"They cost a fortune.I doubt a single one of them has ever been opened.They're there for display."He held up a hand."And don't worry, stick with me — I am going to make sense in the end, I think.What I'm trying to say is that Callie's house felt like a handmade journal compared to those books.You could see her fingerprints on everything.It means something, you know?She's filled that place with who she is.It's like an echo of her character."He looked around again."Am I even making sense?"
Reaves nodded."Yeah, you are to me.But I don't think you should feel bad that this place isn't an echo of you.It could be, if you decided to actually live here."
Ollie scowled."I do live here.I've always lived here."
"No," said Reaves."You sleep here.You've slept here since you were a little kid.But that's all this place is.Even now.How many years is it since your dad's been here?"
Ollie didn't even know.He'd lost count of the years that had gone by since his father had deigned to visit.
"Exactly.He doesn't even own the place anymore.It's yours to do as you want.But you haven't done a damn thing.Like those books you just pointed to — they don't have to be on the shelves anymore.You could have gotten rid of them."
Ollie rolled his eyes."I can't just throw those things out.Do you know what they're worth?"
Reaves laughed."So, sell them.Or give them away.In fact, if you like, you could give them to me and I'll sell them."
Ollie laughed with him.Reaves often joked about the difference in their finances.But whenever Ollie tried to help him out, he refused.
"You know what I mean."
"I do," said Ollie."But let's not go down that road, huh?Today's a day for just hanging out.We don't have to fly again till next week.There's nothing we need to do."He turned around and pointed at the casserole dish."Nothing apart from eat our way through this that Rosa sent over for us."
Reaves lifted the edge of the foil, and the dogs crowded around him.
"It's a breakfast casserole," Ollie told him.
"Awesome.Are we going to get started on it now?"
"Sure."Ollie turned the oven on to preheat."And what about you?Did you talk to Alara again last night?"
Reaves pulled up a stool at the island and nodded."I wish there was something I could do, you know.She sounded so tired and kind of defeated.But she said she's going to get up early and get on the way to Oregon this morning.She admitted that she'd been too tired to even attempt it yesterday."
"What kind of sick do you think she is?"
"I wish I could tell you, bud.She looked tired and pale.She's kind of skinny too."
"Hey," Reaves said indignantly."She is not skinny.She's slender."
Ollie gave him a rueful smile."It wasn't an insult.I just didn't know if she was losing weight because of some health condition or whether she's not getting enough to eat."
Reaves covered his eyes with his hand."Jesus, Ollie, don't go saying things like that.I feel bad enough already."
"Sorry, bud.I wish I knew what to say.I wish I knew what we could do to help her.But she seems bound and determined to get to Oregon to take this job."
"Yeah."Reaves shrugged."But I'm not going to give up, you know.When she gets settled up there, I'm going to ask if I can go and visit."
"Good for you.I'll take you.In the Cirrus, if you want."
Reaves met his gaze and held it."I can drive."
"I know, but why should you?When your best bud is a poor little rich boy with his own plane and nothing else to do."
"I'd say you have something else to do," said Reaves."You have the small matter of confessing to Callie that you are a poor little rich boy."
Shit.Ollie turned away and went to stare out the window at the vineyards."I know I've got to do it.I just don't know when yet."
"You know my take," said Reaves."I think you should do it sooner than later.The sooner you do it, the better.It's like ripping off a Band-Aid.It might hurt at first, but you can't start healing until it's done."
Ollie laughed."I thought the Band-Aid was supposed to stay in place until the healing was done."
