“I want to take a trip.”
Her dad sighed heavily. Eli bounced her heel on the floor. She should probably just have called her mom and asked that way. She’d understand more, maybe—hopefully.
“I just…remember me telling you about Sarah?”
“Yeah. Is it serious?”
“Yes.” The word left Eli’s lips before she really had formed an answer. It was. She wasn’t lying. Everything in her world had shifted since she’d met Sarah, since they’d taken the final barrier down and started their odd little relationship. “I want to go visit her.”
“Where does she live again?”
“Uh…Dallas. But she won’t be in Dallas.”
“What?”
She realized far too late she hadn’t fully explained who Sarah was. Eli picked up a pen from her desk and fiddled with it. “Sarah is Sadie Bade, you know, the singer.”
“You’re dating a musician?”
“Uh…yeah. Anyway, she’s on tour right now. And I was hoping to take a trip for the last week of her tour and stay with her instead of having her come here. She’s getting really tired with all of it—not that she’d admit it because she’s stubborn like that and made the commitment so she’ll come here if she thinks that’s what needs to happen—but I have to give a little too, you know?”
“I know.” The tender tone in his voice took her by surprise.
Eli narrowed her gaze as she stared at the computer. “What do you mean ‘I know?’”
“Why do you think I’m in Arizona, Elijah? It’s not because I like living in the desert, I can assure you that.”
Eli had never really thought of that. Her parents had always talked about selling or passing on the farm at some point when she was a kid and moving to a bigger city where there were more things to do and people to see—and warmer weather. It had never occurred to her that it had been some sort of compromise.
“When do you want us to come?”
“Whenever you can? I’ve got auction in a couple weeks, after that it’s just the usual stuff, and I closed out booking for the B&B so you wouldn’t have to deal with that.”
“Open it back up.”
“What?”
“Elijah, I love you. And if you really think this girl is the one, that she is worth it, Mom and I will help you figure out how to make it work. It’s not going to be easy. No relationship ever is. We’ve always talked about finding ways to help you three make everything work for the best, supporting you in whatever you needed. If this is what you need, then we’ll be there.”
“Really?” Her eyes budded with tears.
“Yes. Besides, Bill tells me this girl has completely stolen all your attention and you keep letting Cassie get the best of you.”
Eli snorted and wiped the back of her hand under her eyes. “I fixed the damn fence.”
“Well, I’ll have to see for myself if that’s true.”
“You do that.”
“I plan on it. Text Mom the dates, and we’ll book a flight up to see you and watch over the place for a bit.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“Anytime, baby.”
“I love you.”
“Love you, too. See you soon.”