“A bit of advice from an old man,” Al says. We all turn to look at him. “There are five gorgeous young women and two beautiful older women out there. All we have to do is remind them of how beautiful they are inside and out. And yes, if someone ever tries to hurt them, we protect them because we are a family. But they are safe here. If you can’t feel you can be yourself around your family, then where can you be yourself? We support; we love; we respect.”
Fuck. I hate that he’s right.
“OK. Let’s order in some mofongo. Farley gave me the name of a restaurant that delivers. I’ll get us some other stuff too,” I state as I reach for my phone and order dinner.
“I forgot how sun and salty air make me sleepy,” Jocelyn says with a yawn as she snuggles up next to me. We’ve been drinking daiquiris all afternoon and evening. We ate delicious food. And now folks are heading to bed.
Jocelyn and I have curled up on the sofa in the guesthouse. We’re watching an old rom-com at her request.
My motion sensor camera app sends me a notification. I finally broke down and bought one. I pull it up and see Cliff sitting by the automated bird feeder that I bought.
I turn on the microphone.
“Hey, Cliff! Just a second, buddy,” I say as I use my other app and release some food.
Jocelyn cranes her neck and looks at my phone.
“I’m sorry. Did you just talk to the raccoon from your phone?” she asks.
“Yes, I did. And I gave her food,” I explain as I show her the app.
She rolls her eyes. “You have a problem.”
“No. I have a small, furry friend,” I correct her.
She shakes her head. “Any notifications for the flowers?”
I scan through my missed notifications. “Nope. But, look here.” I point to a video. “See how some leaves blow in front of the camera.” And then it picks up again, like thirty minutes later, when someone walks by and the flowers are there.”
“Huh. You think those leaves were intentionally put there?” she asks.
“I’m beginning to. I’ve seen them a few times now with this new camera,” I explain.
“Let me see that,” she says, grabbing my phone. “Look, you can set an auto feed daily for your outdoor pet.” She hits a button. “All done. Now stop looking at your phone. You’re on vacation.”
I nudge her. And point to her laptop on the table. She was working on her rough draft earlier.
“Then no more paper for you. Take the next five days off,” I state.
“Fine,” she says as she turns back to the television.
I smile as she curls up, her head on a pillow that’s sitting in my lap. My arm rests on her side. I’m not sure when we fell asleep, but the last thing I remember is listening to her soft breaths and watching her hand twitch while she dreamed. The sleep that follows is the most peaceful I’ve had in years.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Jocelyn
I’m so cozy. I’m surrounded by heat, but I feel air blowing on me from a fan overhead. It’s like having my weighted blanket on me, only…wait a minute, I didn’t bring my weighted blanket.
I open my eyes. The early morning sun is streaming in from the windows. I blink as I realize I fell asleep with Hutch. He’s stretched out on the chaise lounge part of the sectional, and I’m lying on the sofa part with my head on his lap and…why is something poking me from under the pillow?
Oh. My. God.
Hutch has morning wood. And holy crap, he’s big. I mean, this shouldn’t be shocking; the man is a literal Viking in stature.
I try not so delicately to get out from under him, but his arm that’s wrapped over my hip weighs a ton, and I can’t move it.
“Hutch,” I whisper.
