‘Just say I’m a nosy ole bugger and be done with it.’ His loud guffaw made a couple of tourists checking out a display of local honey turn and stare.
‘I’d never do that.’
‘C’mon, I’ll grab us a couple of cold bottles and we’ll sit on the porch.’
A sliver of guilt wriggled in. He should take the Coke with him and hurry back to Paradise Valley, but an outside opinion might not be a bad thing, and he’d learned his friend wasn’t a man to be rushed.
They settled in a couple of the rocking chairs whose seats were worn smooth by the imprint of thousands of backsides. Griff swigged half of his drink in one long swallow before telling Buddy about Theo. ‘He’s Deke Warner’s boy.’
‘Deke’s a stand-up guy. He’s been in here a bunch of times and always makes time to talk. It’s all about the music with him, not all this celebrity garbage. I’m sure he tries his best with the boy, but it’s a sorry mess when a kid don’t feel like he belongs. Theo probably feels pushed out by Deke’s new family.’
‘Yeah, I know. You haven’t heard anyone mention picking up a boy today, I suppose?’
‘Nope, ’fraid not.’
‘I’m worried about him, Buddy. We couldn’t find anything missing from the house, so I’m pretty sure he left on impulse. He’s probably got some money with him, but that’s all.’
‘I’ll put the word out, if you like?’
‘Yeah, that’d be great.’ He gulped down the rest of his Coke and sprang up. ‘Call me if you hear anything?’
‘Sure.’ Buddy levered himself out of the chair and clamped a reassuring hand on Griff’s shoulder. ‘I bet he’ll come back with his tail between his legs when he’s hungry.’
Griff prayed his friend was right. ‘Thanks for listening.’
‘Don’t know I did much good, but they say a trouble shared is a trouble halved.’
Griff gave a curt nod, not trusting himself to say anything more.
Outside, he shoved his hand in his shorts’ pocket and cursed when his phone wasn’t there. Griff opened the truck and spotted it lying on the passenger seat, beeping like crazy. He picked it up and scanned through a string of missed texts from Lyndsey, unsure whether to laugh or cry.
Chapter Fourteen
‘So when were you goin’ to tell me you’d lost my son?’ Deke’s harsh tone of voice and his glare made Lyndsey cringe. She watched the last vestige of color drain from her sister’s face. Theo was home safe now, but that didn’t seem to take the edge off Deke’s anger. ‘I shouldn’t have to hear it from a concerned employee at the British Airways counter at the Nashville airport.’
‘We thought—’
‘No, you didn’t fuckin’ think, that’s the problem!’ he yelled. ‘I suppose you were too busy fussing over Nora to care what happened to Theo.’
‘That’s grossly unfair.’ Lyndsey couldn’t sit there in silence another minute. ‘How dare you talk to Becca that way? She’s been trying her absolute hardest while you’ve been away. You knew Theo was terribly unhappy when you left. Did you think a fairy godmother would wave a magic wand over him while you were gone?’
‘No, but—’
‘But nothing,’ she snapped.
‘Becca, I’m sorry.’ Deke slumped, clutching his head in his hands. When he straightened up, his gaunt features were etched with pain. ‘I didn’t mean those things I said. I know I’m a crappy father and a crappy husband. This is all my fault.’
‘No, it’s not,’ Becca said firmly. ‘We’re both to blame. I’m sorry, too. More than I can say.’
‘Things are gonna be different when I’m back home again. That’s a promise.’
‘You know I’m counting the days,’ she whispered. ‘I miss you so much.’
‘I miss you too, sweetheart.’ Deke sighed. ‘I saw your message, and haven’t been able to get it out of my head all day. I’d love to clear it up now, but I reckon it’ll be best if I talk to Theo face to face about his mother when I get back.’
‘You’re probably right.’
‘But maybe tomorrow y’all can give me a tour of our smartened-up house?’ The ghost of a smile lifted some of the tension from his drawn features. ‘Is that really our kitchen in the background behind you? I promise I’ll try my darnedest to mend my ways and not be such a slob.’
