Beckett
Today’s Special:
A Brûlée of Apples Fallen from a Far-Off Tree
“You should put togethera short list of schools,” I called to Parker as I surveyed the house siding. “Some top choices and a few safeties. Then you can figure out what you’ll need to do in order to be a competitive candidate. I’m sure I can find a consultant to help with the process if you’d like.”
He emerged from the garage, an orange surfboard tucked under his arm and a backpack over one shoulder. “That doesn’t sound like something I’d want to do on the first beach day of the season but thanks anyway.”
He pulled the garage door shut and the entire structure creaked like it was about to collapse. Not unlike the rest of my parents’ house. I added “garage” to the list of urgent renovations.
The most cost-effective renovation would involve knocking this place down and starting over though my mother would hate that. If she found her way back here.
When. When she found her way back here.Ifwas not an option for us. She’d come home and my life would resume. That was the only way.
“If not today,” I said as Parker strapped the board to the roof of his car, “soon. You don’t have much time to waste.”
“Time is a social construct.” He tossed his backpack through the open car window. “It cannot be wasted. It simply is.”
I stared at the roof. Moss grew in a few shady spots. Shingles were missing in others. I clicked my pen and added it to the list.
“Okay, but—fuck,” I called, tripping over yet another garden gnome. These fucking things were everywhere. Gnomes and grass-stained baseballs.Everyfuckingwhere. One of these days, I was going to break my neck and then everyone would have to solve their own damn problems. “You need to get going on that list.”
Parker flashed a peace sign and dropped into the driver’s seat. “Don’t wait up.”
“Where are you going?”
He gestured to the surfboard. “Surfing.”
“Yeah, I got that,” I called. “Where?”
“The ocean.”
I rolled my eyes. “Could you be a little more specific?”
Parker draped both arms over the steering wheel and let out a long sigh. “I recognize that you’re in this strangely parental role but you of all people should understand that I haven’t had any conventional supervision in a solid decade and I don’t need any now. Don’t invent problems for yourself when we have enough for everyone to have second and third helpings.”
“Okay,” I managed. “Don’t forget you’re working tonight.”
“Maybe.” Parker shrugged. “Say hi to Dad for me.”
I watched him back out of the pitted, pot-holed driveway and added that to my list too.
* * *
The driveto the federal detention center where my father was being held took ninety-seven minutes and I rehashed last night’s conversations with Sunny for every one of them. I wanted to know who the hell had bothered her but I’d have to source that information elsewhere.
I was beginning to understand the mix of cold shoulders and hellfire she sent my way. Not that I could blame her. I didn’t remember my teenage days with much clarity but I’d hurt her and the details didn’t matter.
Then I’d gone and put an offer in on her building and made sure she knew that almost kissing her was definitely a mistake.
Of course she hated me.
But also, she didn’t.
I didn’t know whether she was a natural flirt or she was aiming that energy at me for a reason. Regardless of the origin, I was powerless in the face of those evil grins and those smart-ass comments. All she had to do was smile and tell me to go to hell, and I was fucked.
Considering I was already fucked in forty different ways, I didn’t really have the time or brain space to let Sunny finish the job.
