Tally reaches out to hold Sloan’s hand, but her eyes are on me when I lean back again, a small smile tugging at her lip.
Tim comes back to us, holding four bottles of soda. “If now isn’t the time for a sugar rush, I don’t know when is.”
He hands me a bottle, and I open it, giving it to Sloan, who looks at me curiously before I take another one for myself. Glancing at Tally and Tim, memories come to mind of us hanging out with Jessie here in the restaurant while Shannon was still working the tables. Of us drinking, having fun,being young. And Jessie’s favorite toast comes back to me, a thing I haven’t thought about in years.
So I hold out my soda and start, “There are good ships…”
Tally sucks in a breath, searching my eyes, but then she smiles and holds out her bottle too. “There are wood ships…”
Tim grins and holds his bottle to ours. “There are ships that sail the sea…”
I glance at Sloan, and she hesitates just a second before holding her bottle up to the rest of ours, so I finish, “But the best ships are friendships.”
Then Tim and Tally chime in, “And may they always be.”
TWENTY
Late afternoon has settled in,and a chill fills the air as I sit in my van, wrapped in Nash’s hoodie and cocooned in my blanket. My trusty Nintendo Switch rests in my hands, but it’s failing to distract me from the whirlwind of thoughts swirling through my mind. The fact that Saylor is still not back does nothing to help.
Tally and Tim left to check with the bank after I provided them with more details from Robert. It seems like there’s enough money waiting for them to help a lot with the house renovations, and it makes me so damn happy for them.
If anyone deserves it, it’s them.
PlayingZeldafor the hundredth time does little to ease my restless mind. Thoughts keep circling back to everything that’s happened in the past few hours—Nash coming to hold me in my sleep, North and I going for our run, and Hunter… Hunter being a rock for me, having my back with Phyllis.
It’s overwhelming, and I’m thinking about going for another run to clear my head because my heart is a fucking mess and doesn’t let me think straight. But just as the idea forms, I’m jolted from my thoughts by the crunch of gravel as a car pullsup beside my van. The engine cuts off, and car doors slam shut, followed by a knock on the sliding door of my van.
It’s probably nothing bad. Right?
I peer out the curtain of the window, my Switch temporarily forgotten. Three heads with wavy brown hair greet me, and I let out a breath.
They’re trouble for sure, but at least not the dangerous kind.
I slowly open the door to find North, Nash, and Hunter all there, and in front of them stands Lio.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, my voice tinged with concern as I look at the group gathered outside my van.Why would all of them be here?
Lio grins up at me and exclaims, “We’re going to Calais, Sloany. Wanna come? It’s fun!”
Hunter smiles and strokes over Lio’s hair. “It’s late shopping today, and we need some stuff. We thought maybe you need something too and want to join?”
Nash chimes in, “Yeah, maybe some warmer clothes.” He looks me up and down, and my eyes follow his gaze. I realize I’m wearing his hoodie again, and a blush creeps onto my cheeks.
Fuck.
Crossing my arms over my chest defensively, I glance at Hunter and North, who sport similar smirks.
Nash takes a step closer and reaches out to tug at the seam of the hoodie, murmuring, “Although I very much enjoy seeing you wearing this.”
I swat his hand away, and he chuckles, stepping back again.
Sadly, I’ve absolutely no money to spare on anything. I hope to buy the used heater for Van-essa with my next paycheck since searching for a room or apartment seems futile. Tally told me earlier today that she and Tim looked and asked around for me, but I can’t afford anything.
Living is expensive.
Even if I had the money to go shopping, I wouldn’t just join them to go to Calais. It’s a one-hour drive, one way, and sitting in that small space with all of them, without an out…
Nope, not gonna happen.
