Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 104151 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104151 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
“However, she only brought one piece of pie,” he continued. “And she made it abundantly clear the pie was for Josh.”
I grinned.
“It was yummy,” Josh said, finding a piece to the puzzle.
I nodded. “My mom makes good pie.”
“As good as yours?” Kyle lifted an eyebrow.
“Pfft. Of course not.” I held a serious face for a few seconds before cracking a grin.
Kyle and I stared at each other for a while without saying anything. I would have given all of my tomorrows to have known what he was thinking.
“Have you made friends?” he asked, breaking the silence.
“Sure. But they can’t be lifelong friends. I think it’s a bad idea for addicts to be friends. We’re all a bunch of bad influences.”
He nodded, brow furrowed. “I was a bad influence.”
The can of beer in exchange for a blow job.
I didn’t mention that in counseling when we discussed people in my life who were enablers of my addiction.
“I hid it well,” I said because I didn’t blame him, and I didn’t want him to blame himself.
“You didn’t,” he replied.
I didn’t argue. What was the point?
“I hear you’re moving home.” It took everything inside of me to bring that up. It was the equivalent of tearing my heart out of my chest and asking Kyle to crush it with his boot.
But it was one of several elephants in the room. Therapy had done a lot for me in three weeks, but my self-preservation instinct still needed some honing.
He focused on Josh and slowly nodded.
“Do you have a new job?” I asked, but I didn’t care.
There were more important questions like, were we just a short fling? Was it not really love? Would he ever really forgive me for burning Josh? Were they visiting me because he wanted to see me or because Josh wanted to? Would we keep in touch? Did he regret what we had? Was I worth the chaos of moving to Devil’s Head for a few months?
“I’ll substitute teach for the rest of the school year and see what comes available for next year.”
“We visited Colorado Springs when I was like ten or something,” I said. “We rode up to Pikes Peak.”
He offered a melancholy smile and a tiny nod. “The Cog Railway. It’s pretty fun. I haven’t taken Josh yet. Maybe next summer.” He leaned forward and helped Josh fit another piece into the puzzle.
“How’s my dog? Are you leaving him or taking him?”
Josh giggled. “Clifford is my dog.”
Kyle squinted at Josh. “But where does he sleep?”
Josh sighed. “With you.” He did the cutest shrug, lifting his hands. “But I don’t know why?”
“Josh and I took him pheasant hunting last weekend. I think he’s a hunting dog.”
I grinned, and it felt good. “Told you.”
Kyle’s grin mirrored mine. “You did.”
I joined in again on the puzzle, and we worked on it for the next half hour, keeping our conversation Josh-friendly.
“When are we going?” Josh said when he was bored with the puzzle.
Kyle looked at his watch. “We can go anytime, buddy. Let’s have you use a restroom on the way out.”
I stood. “Give me a hug, munchkin.”
Josh hugged me, and the small lump in my throat that had been there for their whole visit began to swell. When he released me, I feathered my fingertips over his arm. Josh’s gaze followed my touch. Then he looked up at me and smiled while whispering, “I forgive you.”
In the next breath, he put on his jacket and turned toward Kyle.
I remained frozen in place, with his dagger of forgiveness lodged into the center of my heart.
“A week to go,” Kyle said as I stood straight. “I’m proud of you, Eve.”
I nodded since that lump was so thick that words couldn’t squeeze past it. I glanced away and pressed the pads of my fingers to the corners of my burning eyes.
No one was keeping me there. I checked myself in, and I could check myself out. And if Kyle would have asked me to leave with him, I would have.
But he didn’t.
“Come on, Dad.” Josh pulled Kyle’s arm.
“Okay, buddy.”
I swallowed hard, but I still couldn’t breathe. With a brave smile, I hugged him, but I kept it brief and quickly stepped back, staring at my feet while sliding my hands into my back pockets.
“Let’s go, Dad.”
Don’t move.
Not a blink.
Not a single breath.
Kyle let Josh pull him a few feet closer to the door.
Don’t move.
Not a blink.
Not a single breath.
A tear escaped.
And then another. But I kept my head down so he wouldn’t see them.
Just as holding it in became unbearable, I slowly lifted my head, hoping they were gone, but I was met with Kyle taking several long strides back to me. He took my face in his hands and kissed me.
I released a sob, gripping his jacket. When the kiss ended, he dragged his lips along my cheek to my ear and whispered, “I fell hard too.”