“Thank you,” I say. I open my mouth to continue the conversation, but we’re interrupted by the reentrance of Earl, clutching his to-go cup and walking over to the counter again.
She smiles and hands the cup over, our fingers brushing slightly. I’m not sure if it’s me or her that shocks the other, but I frown. “I’m so sorry!”
“It’s fine. No worries here. Have a great day.”
We stare at each other for a second too long, and I pull my gaze away before I make things weird. Maybe I need more sleep than I originally thought.
I’m surprised by how quickly she moves back to Earl, as if he were a family member she needs to take care of. Then again, she’s a helper. A problem solver, just like she was for me when I needed help with the gas.
And here I am, two days after she said to pay it forward, and I haven’t done much more than exist. Is there a time requirement on a request like that?
I take my coffee to go, continuing my walk around town. This area looks a lot older than the other sections. It makes me curious where my property is. I had taken the time to put the important phone numbers into a notes app when I got this burner phone, but I don’t have access to the files I would need in my email.
Could I log in to my work email? Sure. But that would trip all sorts of alarms for the company, and every minute I stay here, it’s like I need another. I’m breathing deeper than I have in months, and it’s all fresh sea air.
So, I take out my phone and check the app and scroll until I find Aiden Pearson.
It rings a few times before he picks up, his voice coming through with a cordial quality that I’ve never heard before.
“Hello, Aiden Pearson here. How can I help you?”
“Aiden, it’s Max.”
“Max?” His voice betrays doubt. We’re best friends, but now I’m wondering if he knows that many more Maxes in his life.
“Max Bauer.”
“Max Bauer? Did someone stalk you and now you’ve changed your number? Why are you calling me from this number? And where have you been?”
I blink a few times. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve been trying to get a hold of you for the past twenty-four hours. It’s our turn to set up the club get-together this year, and we need to get things rolling.”
I chuckle.
This is just like Aiden. Very organized and always ahead of the game, making sure everything is prepared months in advance. Our usual group gathering isn’t until July, but with everyone’s schedules, it’s better to plan early.
“Why didn’t you contact me a few days ago?” I ask, teasing him.
“I didn’t get back from Italy until yesterday morning, and it was on my to-do list. Usually, I get an answer from you within an hour—and from your normal phone number.”
Blowing out a breath, I run a hand over my mouth, trying to figure out how to explain this. “Well…I needed a break. I left most of my stuff in New York and caught a flight west.”
“Are you close to me?” He’s lived in California for as long as I’ve known him.
I laugh. “To be honest, I’m not sure. I think I’m somewhere in the southern part of California, but that could mean a lot of things.”
There’s silence for a few moments. “You don’t know where you are?”
With a chuckle, I say, “I know where I am, but you probably know it better.”
“I’m not sure I follow.”
“I’m in a place called Penrose Beach.”
“What? Are you serious right now?”
“Very serious. I got in Monday. I stayed at a bed-and-breakfast and just grabbed coffee from a local shop.” Although I feel like it’s a shop he might not know because of how new everything felt.
