“Yo! Coop!”
He set the bags on the counter next to me and smiled…and it was pure sunshine. He looked freshly showered, his longish hair brushed, and his Red Sox tee and workout shorts smelled like laundry detergent.
“Red Sox?” I plucked the T-shirt and breathed him in.
“Dude. I have no choice. According to Ger, I gotta start representing. I bought ingredients for Ivy’s summer squashsalad. I told her I’d save you the trip to the market, so she texted me her list. Don’t tell her I said it sounds gross, by the way.”
“I won’t.” I cupped his neck and kissed him fiercely.
“Whoa.” Silas blinked as I released him. “I’m not complaining, but does that have anything to do with the van I saw pulling out of the driveway?”
I filled him in on my conversation with Sarah. Even the part about renting the house next door if that were an option.
He listened, and I realized he was good at it ’cause I didn’t stop talking until I’d run out of words.
Silas opened his arms wide and pulled me into a warm embrace, echoing my words to Sarah. “It’s gonna be okay. It’s gonna be okay.”
I went limp and leaned on him, wrecked with emotion and the stirrings of new worries. “Fuck, I hope so.”
“Iknowso. And I’m happy for you,” he said gently. “I know it’ll be tough too, but it hurts to think of them without you. You’re so good for them.”
You’re so good for me.
I bit the inside of my cheek and smiled. “Squash salad?”
Silas contorted his handsome features into a comedicewface. “It might be time to hide a few of her cookbooks. The girl’s out of control with the healthy stuff. Luckily, I bought ice cream too.”
I laughed and took his lead.
It was okay to leave the heavier burdens for later.
CHAPTER 23
SILAS
Water licked the edge of the dock, swaying in the wake of a passing boat in the distance. I hefted myself up and tossed a faux scowl at Chase, smugly raising his arms in victory.
“I won!”
“Boo,” I grumbled, shaking my wet hair and spraying him liberally.
Chase giggled and did a little dance. Then he flopped onto his towel, shoved a pair of too-big sunglasses on his nose, and propped his hands behind his head.
I spread my towel next to Chase’s and waved to Cooper, Ivy, and her friend Jade, who’d decided not to join our boat-to-shore race. I tilted my chin skyward and soaked up the idyllic scene of lake and forest and squeals of laughter drifting on the midsummer breeze…along with the occasional pecking noise of Wood Hollow’s infamous scoundrels.
Chase scrambled to sit up. “It’s hot in the sun. I wish we had ice cream.”
“You always wish we had ice cream.”
“Don’t you?”
I chuckled. “Of course. Put your feet in the water. That’ll help you cool off.”
“Okay.” He took his towel with him. “My feet can’t reach the water. Only my toes. Want to try it?”
I sat beside him, kicking water in his general direction. “Better?”
“Yep! This is the life,” he exclaimed, sounding more like an old man than a nine-year-old.
