Allowingme the final word, she turned to face the open the trunk and looked at my pileof suitcases. “Are all of these coming in?”
“Nah,just this. The rest of his stuff is already inside.” I reached into the trunk, pullingout a bag of Greyson’s dirty laundry. “I didn’t have time to wash these beforewe left.”
“It’sfine. I’ll do them.” She nodded, taking the bag from me.
Iclosed the trunk and rounded to the backseat, pulling out the puppy’s fold-awaycrate, and I was rewarded with an airy chuckle from her.
“Igotta tell you, I didn’t expect you’d actually get a dog,” she mentionedlightly, folding her arms over her chest.
“Iwasn’t lying about the life I wanted,” I said, taking her back to that lastnight in Central Park. “Just because I couldn’t have some of it, doesn’t mean Iwouldn’t try for the rest.”
Shehummed thoughtfully, and asked, “Are you okay?”
Isnorted, lifting the corner of my mouth into a rueful crooked smile. “I will beeventually. Some time on the road will be good, I think. How about you?”
Shereluctantly nodded. “I took some time off work and did a little traveling. Ithelped a little bit. I just, um …” She scraped her teeth over her bottom lip,dropping her gaze and fumbling with her hands before looking back to me. “Ireally just needed some time to deal with things myself, I think. I wasdrowning my sadness in work, and distractions, and …you… And I reallyjust needed to clear my head and cope on my own, in my own way.”
“Yeah,I get that,” I told her.
“Thanksfor being so cool about this,” she continued quietly. “I didn’t think you wouldbe, after everything …”
“Well,I’m a pretty cool guy.” I smiled. “Thankyoufor not hating me.”
Thenoticeable bob in her throat told me far more than she was willing to emit. “Iam far from hating you, Sebastian.”
***
“Okay,kid, give me a hug,” I finally said to Greyson after stalling for way too long,“I have to hit the road. Gotta get to Devin’s.”
Tabbyasked the question with her eyes, and I replied, “I’m driving to his place andstaying the night. We have a show in Hartford tomorrow night, and he doesn’tlive too far from there.”
Shenodded. “Okay, well, break a leg.”
“Don’tsay that shit to me,” I glowered at her, standing up.
“What?It’s meant to be for good luck,” she insisted incredulously.
“Iknow what it means, but it’d be my fucking luck that I actually would break mylegs and I need these fuckers to actually do my job.” I smacked my thighs. “Otherwise,I’d be back home and pissed off and nobody wants to deal with that.”
“Okay,fine …” She rolled her eyes. “Well, then, good luck.”
“Thankyou,” I bowed my head to her, wishing I could just grab her and make out rightthere. Instead, I turned to Greyson and outstretched my arms. He hesitated,pulling his lips between his teeth and dropping his gaze to the floor. “Comeon, Grey. Don’t make it harder for me here.”
Steppingforward, he pushed against my chest, wrapping his arms around me and pressinghis head to my shoulder. I hugged him, imprinting this feeling to my bones. Mythroat strangled around a surge of emotion and my chest pulled tight.
“Fuck,”I swallowed, tightening my arms against his shoulders. “I’m gonna miss you,kid.”
“I’mgoing to miss you too, Dad,” he breathed. “Can I call you tonight?”
Igrabbed his shoulders, pushing him away from me to glare directly into hiseyes. “Don’teverask me that question. You call me whenever the fuckyou want, okay?”
“Whatif you’re playing?”
“ThenI’ll call back as soon as I can,” I promised, and he nodded.
Ipulled him to me again, kissing his forehead in a way that would’ve had merolling my eyes at my own parents. But Greyson didn’t even flinch. His throatbobbed again, his eyes brimming with tears.
“Ilove you, kid.”
