Despite the shiver rolling through me at my silly fantasy, it would be wrong to make it reality. I was here on a breather for now and would only be back for random weekends once I did go home. I’d spotted a ton of turbulence behind those blue eyes, and I doubted he’d be interested in anything, even something temporary.
I had to sort out my own shit before I could figure out what I did or didn’t want to do to someone else. Yet, my mind drifted there all the same.
“I’ll be home soon. I promise.”
“When you’re back, we’ll make you all your favorites. What do you kids call it, having your feelings for supper?”
I burst out laughing at my father. Although, when an intern had called something “mid” at a meeting and I’d had to look it up afterward, I’d felt the sting of regret at all the teasing my cousins and I had put my father through over the years for trying to soundhip.
It hurt to have confirmation that I was heading into the uncool stage of my life—which was a pretty shitty time to have to start over.
“It’s cute that you still think of your thirty-five-year-old daughter as a kid. And the expression is eating my feelings, which sounds amazing. I’d love some lo mein and dim sum when I’m home.”
“I’ll make you a feast. We love you.”
I nodded, biting my lip at the sudden burning in my nose.
“Yes,” Mom said. “We love you very much. Calm yourself at Peyton’s and then come home so we can take care of you.”
I thought of Jude and his father playing checkers in the park, his dad introducing himself with a smile despite struggling to stand. It had been hard to watch my parents age over the years, but I was blessed to have them as healthy as they still were. After a wave of sympathy for Jude and his father barreled over me, I managed to hold back the tears enough to tell them goodbye and hang up.
“I’m guessing that was your parents,” Peyton said as she set the baby monitor and two cold bottles of something on the glass table next to me.
“It sure was. And please say there’s alcohol in whatever you brought outside.”
She chuckled as she twisted the top off one of the bottles and handed it to me. I’d been sitting in the shade since I’d come outside, but the humidity was still stifling as hell.
“Some. One of Jake’s customers gave him a six-pack of wine coolers to take home to his wife as a thank-you.”
I sputtered around my first sip. It was nice and cold, but the sweet taste of berry-flavored liquid almost made my back teeth ache, reminiscent of my teenage years in Brooklyn. We’d snuck these into my high school best friend’s basement, feeling really fucking cool even when we burped up the aftertaste.
“They gave him wine coolers for you? Not wine?” I asked as I swung my legs around the side of the chair and stood to join her at the table.
“I wasn’t sure how to take that either.” She eyed the bottle in her hand. “They’re an older couple. I think they were either in the grocery store and spotted them where they always keep the wine coolers by the register, or they think since I’m so young, I still enjoy wine coolers and Shirley Temples.” She shrugged, smirking around the rim of the bottle as she took another sip. “I’m in my thirties, so it’s not like I’m a teenager. But since Jake is almost fifty and I’m the police chief’s niece, I think some take me for younger than I am.”
“Hey, that’s not the worst thing. Every time I walk down my block and weave past the young girls hanging out on the stoops outside, I feel old as fuck. Another nice thing about the country, it keeps you young.” I raised my bottle and took a long swig. I’d need five of these to even get an inkling of a buzz.
“I took the nice gesture at face value. Either way, they’re actually not bad and surprisingly refreshing on a hot day. I’ll take it as a compliment.”
I nodded, focusing on Keely’s blow-up toys wafting back and forth along the surface of the small pool in the warm breeze. As kiddie pools went, this one was top-notch. It had high walls on either side and could fit three adults plus a baby. It had no filter, but I had just filled it up with the hose before I’d called my parents, so it had to be at least a little cool still.
“How sad would it be if I took my wine cooler into the kiddie pool with no kid?”
“My kiddie pool is your kiddie pool.” Peyton laughed and tipped an almost-empty water bottle toward the pool. “Go for it.”
I stood to pull off my cover-up and kicked off my flip-flops, padding quickly along the steaming grass to step into the pool. It was still nice and cold as I sat down and stretched my arms along the sides.
“My God, this feels good.”
“Stay in as long as you want. Keely should be asleep for the next forty-five minutes. Aunt Claudia tires her out.” She smiled, grabbing the monitor and plopping into the lawn chair I’d been lounging in. “We may never let you leave.”
“But I will. I promise. I know I can’t hide out here forever.”
“You can stay as long as you want, and there is no rush. I’m off for the summer, and it’s nice to have my best friend around. Take all the time you need.”
“My father offered me a job as their numbers girl.” I cocked a brow at Peyton before I tipped back the rest of the wine cooler.
“Again?”
