I collapsed onto the bench seat again, the weight of the promise keeping me there this time. “When will you be back?”
“I’m not sure yet, but you’ll be the first to know.”
I nodded even though he couldn’t see me. “Can I call you tonight?”
“Yes. Please.”
“Okay,” I said, nodding again. “Okay.”
“I’m looking forward to then, but I’m going to go now, as Aunt Ari is jealous that she can’t speak to you too.” He said it in a teasing way, and I could almost imagine the look he gave his aunt as he said it.
“Tell her goodbye for me,” I added, not keeping the edge of melancholy from my voice.
There was a murmur, and then he replied, “She returns the sentiments warmly. And I hope you have a wonderful day. I look forward to tonight.”
There is not a single thing I could do that would be better than holding you.
That’s what I wanted to say, but instead went with different truths.
“You, too, LL. And same here.”
26
Cody
With Breeat the nursing home, Vinh working his regular job, whatever that was, and Liem back in Gulf Shores, I was….
I was restless. I was not having a wonderful day.
That solid night of sleep had caught up to me, and now I had a full day ahead that I’d have to endure well-rested and woefully alert.
For several minutes after this morning’s phone call with Liem, I’d just sat at the gazebo and stared at the town of Bay Springs, wondering what the hell to do with myself.
Last night had been a breakthrough on more than one front, though, so there was that. Vinh had helped me by unwittingly acting as my anti-anxiety wingman when we left Liem and Bree to their secret business and boldly entered 7th Street Coffee together.
I still hadn’t seen that damn tattoo, but frappes and the ordering of frappes could now consider themselves conquered. I’d just ignore the fact that I hadn’t asked for whipped cream on any of them.
The awkward pain was still too near for that and might be for years to come.
I’d left the gazebo eventually and, like the brave little anxiety soldier I was, got myself a hot coffee, then backtracked to the cottage for muffins, pointedly not looking into Liem’s room on the way in and out. As I got back into my truck, I wondered if Liem saw the notification that I’d been back and then left again but put it out of my mind as I stuffed muffins in my face one after another on the way back to the houseboat.
They were divine, but the coffee with sugar and the muffins made with yet more coffee andsugar did not help my vibrating brain.
I only lingered on the boat for a few minutes, as the sole joy to be found there was in the lingering smell of the cookies I’d baked with Vinh last night. He’d taken time to explain the steps to me and never once seemed put out by doing so.
Grabbing my new hat from Bree from the bedside drawer, I put it on and went right back out to my truck and drove to Dad’s, where, thankfully, there were no kids screaming or signs of a party to crash this time.
“Dad?” I yelled as I let myself in with the key that I’d added to my Liem key chain.
Four keys dangled on it now, and still not one of them was for home. The truck key might’ve come closest.
“In here,” he called back, and when I made my way to the kitchen, he looked up with a tired smile. “Hey, son.”
“Hey,” I responded hesitantly, frowning at his athletic gear. “Those don’t seem like rest day clothes.”
He scooped a dollop of protein powder into his top-of-the-line blender. “I know. I was just going to do a short circuit. I’m feeling a little…,” he trailed off and his brow furrowed as he flicked his gaze to me, as if wondering if he should go on.
I waited, keeping my expression neutral.
