I look at my brother. The look on his face says the memories ruined his appetite too.
“I’m good,” I say. “You?”
“I think we’re finished.” He fishes a credit card from his wallet. “Here you go.”
Once Gina is out of earshot, I sigh. “You didn’t have to pay for my food.”
All I get is a look not to push. So I push.
“I mean it,” I say. “I’m getting yours next time.”
Gina brings the receipt. Hollis adds a tip, signs it, and then slips his card back into his wallet.
We get up and head outside. The air is warm and smells like the sea.
“You need a ride?” he asks.
“No. My car is in the Picante parking lot, but thanks.”
He nods. “Where are you headed now?”
Good question.
I glance down the street at all the little shops and people moseying along the sidewalks. “I think I’m going to run by Kinsley’s for a while before I go to Nate’s for the night.”
He draws me into a quick hug. When he pulls away, there’s a hint of concern in his eyes.
“You can call me anytime. For anything. I want you to. Okay?” he asks.
I smile at him. “Okay. Call me when you get back in town, and we’ll do something together.”
“I’d like that.” He walks backward down the sidewalk. “Be safe.”
“Always.”
After a little wave, I start back to my car.
Stay safe, big brother. I’d hate to lose you again.
THREE
NATE
“Ryder! Come here, please?” I shout.
I open the closet in the hallway and pull out a fresh set of sheets. They’re mustard yellow with some kind of navy geometric design. Must’ve been on sale. As ugly as they are, they’re all I have since Ryder puked up hot dogs on the other spare set.
My stomach recoils at the memory of the wretchedness.
“Ry! Where’re you at, kid?” I yell, closing the closet door.
My son comes running around the corner, sliding into the wall. He catches himself about a half a second before his face hits the drywall. Then he bursts out laughing.
“You running from something?” I ask, laughing.
He looks up at me, his eyes sparkling. “No.”
“Looked like you were. Was there a monster in the living room?”
“If there was, I would’ve beat it up.” He throws a couple of punches into the air that aren’t half bad. “See? Boom, boom, boom.”
I ruffle his hair as I walk by. “That’s it. No more hanging out with Uncle Dominic.”
“I’m not supposed to tell you this,” he says as we enter the guest room. “But he took me to Percy’s Gym with him last week.”
“He what?”
“Yeah. He said you wouldn’t be thrilled.”
The word thrilled comes out muddled due to his missing front teeth. It would’ve sounded adorable if I wasn’t hung up on the fact that my brother took my kid to the gym.
I toss the sheets on the bed. “Don’t ya think you should’ve told me about this without waiting a week?”
He shrugs as if the idea never occurred to him. Little shit.
“Well, I’m going to have a talk with your uncle. And you are gonna help me make this bed,” I say.
“It’s already made.”
I look at him as I grab one of the pillows. And then, quicker than he can process it, I toss one at him. It smacks him in the side of the arm.
Ryder bursts out laughing. He picks it up and throws it back at me.
I catch it midair and then toss it on a chair by the window.
“Come on,” I say, handing him the other pillow. “Help me. Put that one on top of the other.”
He groans. “Why do we have to do this? I want to finish my show.”
“You can. Once we get this done.”
I strip the blanket off and drape it over the chair. My brain sorts through all of the ways I’ve considered explaining this to Ryder today. I want to keep the explanation as simple as possible.
If there’s one thing I don’t do, that I refuse to do, it’s bring women around my son. I won’t do it. Flat out. The only exception was a woman named Joy a couple of years ago. We had a real relationship for a while. When it ended, Ryder was a mess for a week, and I vowed never to get myself or him into that kind of pickle again.
Paige will be here as a friend. I need to make that clear.
“Do you remember Paige?” I ask. “She works for me.”
“Yup. She gives me Sprite, and you get mad.”
“That’s right,” I say, having forgotten all about that. “Well, she needs a place to stay for a little bit, and I told her she could crash here with us. Is that cool?”
“Yeah. That’s cool.”
I strip the sheets and toss them onto the floor. Then I grab the new set.
“Take this corner and put it over the mattress,” I tell Ryder. “Like this. Watch me.”