He laughed. “I got you.”
“Dad.” I marched up. “So help me God, this is one of the most important things I have ever done. You will not get drunk. You will not make jokes, and you will not say anything inappropriate. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, ma’am.” He gave me a quick salute and strolled off the stage toward the bar at the back of the room.
“Dad!”
“Fine.” He walked back to where I stood in front of the stage. “Why won’t you let me have any fun?”
“We let you indulge while you were doing your treatments, but you’re in remission now. You have to take care of yourself. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“I feel fine,” he said.
“And I don’t want you causing any trouble.”
“I won’t.”
“No, Dad. You don’t understand. If this goes well, we will save lives.”
“So?”
“So, you’re about to have a hundred snooty old women show up here. They’re not going to give us money if you get drunk and make a fool of yourself.”
“Fine, but I’m getting drunk after. You keep that bar open; you got it?”
“I wouldn’t expect anything less.”
The sound of footsteps echoed through the hall. I turned around, and my heart jumped. The feeling never went away. Jake was, and always would be, the catalyst for my desires. He came up and gave me a kiss. “I don’t understand the sun thing?”
“They remind me of you.” I reached up and pulled a strand of his hair through my fingers. “You’re my golden god.”
“And you’re my rose.” He wr
apped his arm around me. “Have you thought of a name for the foundation yet?”
“I decided to dedicate it to the person that made this possible.”
“Who?”
“You, silly. I’m calling it the Jake Ryan Foundation.”
“I like the sound of it.” He dropped his arm. “Are you ready?”
“Yes, I’m starving.” We began walking out.
“Where are we going?” he asked.
“I didn’t tell you?”
“No.”
“Well, then I didn’t want you to know.”
When we walked outside, the waning light of the evening sun cast an orange glow over the cars waiting in the downtown traffic. There was a little burger place two blocks up. I knew he would like it there. It was dingy, with a touch of comfort food, and tiny booths lining the walls. We took a seat in back and gave the waiter our orders.
When he walked away, Jake leaned in. “You are going to shine tonight.”
“So long as you stay by my side.”