“Tom. How do you feel? Still sober?”
His directness puts me on edge.
“You really don’t have much faith in me, do you?” My voice carries a decent amount of irritation.
Jay sighs. “It’s not about faith, Tom. You have a pattern, you know you do. So excuse my skepticism. I’ve seen this movie before.”
His words circle in my head. I can’t even explain the sour feeling they leave behind.
He already expects me to fail, even though I’ve been sober for months now, even though it’s become so easy for me to just say no. But I guess that’s the sequel to a movie he’s not interested in.
The resentment burns, old shit mixing with new insights. And it’s not just the physical distance. It really feels like there’s an entire ocean between us now.
“Stay focused on your recovery and don’t go messing around with girls at the resort, understood?”
“Alright. No girls, I promise.”
I rub my eyes, pinch the bridge of my nose. “How… How’s Effy? Is she okay?”
There’s a crack. I’m not sure if it’s in his voice or the phone connection.
“She’s sleeping a lot, but everything’s going as it should. No need to worry.”
That’s all I needed from Jay. As for the rest, I’ve got nothing to say to him right now. Without another word, I hand the phone back to Calvin.
Fuck Jay.
My own phone buzzes in my pocket.
Yosh: I’m outside. The dogs are cute.
I smile. Everything I’ve been holding onto falls away. Jay’s bullshit, talking down to me like I’m sixteen again, it all doesn’t seem to matter anymore knowing Yosh is here.
“I’m heading out,” I tell Calvin as I stand.
Calvin, still on the phone, waves me goodbye.
“I’ll see you at SeaBreeze on Sunday, yeah? Got a surprise for you!”
“Wouldn’t miss it!” I shout back, already at the top of the stairs.
Outside, I spot the lime-green Gremlin right away. Bella and Gordo are passed out in the shade of a palm tree. Belly-up, legs in the air. Lazy dogs, for real. Even the flamingo floatie would do a better job guarding the house.
I give them a quick rub before sneaking through the gate.
One last look at the villa before hopping into the passenger seat.
Yosh is checking me from head to toe. His eyes glint with mischief, a faint curve tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“Ready?” he asks.
“More than ever.”
Chapter thirty-one
Yosh
The sun’s a bit of a bastard today, and there isn’t a single cloud in sight. We’re hiking through rough terrain where the trail is more or less subjective.
