His belief in me should be the source of that hope in my chest, not the means of relief that is spreading through my body. I’m grateful he didn’t ask about the inspiration behind the lyrics; I don’t intend to keep my disability from Todd forever, but I’d like it to be in person when I finally tell him.
“Thanks, man.”
“Hey, about thatCelebarticle…”
I still, my hands on ten and two. “What about it?” I have no idea if it dredged up good or bad publicity. If it was the latter, I think I would have heard from him sooner.
“It’s no big deal, I just wondered if that was the woman from the concert?”
The way he scrutinized her that night, I’m not surprised he recognized her from a grainy photo snapped at dusk.
“I didn’t know she was from my hometown until I moved back and ran into her. She’s been helping out with Quinn.”Also, she’s the reason why I wrote the songs I sent you. And she’s moving into my house.
“She seems good for you,” he says.
“It’s not like that.”Yet.
“Whatever you say, Daddy Dawson. We’ll talk soon.”
“Let me know what the—”label says, I finish, after he’s already hung up.
Guess I’ll spend the next however manyagonizing days waiting for another response. Thankfully, Summer takes my mind off it when her name pops up on the touch display. I spin the volume dial down four notches when aggressive meowing assaults my speakers.
“Millie, quit!” I hear her whisper-scold.
The Bronco jostles with a hop on the curb.
“Worried about how you’ll get that cat out of your car?” I pull forward on the driveway, leaving ample room for a straight shot to the front door. I hope she knows I’m joking. That I don’t expect her to handle this herself. It’s why I’m waiting in the driveway until she gets here.
“It’s all I’ve been thinking about the entire drive over, but that’s not why I called.” The sentence rushes out of her in a string of words. No pause. No spaces. Tethered together by one breath.
“You mean you weren’t going to ask if I had a straitjacket you could borrow?”
“Now that you said something…” She pretends to be thinking about it when in reality, there is a foot-long feline to blame for hijacking her attention.
I draw her back to the conversation with, “If it wasn’t why you called, then…”
“Are you worried what Quinn will think of this?”
I’m not. I told Quinn about it earlier today. We were on our drive over to her Sunday date with Coco. I did my best to explain the situation, and all she asked was if Summer could read her a book before bed. I don’t think she understands.
“How so?”
“Just… her getting attached,” Summer clarifies. There’s real fear behind her tone. I don’t want to read into what that means when we have three weeks. All I’m leaning into is the fact that this feels like the best decision for everyone involved.
“Well, you’ll definitely have to part with Millie when you move out, so better get on board with that now.”
“Do you ever take anything seriously?” she mocks, throwing my words from the first night we texted back in my face.
I know that’s not what she meant. I also know it’s too late to protect any of us.
“She’s already attached, Summer,” I answer quietly.
22
EVERETT
“Close your eyes. No peeking!”
