“You knew though,” I insert.
“I did,” he nods slowly. “But I’m the exception. Most folks spend their twenties exploring, and that should go for you too. It’s the journey, not the destination. Half of the battle is just figuring out what direction you’re going in, and how you’re going to get there.”
I nod, contentment flooding my soul. The man in front of me is every woman’s dream. He is handsome, but more than that, he’s wise, kind, and doesn’t talk down to me. It would be so easy for Jack to scoff at my lack of concrete action, but instead, he makes me feel better and reassures me that this is normal. No wonder I love him so much!
Suddenly, Jack leans over and presses his mouth to mine in a long, slow kiss that feels like so much more. I never knew a kiss could say so much, but this liplock makes me passionate, and it’s so much better than words.
When he sits back, I’m flustered and breathless.
“Oh my goodness, what was that for?” I ask.
He merely grins and squeezes my hand again.
“Just for you being you, honey. That’s all.”
I laugh and another flood of joy spreads through my chest.
“You are a good man, Jack Straithmore.”
He rolls his eyes playfully.
“Well, I’d like to believe it, but sometimes when I look at Eddie, I’m not so sure. After all, well … he hasn’t turned out so great.”
I nod slowly.
“He’s not the nicest guy.”
Jack shakes his head. “No need to put lipstick on a pig, Dakota. What Eddie did to you was totally unacceptable.”
I sigh. “Yes. It was definitely bad when I walked in on him with my mom, but I should have expected something like that. When I look back on things, if I’m being honest with myself, I know he never cared about me. He didn’t even pretend to be nice to me most of the time, and it was pretty awful spending time with him.”
Jack’s expression is somber.
“I’m not sure where his mother and I went wrong with our son. I apologize on his behalf.”
I squeeze his hand reassuringly.
“It isn’t your fault. I think Eddie just genuinely believed he was better than me.”
Jack looks nonplussed.
“But why would he think that? There’s no basis for that.”
I shrug, a bit embarrassed now.
“Well, you know I’m taking classes at Portland Community College, right? Eddie always looked down on me for going to a two-year school. He said his education was going to land him a real job because he was going to a four-year institution, and I’d be lucky if I even became the manager at the Red Bean.”
Jack flexes his fist on the table. “College isn’t everything, and Eddie isn’t the genius he likes to pretend to be. Hell, I didn’t go to college myself and I made it, so where does he get off sitting on his high horse?”
I sigh, suddenly feeling deflated.
“It doesn’t matter because Eddie’s words didn’t make sense anyways. I’m not even sure that college is right for me, period, and that’s why I’m getting an associate’s. PCC is close by, and tuition isn’t crazy expensive. It seemed like the perfect fit while I figure out what I really want to do with my life. I just didn’t want to force myself through some four-year school and come out on the other side with a mountain of student loans and a degree in a field that I’m not even interested in.”
“That’s smart,” Jack muses. “Way too many people go to some expensive university and rack up debt just because they think that’s what they’re supposed to do. Then they end up working somewhere they hate, or living with three roommates to make ends meet while they work to pay off their massive loan burden.”
I smile at him. “Yes, see, that’s what I don’t want to happen!”
Unfortunately, Jack’s still pensive.
“But I just don’t get how my son can be like this. Eddie didn’t even get into Concordia on his own. All that high and mighty attitude is totally misplaced because the only reason he was accepted is because of his grandfather. My dad, Porter, is friends with the Dean of Admissions at Concordia and Porter literally made a call after Eddie submitted his application. Otherwise, he’d be at community college, too, mark my words. His grades weren’t exactly great.”
“Huh!” I say, totally scandalized. “Eddie never told me that!”
Jack runs his hand through his hair and sighs.
“I’m sorry honey. It looks like there’s a lot you don’t know, and it isn’t all my son’s fault that he turned out to be such an ass. His mother and I divorced about ten years ago and it was a complete disaster. We should have called it quits long before then, and when you drag something like that out, it just gets worse, and not better. In the mess of it all, Eddie got put on the back burner. We didn’t give him the attention he deserved, and if anything, a tiny, scared little boy developed into a tiny, scared little man. I know it’s no excuse for the way he treated you, but I think he’s seeking the attention he never got from us.”