wood, he added lowly, “And what about all those weekends I played at different restaurants, month after month? Doesn’t all that mean anything?”
His dad finally stood, disappointment and a dash of anger etched on his face. “Passion is all well and good, as long as you’re pursuing something you’re able to attain.”
Derrick’s hands fisted at his sides as he shook his head. “You never did believe I could make it with my music.”
His dad sighed, his hand resting on the doorknob. “You play really well, Son. But not everyone can make a living off of playing the guitar.”
“Is that it, then?” He fell a step back from his dad. “Don’t you see why it’s so hard for me to come back? I must be the world’s worst son, to not even measure up to my younger sisters.”
A pause took over, then his dad released the doorknob. “My only point in coming in here was to tell you that you’re always welcome to come home. Perhaps you’re the one who’s putting too much pressure on yourself.”
Derrick met his dad’s gaze, surprised to find a familiar glint returning to his dad’s brown eyes. “What do you say we go to the Seascape tonight? Just like old times. Bet your girlfriend would enjoy a walk on the pier.”
Instead of remembering the seafood, the taste of hot, salty McDonald’s fries filled Derrick’s mouth, and he could almost feel the wind through his hair. Those really had been good times. He released a deep breath. “Yeah, okay.”
∞∞∞
Derrick still wasn’t a fan of seafood, after all these years. He loved the smell of the sea, but he hated the smell of fish. So he ended up ordering a burger and attempting not to wrinkle his nose at the clam chowder Brielle ordered. Over the course of their dinner, his anger receded like the outgoing tide, and he relaxed more and more in his family’s presence.
While Chloe took forever polishing off her dessert, Derrick leaned over and quietly asked Brielle, “Walk with me?”
She nodded, the corner of her mouth tipping up like the handle on the Big Dipper.
“We’re going outside for a bit. See you all at home?” Derrick stood and pulled his slim wallet out of his pocket, planning on taking out enough bills to cover his and Brielle’s meals.
His dad simply waved his hand at him. “No need for that. It’s been a while since I’ve had a chance to take my whole family out to dinner.”
“Drive safely, Derrick,” his mother urged, softening the command with a smile.
Chloe looked up from her dessert long enough to wave, while Trisha offered a grin to Brielle, which then turned to a smirk for him. He’d take it.
Waving to everyone and waiting long enough for Brielle to say goodbye, he then ushered her out the door and down the front steps.
The wind chilled him, coming in gusts like someone was attempting to blow out a birthday candle. He zipped his own jacket, then turned to Brielle. She was busy looking at the sky, and before he could think twice, he reached out and began to zip up the sweater she had borrowed.
She startled. He could feel her gaze on him, but when he got the zipper to her collar bone and stole a peek at her face, her eyes were downcast and her cheeks had turned red. They were standing so close he could feel the heat of her blush. Emboldened, he leaned in a little closer and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.
After lingering a moment in the warm air between them, he finally stepped back with a grin. “I always thought the stars would be hot to the touch.”
She smiled and shook her head. Then she glanced to the sky again, which had surprisingly cleared of most clouds. “Come on.”
He followed her down the narrow pier, buffeted by the wind and awed by the incoming waves. The sight of the sea always fueled the part of his heart that had yet to give up on dreams.
Halfway down the pier, Brielle veered toward the railing to her right and gazed up again.
“Missing home?” Derrick teased as he joined her, leaning his
His dad finally stood, disappointment and a dash of anger etched on his face. “Passion is all well and good, as long as you’re pursuing something you’re able to attain.”
Derrick’s hands fisted at his sides as he shook his head. “You never did believe I could make it with my music.”
His dad sighed, his hand resting on the doorknob. “You play really well, Son. But not everyone can make a living off of playing the guitar.”
“Is that it, then?” He fell a step back from his dad. “Don’t you see why it’s so hard for me to come back? I must be the world’s worst son, to not even measure up to my younger sisters.”
A pause took over, then his dad released the doorknob. “My only point in coming in here was to tell you that you’re always welcome to come home. Perhaps you’re the one who’s putting too much pressure on yourself.”
Derrick met his dad’s gaze, surprised to find a familiar glint returning to his dad’s brown eyes. “What do you say we go to the Seascape tonight? Just like old times. Bet your girlfriend would enjoy a walk on the pier.”
Instead of remembering the seafood, the taste of hot, salty McDonald’s fries filled Derrick’s mouth, and he could almost feel the wind through his hair. Those really had been good times. He released a deep breath. “Yeah, okay.”
∞∞∞
Derrick still wasn’t a fan of seafood, after all these years. He loved the smell of the sea, but he hated the smell of fish. So he ended up ordering a burger and attempting not to wrinkle his nose at the clam chowder Brielle ordered. Over the course of their dinner, his anger receded like the outgoing tide, and he relaxed more and more in his family’s presence.
While Chloe took forever polishing off her dessert, Derrick leaned over and quietly asked Brielle, “Walk with me?”
She nodded, the corner of her mouth tipping up like the handle on the Big Dipper.
“We’re going outside for a bit. See you all at home?” Derrick stood and pulled his slim wallet out of his pocket, planning on taking out enough bills to cover his and Brielle’s meals.
His dad simply waved his hand at him. “No need for that. It’s been a while since I’ve had a chance to take my whole family out to dinner.”
“Drive safely, Derrick,” his mother urged, softening the command with a smile.
Chloe looked up from her dessert long enough to wave, while Trisha offered a grin to Brielle, which then turned to a smirk for him. He’d take it.
Waving to everyone and waiting long enough for Brielle to say goodbye, he then ushered her out the door and down the front steps.
The wind chilled him, coming in gusts like someone was attempting to blow out a birthday candle. He zipped his own jacket, then turned to Brielle. She was busy looking at the sky, and before he could think twice, he reached out and began to zip up the sweater she had borrowed.
She startled. He could feel her gaze on him, but when he got the zipper to her collar bone and stole a peek at her face, her eyes were downcast and her cheeks had turned red. They were standing so close he could feel the heat of her blush. Emboldened, he leaned in a little closer and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.
After lingering a moment in the warm air between them, he finally stepped back with a grin. “I always thought the stars would be hot to the touch.”
She smiled and shook her head. Then she glanced to the sky again, which had surprisingly cleared of most clouds. “Come on.”
He followed her down the narrow pier, buffeted by the wind and awed by the incoming waves. The sight of the sea always fueled the part of his heart that had yet to give up on dreams.
Halfway down the pier, Brielle veered toward the railing to her right and gazed up again.
“Missing home?” Derrick teased as he joined her, leaning his
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