My mom tsks. “I’m fine, Emmy. Just tired after a long day.” She waves her hands like my sister is being silly with her concern. “Are you going to the bar with Jack?”
“You said all you did today was pot some new plants outside,” I add, my own concern blooming with the way my mom tries to change the subject.
“The sun really takes it out of me these days.”
Emerson doesn’t seem convinced—and I can’t say that I fully am either—but she lets it go for now. I look passes between the two of us, no words needed.
We need to keep an eye on Mom.
My mom grabs my arm on her way out of the kitchen toward the stairs that lead to the house's three bedrooms. “I’ll call you tomorrow after I talk to Mr. Lenard about the house.” She pulls me on the arm, urging me to come down to her height, and gives me a kiss on the cheek. “Be sure to wake me up when you get home tonight. I don’t care how late it is.”
“Ma, I’m not in high school,” I complain, especially knowing how tired she is and not wanting her to lose any necessary rest.
“I don’t care,” she says, patting my cheek. “You know the rules. They haven’t changed since you’ve been gone.” She gives me a smile before walking toward Emerson, giving my sister a hug and whispering something in her ear that I can’t make out, before heading up to bed.
CHAPTER 9
JACK
“What madeyou want to come tonight?” I ask Emerson as I park the car in front of Lenny’s, the bar next door to Luke’s coffee shop and the place he invited me to after our phone call earlier today.
She shrugs. “Figured you might need a buffer for your first social outing.”
I can’t help but let out a laugh. I’m not a complete introvert, but my sister makes me look antisocial with her extroverted-ness, and I can admit that I am a little relieved to have her with me, especially as I get used to being back home and around people instead of fish.
I wouldn’t be surprised if my mom told her to keep an eye on me when she whispered in her ear before we left to head over here.
As we get out of the car and walk up to Lenny’s, I resist the urge to turn back to my truck and drive back to the lake. My social battery is already nonexistent from my little to no human interaction, and I already know I’ll sleep well tonight with how much I’ve put myself through today.
I could use a night without the nightmares.
Between the coffee shop this morning, the station this afternoon, as well as the gym with the after-work crowd, and my mom’s for dinner, I haven’t heard my own voice this much in months.
Not to mention a part of my past I really wanted to leave behind me being thrown directly in my path. I haven’t had much time to think about seeing Rumi since leaving Hey Honey’s this morning, but I can’t help my wandering eyes as they glance at the dark coffee shop, the place all closed and locked up for the night.
Pulling open the door to Lenny’s, the familiar beer and old wood greet me. It’s a bar I’ve been to a handful of times, especially when Luke used to bartend here before opening up Hey Honey’s, and it’s a total dive. The lights are dim, the place only lit from the neon signs lining the walls. The bar takes up most of the space with booths lining the outside with high top tables throughout.
The place looks the same as it did the last time I was here, and that brings a sense of comfort knowing that some things stayed the same.
“There he is!” I hear, and I instantly find Luke in the small group of people standing by the bar. He’s standing behind Annie who’s holding a small baby, and my stomach drops.
Did Luke have a whole ass kid while I was gone?
Luke makes his way up to me, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me in for a hug.
“You have a kid?” I ask him as I hug him back, not able to hide my disbelief.
“What?” Luke turns to look at Annie. “Oh, no. That’s Emmett and Drew’s son,” he says, pointing to the big, tattooed guy behind the bar and the woman sitting on the chair in front of him. I let out an exhale, my relief evident enough on my face forLuke to say, “Relax, big guy. I know it’s been a while, but you didn’t missthatmuch.” He turns to my sister. “Hey, Emmy.”
“Good to see you, Luke.”
He gives her a quick hug, lifting her off the ground like he used to when she was little. “Come meet everyone.”
Following Luke, Emerson and I walk up to the bar, and my eyes scan all the people as Luke makes introductions for my sister. I recognize most of the people here, not missing the raise of a brow I get from the redhead—Ava—who I met this morning. It isn’t until my eyes get to the far end of the bar, past Drew with her daughter on her lap, that I seeher.
“And this,” Luke slaps his hand on my shoulder, “is one of our baristas, Rumi. But I heard through the grapevine that you two met this morning.”
Her blue eyes meet mine, and it takes me a second to gather my bearings. Her hair is in the same messy braid I saw earlier, and she’s wearing a long-sleeved white shirt, the same one she had on under her apron. Her legs are crossed in the high top chair, her daughter on her lap transfixed with whatever toy Drew’s daughter is playing with in front of her.
