What was it about Rey that had me doing things I normally didn’t do? And more than that, what was it about him that made me want more? I had no idea. I just knew it was getting harder to resist the need to be around him.
It was a long time before I finally pulled away, and when I did, I felt better. Not completely, but enough.
Reyes didn’t give me sweet platitudes about how I’d done everything I could’ve in a shitty situation. He didn’t tell me it would be okay. He just looked me in the eyes, gave me a small, crooked smile and kissed me softly on the lips in a way that said more than words ever could.
You’re not alone.
And I knew it was true. At least, for now.
“What do you say we go get some of those cinnamon rolls you keep telling me about? Then we can just hang out? Spend the day together?” Reyes suggested.
I dipped my forehead to his, breathing him in as his hands still trailed down my back. I wasn’t in any hurry to leave. Right now, I was safe in his arms. “Yeah. That sounds good.”
* * *
Thanks to the cold wind,the Puffed Puffin was packed when we entered, and a line was forming around the pastry display. When we got closer, I was disappointed to see the cinnamon rolls were sold out. I’d been looking forward to those ever since Rey had suggested them.
A young man was working the cash register. I recognized him immediately as the same teen Preston had been painting with the night of the concert. His eyeliner was less noticeable now, but it still made his hazel eyes stand out against his skin. His bleached hair was swept to the side in an artfully messy arrangement. I could tell from his nervousness that he hadn’t been working there long. He kept asking Trish questions as he filled each customer’s order, but thankfully, the redheaded woman had unwavering patience.
“You’re doing great, Wesley, just relax. Now hit that button there,” she gestured to something on the screen.
Another woman came out of the back with a huge tray of fresh cinnamon rolls, just as it was our turn to pay, and I almost hollered in joy.
“I thought cops were supposed to like donuts,” Reyes teased.
I gave him a playful shove before paying for our food while Reyes grabbed some napkins from the dispenser. Since all the tables were full, we sat outside on a bench, huddled together to ward off the bitter wind.
In the fifteen minutes that it took for us to eat, Reyes ignored two calls, and I didn’t bother to hide my frown when he slipped his phone into his pocket after the second call.
“Just my family,” he explained.
I wanted to ask if he’d talked to them again, but a child’s voice pulled our attention in the other direction.
Reyes immediately smiled. “Hey, Tim!”
“Hi, Coach!” The child beamed. I recognized him as one of the kids who’d hovered before and after our match at the fundraiser.
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, hoping like hell the boy wouldn’t stop to talk long. His parents were lagging behind a good thirty feet, bundled in thick winter coats, making me think they weren’t in a hurry to get anywhere.
“What are you up to today?” Rey asked. “Don’t you have school?”
He shrugged. “No. It’s a teacher’s day off thing, so Dad said we might go look at some puppies!” He paused. “Hey! What’s the Spanish word for puppy?”
The question felt so random and unexpected, but Reyes answered without hesitation. “Perrito.”
“Puretto,”the boy said.
Reyes chuckled, correcting him with a natural patience I’d seen in him before. “Perrito.It’s kind of like burrito.”
Tim tried it again and Rey held his hand up for a high five when he got it right. My stomach twisted with unease as I watched how comfortably the two interacted. It made me realize how different Rey and I were in that aspect. While kids seem to bring out the best in him, they made me want to run.
Tim’s mother seemed to know we were together and cast me a kind smile before placing a hand on her son’s shoulder to get his attention. “Your donut won’t serve itself, Tim. Come on.”
The winds hadn’t died down by the time we finished eating and neither of us were excited about walking along the beach in the cold. Instead, we decided to drive about an hour and a half up the coast to the nearest lighthouse. Rey and I talked the entire way, and it wasn’t long before he told me more about the boy from the hardware store. I thought he’d brought Harrison up to get my mind off my own worries, but the more he spoke, the more I understood he was burdened today, too. Something about Harrison unsettled Rey, and when he shared his story about being in foster care, I understood all too well. Harrison’s story was eerily familiar to Beckett’s, and it comforted me to know Rey was looking out for the kid, giving him the opportunity to play a game he loved. I hadn’t been able to resist reaching out to take Rey’s hand, just to let him know I appreciated his kind heart.
By the time we climbed out of the truck, the temperature had risen at least fifteen degrees, and the winds had all but stopped. We stayed close as we walked around the lighthouse property, using a map as reference for the self-guided tour. At the third checkpoint, we discovered a few metal statues. The shape of the bodies and tails made me think they were supposed to be seals, but my mind had gone somewhere else entirely. The rolls around the neck of the largest seal looked far too similar to a man’s balls, and the crease along the seal’s back only made it worse, reminding me of a huge phallic vein.
I glanced at Reyes just as he turned to look at me. I could tell he’d jumped to the same conclusion I had, and together, we burst out laughing. I had to lean against the brick barrier just to catch my breath. After a few minutes of side-splitting mirth, I thought I’d be able to contain myself, but the moment I spotted the unfortunate bulge on the damn statue, I lost it all over again.
