gail groaned, exasperated. “Do you see the word
‘stupid’ stamped across my forehead?”

Norris moved to the couch and sat. He could con
tinue this cat and mouse game, but as the running
mouse, he could feel the cat’s hot breath on his back. Gail
appeared dead set on discussing this, but before he
offered information, he had to know just what she
thought she knew.

“You say you had lunch with Dahlia?”

“I did,” Gail said, joining him on the couch. “And she
was as mum about this as you, but the less she said, the
more she told me. She mentioned Uganda. You and my
fiancé were the only people who knew about that, and Ben and I decided to keep quiet until I squared things
with you. Making you the only person who could have
told her.”

“Okay, I told her. I needed to share it with somebody.”

“Somebody not Ryan?” she said, lifting a curious
brow. “I know you two are still close, our meeting at my
office said as much. So, not telling your best buddy this
news first tells me there’s someone very significant in
your life.”

Norris released a breath.
Caught.
He didn’t even feel
like denying it anymore. “Yes, Dahlia is important to
me.”

“How important?”

“Important enough for me to tell about Reese.”

Gail tucked herself in the corner of the couch, crossed
her arms, and stared with those questioning eyes. “Why
are you two being so quiet about this? Dahlia is a won
derful woman, and you . . . My goodness, Norris, you are such a good, grounded man. Why are you guys being so
hush-hush?”

“It’s the way Dahlia wants it. As a matter of fact, she
doesn’t even want that anymore.” Norris’s guts clenched
as he thought of the way they’d left things last night. He’d
needed to tell her how he felt, and for that moment in
time, her relationship issues didn’t exist. They were of one
mind. At least he thought they were. “She ended things,”
he said.

Gail shook her head. “That doesn’t sound right.”

“
It might not sound right, but it’s what happened.”
Gail clasped his hands. “Norris, she cares about you.
She didn’t tell me so, but I know she does.”

“I agree, but she doesn’t want a relationship.”

“I don’t understand. Weren’t you already in one?”
Norris stood, feeling the conversation going to a place
he didn’t feel comfortable going with Gail. “I should be going.”

“Norris, I’m sorry if I pried, it’s just . . . The idea of
you and Dahlia . . .”

He held up his hand, stopping her words. “Look,
Gail, there’s no Dahlia and me. I’m not happy about it, but that’s the way it is. I would really appreciate if you
didn’t mention this to Reese. I know she and Dahlia are
close, but what we had . . . There’s no point in talking to
her about it. And don’t talk to Dahlia about it, either.”

“I won’t mention it, but it might be a bit hard to keep
it secret when Reese will be living with Dahlia.”

Norris hid his disappoint at the announcement. “She
will?”

Gail nodded. “She felt it would be best to stay with
someone she knew, but she knows being available to you
is the criteria. I hope you’re okay with this.”

“I’m a little let down, but I want Reese to be happy and I want to know her. So, if she wants to live with
Dahlia, I’m okay with that.” Norris made his way over to
the door. “Thank you for brunch and allowing me the
opportunity to meet Reese. Let her know I’ll call her tomorrow.” He turned around, eyeing the albums lying o
n one of the end chairs. “You think I could . . .” He
motioned to the stack of books.

Gail walked over to the albums and gave them to
him. “They’re yours. I have duplicate copies of every
photo she’s ever been in.”

Norris clutched the albums to his chest like the prized
possessions they were to him. “Thanks, Gail, I’ll be in
touch.” With a wave goodbye he got into his car and
made his way to Dahlia’s. Now it was time to make things
right with her.

* * *

“I hope you don’t mind skipping on the movie,
Diana,” Reese said, as she and her friend sipped straw
berry lemonade at the Burger Barn. “I don’t think I
could’ve concentrated on the screen with everything
going on in my head.”

“No kidding. Mr. Converse is your father.” Diana
shook her head. “That blows my mind.”

“How well do you know him?”

“Pretty well, I guess. He and my parents are friends,
and I’ve been around him enough to gather he’s a cool
guy. Just never thought of him as the fatherly type,
although he’s great with Lara and Ryan’s kids, and my
brothers think he’s a riot.”

“Your family likes him?”

“Yeah. He’s a friend.” Diana made a hissing sound as
she sucked in a breath. “I can’t imagine him and your mother, though. How did that happen?”

R
eese shrugged. That was one of the many questions
she still needed an answer to. “I really don’t know,” she said,
sipping more lemonade. “I know he’s fifteen years younger
than my mother and they met when she helped him after
he hurt his hand. Mom never told him about me. Not until
a couple of days ago. What kind of guy is he?”

