Third Date Read Free Page A

about it before, but it’s true. I’m spending all my time hanging out with other women. And couples. I’ll never meet a guy that way. But where do you meet a guy when you’re 23? At a bar? That seems more like the place to meet a one-night stand and that’s not what I want. And dating someone at work seems like a bad idea, not that I’m ruling it out, but there’s nobody here I’d want to date.
    ***
    After work I head over to my dad’s house in Bloomington. It’s a suburb of Minneapolis and where I grew up. I go there a few times a week to check on my dad, even though he tells me I don’t need to. But I have to tonight. It’s starting to snow and I have to make sure he made it home. It’s one of those things I’ve done since the accident. Whenever it snows, I worry sick until he gets home and then I can relax.
    I see his car in the driveway and let out a sigh of relief. He made it home, safe and sound. My eye catches the For Sale sign in the yard and I notice a big, red Sold sticker on the corner.
    Sold? So soon? How could that happen? I’m not ready for this! I figured the house would take years to sell. The news keeps saying it’s a bad housing market. And our house is old and needs fixing up. Who would want to buy it?
    I’m instantly mad at Sophie, my dad’s fiancé, even though she doesn’t deserve my anger. She did what she’s supposed to do as a real estate agent. She sold the house and probably got my dad a really good price for it.  
    Sophie’s a very nice woman and a great match for my dad. She’ll never be as good as my mom but I do really like her. Just not at this moment. Right now I’m mad at her for selling my childhood home so fast.
    I go in the house to find the two of them celebrating with a glass of red wine. I catch them kissing briefly and glance away.
    “Honey, we were just talking about you.” My dad sets his wine glass down. “Did you see the sign? We sold the house.”
    “Yeah, great,” I say, trying to hide my disappointment.
    “It’s a little sudden, I know,” Sophie says, seeing my expression. She knows how I’m feeling. She sells houses for a living. She knows the attachment people have to them. The memories. And how it feels like those memories are gone forever when someone else moves in. “I honestly didn’t think it would sell so quickly. I’m sorry, Morgan.”
    She looks at me with sympathy in her eyes. I can’t be mad at her. She’s way too nice.
    Dad comes over and unwraps my long wool scarf from my neck, making me feel like I’m 5 again. “I know it’s not what we planned, Morgan. I thought it would take at least a year to sell. But you just can’t predict these things.”
    “I have to make some calls,” Sophie says, sensing my dad and I need to talk. She goes into my dad’s office and shuts the door.  
    “So what does this mean?” I take my coat off and hang it on the rack, along with my scarf. “Are you getting a rental place until you move?”
    Dad stares down at the floor, which he always does when I don’t like what he’s about to say. “We’re moving as soon as the sale is final.”
    “You’re moving to Austin?”
    “We already have a house down there.”
    “I know, but I just thought—” I stop and let my brain catch up. “So when is the sale going through?”
    “The buyer would like to move in as soon as possible, but I told him I need at least a few weeks to get everything packed up. Plus it takes time to do the inspection and get the paperwork filed and—”
    “A few weeks? That’s it?” It’s like someone just punched me in the stomach. I’m not at all prepared for this.
    “I know it’s soon, honey. But you can come down and visit as much as you want. I’ll buy you a plane ticket.”
    “It’s fine, Dad. Don’t worry about me. This is great news. Now you can officially start your retirement.” I try to sound happy. I don’t want to ruin this for him. He’s excited about moving to Texas and starting his new