Dash gave me a questioning glance, clearly not ready to let this time with my mom go.
“Dash, it was very nice to meet you. Made better now that Beau has a friend who can speak in complete sentences. I believe that’s a first in my boy’s circle of friends.” Some might call what she said a joke, but it wasn’t.
“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Brooks,” Dash said.
My mom moved backward a couple of steps. “The three of us need to have dinner soon. My treat. And please call me Linda. Mrs. Brooks is my ex mother-in-law. She wasn’t a pleasant person.”
He rocked on his feet. “It’s a respect thing so we’ll have to see how it goes. Beau’s a great guy, the best friend I’ve ever had. Now I see where he gets it from.”
Her smile brightened. She pointed to Dash as she looked at me. “Keep him around.”
Oh, yeah, exactly what I intended to do. I nodded and waved when she dropped into the front seat and shut the door. My thumb hooked over my shoulder as I stared openly at Dash. “I’m gonna put everything away.”
He stayed rooted where he stood, waving as my mom backed out of the spot and started out of the parking lot. When she left, he slowly turned, looking lost in thought as he walked back to his perch on the side of the building. “Take your time. I’m great. I think she liked me.”
One week later
The idea of quiet relaxation while being in the wide-open wilderness always intrigued me. Mainly due to my recent discovery that all the things that wanted to bite me, lived freely outside, mainly in the dark. Yet, here I was again.
I stared at Beau’s grandparents house. It was eerily quiet. The only lights on were on the first floor. If they had guests staying in the B&B, it was hard to tell. An inkling of guilt always hit me when I had time to just stare at the houses in the neighborhood. I unwittingly played a part in the downfall of this community. It went against everything I believed in, but I didn’t have a say in any of it.
The front door opened at the same time my cell phone rang. I reached for the phone while watching Chae walk down the front porch steps. What I assumed was Beau’s grandmother followed her down. I saw where his mom, and then Beau, got their looks. She was tall, thin, and didn’t look her age.
I wasn’t sure what to do. Rationally, I understood, if I could see them, they had to be able to see me. Beau’s worrisome feelings had me ducking my head to keep unwanted eyes off me. “Are you there?”
Phone call. Joy. Right. “I am,” I said quietly as if someone might hear me.
“Dasham, where’s my car?” Her tone held zero warmth and was full of accusation as if I was nothing more than a common criminal.
And did she really not know the answer to her question? Then how did I respond? Surely not with the truth, especially if she was with our family.
“Can you just cover for me? I’ve got a week until my birthday then I can drive my own car.” Seemed reasonable. Definitely the truth. If I wasn’t in such an awkward position, I’d pat myself on the back.
“I need my car to go see Donny,” she hissed angrily.
“Then take your brother’s car, or your dad’s. They won’t notice.”
“If I get caught, you’re going down with me.”
“That’s fine,” I said and lifted my head enough to see Chae looking in the direction of my car. Beau’s grandmother turned, following Chae’s interest.
Oh hell, please don’t let them start toward my me. Please.
“I’m done, Dasham. This is the last time. Take someone else’s car from here on out.” Oh yeah, right. I’d never do that. She was the rebel, not me.
“All right,” I said, knowing I lied. At the same moment, Chae started toward my car. Beau’s grandmother waved goodbye before heading back up her steps, inside the house.
“You’re speaking so weird, like in code, or worse, like you belong here. Pretty soon you’re gonna start saying, ‘ain’t’ and ‘y’all’ and ‘fixin’’.”
We were done. I ended the call. As funny as a strong southern accent was, Beau spoke that way. I found it charming and delightful.
As Chae came closer, I lifted in my seat. We stared at one another. Something akin to speculation locked on her face. Hmm. Her purposeful stride never stopped until she reached my car. Out of habit, I lifted a finger to disable the overhead lights then unlocked the doors—because who sat in the wilderness with their doors unlocked?
She dropped down in the seat as if I’d invited her.
“You need to know that the neighborhood’s noticin’ you here every night. They’re startin’ to figure out that it’s you, Dasham Richmond. They’re questionin’ what’s goin’ on. What’s your angle? They’re so consumed with stoppin’ the expansion that they haven’t figured out you’re here only for Beau. Which is weird, because everyone outside of this neighborhood is questionin’ how tight you two are.”
I weighed her words, letting them filter through my mind. “How do you feel about Beau and I spending time together?”
