Page 97 of Summer Holiday Lifeline

“You came here to get help, Mick—shit. Myles. You came here because your friends are here.”

“Are we friends?”

“We’re not not friends.”

Myles glanced over at the kids again. “Did I jump in there because I was trying to—I don’t know. Avoid them?”

“You jumped in there because that’s who you are.”

“You never thought I should be that guy.”

“I was drowning, and you were saving everyone else but me.”

“I couldn’t⁠—”

“I know.” Ozzy gripped his arm. “I know, Mick.”

Myles closed his eyes, letting the old name wash over him, trying to figure out where—or if—it fit him.

“Micky couldn’t save me. It felt like we were in the trenches together, but you were always running off to save someone else while I was floundering. But the only person who could have saved me was me. I figured that out eventually, and so did you.” He smiled, and it was a bit sad, but only a bit. “That’s why you left Micky behind, isn’t it? He was no good for me. He wasn’t even any good for you, and he sure as hell had no place raising kids.”

“He’s still me.”

“Is he, though?” Ozzy squeezed his arm, then let go. He gazed out over the pool, arms crossed. “I know I never met Natalie, but the way you talked about her, I feel like she would never have left her kids with Micky. But I can see her leaving them with you. With Myles.”

“God, why do you always end up being the reasonable one?”

Ozzy laughed. “Just who I am.”

In the pool, the swim practice had come to an end, and now, a class of toddlers was led out to the pool’s edge. As parents slipped into the water, the kids were encouraged to jump in after. Some did without a second thought. Others took longer. Eventually, they all jumped and they all bobbed back to the surface, sputtering, but mostly grinning and laughing.

Myles turned his attention to Jet, who was also watching the pool, a strange expression of longing on his face. “How do I fix this?”

“Prove to him you can be there when he needs you.”

“He’s never going to admit he needs anyone.”

“Which means you have to pay more attention and be there, even when he doesn’t know he needs you.” He turned to face Myles. “No more running off to save other people’s kids.” He patted Myles’s shoulder. “And maybe a little less time spent at the bookshop.”

“Steven never leaves that building.”

“I’ll be honest. That sounds like a Steven problem.”

Myles shuddered. He didn’t dare tell Ozzy how much easier everything—breathing for instance—was when Steven crawled into his lap and took over. He wasn’t saving anyone when he was there. He was the one being taken care of, and he wasn’t sure he could give that up.

“Come on.” Ozzy pushed Myles’s shoulder gently. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

“Yeah.” Turning back to the kids, Myles raised his voice. “Let’s go, you two.”

Jet got up to toss Shelly’s garbage into the bin. “I’m riding back with Ozzy.”

“Jet—”

Ozzy smacked his arm. “Let it go. It’s fine.”

“I have to talk to him.”

“And you will. Give him the space.”