“Run of the mill, I guess, except he’s loaded.”

“Loaded?”

Diana rubbed her fingers together. “He’s rolling in it,
but he’s not overly flashy. He works at his accounting
firm downtown, he has a condo, a Porsche, and a Benz. I
can’t think of much else.”

“Is he dating anybody?”

“I don’t know his personal business, but to hear my
folks talk, he likes the ladies, and lots of them. And for
an old guy, he’s kinda hot. So, that makes sense.”

Reese bristled. “Diana! What are you saying?”

“I don’t want to jump his bones or anything. I’m just
saying he’s a nice looking old dude.” Diana laughed.
“You know, you look like him.”

“That’s kind of impossible. I’m black.”

“No, you’re more a warm honey pecan,” Diana
quipped.

Reese frowned at her friend. “You’re having too much
fun with this,” she said. “I’m serious.”

“What are you trippin’ about?”

“I don’t know.” Reese groaned. “For so long I wanted
to know about my father. Different scenarios of what he’d
be like played in my head, but what I’ve thought and
what I’m getting is . . . My mom is getting married in two
w
eeks, and then she and Ben are leaving for Africa for six
months. Leaving me alone to bond with my father. My white father. This man I don’t know.”

“That’s where the bonding comes in. You get to know
him. And why are you making race an issue?”

“I’m not making it an issue. I’ve always known my
father was a white guy, but I never had to deal with that.
My family has always been my mother’s family. Black
people. Now I’m going to have to address this other side
of me.”

“That’s where Mr. Converse comes in. He’s not just
white, he’s your father. You haven’t known him your
whole life, but he’s always been a part of your life. And
now you get to know about that part. Think of it as
journey to another world.”

Reese scoffed. “It’s another world, all right.”

“You met him today, what’s your first impression?”

“He’s okay, but he’s trying too hard. He can’t be him
self if he’s trying to make himself somebody I’ll like.”

“Does that mean you like him or not?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think he’s a weirdo, but I do
think he wants us to be some happy insta-family. Add
Reese and stir.”

“What’s wrong with him wanting that? You’re his
daughter. You don’t think he should want you to be a part of his life? You always wanted to know your father. Now
you do. Don’t look for ways to ruin it before you get a
chance to enjoy it.”

“Easy for you to say, you’ve always known your
father.”

D
iana groaned, took a long sip of her lemonade, and then pushed the cup to the side. Reese sighed. The intensity and irritation in her friend’s dark eyes told her she
wouldn’t like whatever Diana was about to say.

“You know what, saying you couldn’t watch the
movie was the only sensible thing you’ve said today. Your
head is all over the place. Who are you angry with? Your
mom for keeping Norris from you, or Norris for wanting
to be a part of your life?”

“Both of them. Why couldn’t they be like your folks,
and have children when they were married, huh? That
way I would’ve had the option of meeting them at the
same time. But me, I know my mother sixteen years, and
then I meet my father, who I’ll have the pleasure of
spending the next six months with, without my mother,
getting to know.”

“I think your parents are handling this the best they
can. I promise you this: If I had cut Celeste Monroe the
look you shot your mother before you went for your
purse, my teeth would be on the floor, and the rest of me
would be in the middle of next week. What were you thinking?”

“I wasn’t.” Reese toyed with the straw in her cup. “I
was upset, and I apologized for that. I already feel bad,
and you’re making me feel worse.”

“No, what I’m trying to do is make a comparison.
You get away with a lot because your mother, for what
ever reason, kept your father’s identity from you. And
because of that, I suspect she feels obligated to take your
smack. That wouldn’t fly in my house, because neither of
my folks have any guilt in regard to their children. I’m
your friend, so I don’t feel bad about telling you what I
see. You need to cut your parents some slack, and at least
try to see things from their point of view. It’s obvious they’re bending over backwards to do that for you.”

“I should be more open?” Reese said.

“Try. This isn’t just new for you. At least you’ve always
known your father was out there. Mr. Converse never
had a clue you existed. And look at him; he’s trying.
That’s got to count for something. Plus, I’m here for you.
He knows me, and all my family in Denburg. We’re all
connected. Heck, we’re practically family now, Reese. Getting to know your dad will be a good thing.”

“You make it sound like it could be.”

“Take my word for it.” Diana smiled. “Something
else you can take my word for.” She nudged her head toward the door. “Jack Armstrong is crushin’ hard on
you.”