Page 59 of Falling Together

“Fine, Dad.”

He’s back to typing away on his phone. “Who are you messaging with?”

“Dad…”

His brown eyes stare back at me like this is the dumbest question I could possibly ask him.

“It’s a perfectly normal thing to ask.”

I get an eye roll. I wonder when those will stop.

“A few friends from back home.”

“How are they doing?” I ask.

“The usual.”

His thumbs tap away a million miles a minute and I have a feeling that’s all I’m going to get out of him.

“Right.”

I hate that he still thinks of LA as home. No matter what I do to try and make this place more homey, he still doesn’t think of Pinecrest that way.

“I’m also talking to Mom.”

“How’s she doing?” I plaster on my best fake nice voice.

“Good.” He looks up at me. “Do you think I can go home and visit soon?”

“Sure,” I say. “Why don’t we look at flying you out there over your fall break.”

“Really?” He lights up at that. “Thanks, Dad.”

“Of course. I told you that you could go back to LA when we moved here.”

“I’ll call Mom later,” he says.

“Great.” I grab my keys from the console table. “I’ve got to get going. Text me if you need anything.”

“I’ll be fine.”

Back to the annoyance in his tone.

I try not to roll my eyes at him as I head out the door. “Bye, Luke!”

I don’t get a response. I shouldn’t be surprised that he’s been texting everyone back in LA. It’s not like it’s been easy for him moving in the middle of summer and not having an easy way to make friends.

I’m not going to solve any of his problems today. Not when I have a game I need to focus on this afternoon.

Having a trip to look forward to for Luke might make things easier here. At least I can hope.

By the time I get to the field, all thoughts of home and Luke are pushed from my mind.

Simmons and Gavney are already here.

“Didn’t think you’d make it,” Simmons chirps.

“I was running late and then I started talking to Luke about visiting LA over fall break once school starts,” I say.