Page 12 of Brock’s Lost Lunchbox

I’d seen some of that in action at the munches. “Sammy is pretty great. So, do you think it would be all right if I took a chance and contacted Brock? I don’t need to just go to Chained and wait for him to make the first move?”

“Zeph, the first move is currently shedding glitter in your briefcase. What are you waiting for? You’ve got an engraved invitation.”

“Why are you so smart?” I opened the case again and pulled out a legal pad. I’d have to count on my words to convey my thoughts. With less sparkle. Then I put it back. “I’ll call you later and have something Sammy can pass back to Brock.”

“Wouldn’t it be better for you to just speak to him?”

I shrugged. “I want to be sure. Can’t you pass just one more note?”

“I’m starting to regret getting involved.” His smile belied the comment. “All right. Just hurry up before I change my mind.”

What I had in mind to send probably wouldn’t mean anything to Will or almost anyone else. But I hoped it would to Brock because he already had a piece of my daddy heart.

Chapter Nine

Brock

As much as I told myself I was going to slow down at work and not give in to the pressure to do more and more—only to be treated like a workhorse with no potential for further growth—I kept doing it. My friends, being the badasses that they were, held an intervention of sorts, showing up at my desk with a birthday cake and telling me it was time to go.

It wasn’t my birthday or any of ours. Lake just liked cake. I had a feeling the next day would be filled with well wishes, anyway.

My initial instinct was to turn them down. But, knowing Sammy, he’d already looked at the master schedule to make sure that I didn’t have any meetings scheduled, which would’ve been the only excuse they’d have accepted.

Ever since our movie night, Lake and Abbott had gotten closer with us. We had a group chat I attempted to stay engaged with, and a few late-night video calls between the four of us when Will was out of town. It was nice having new friends.

For so long, it had been only Sammy and me. And that was great. But, truth be told, we had been too dependent on each other for a while.

“Where are you taking me?” I climbed into the car, not really caring about the destination as much as I was curious.

“Reach behind you and grab the teal backpack,” Lake said.

It was nothing fancy, but all three told me to open it. When I did, I saw an adorable little outfit.

“We’re going to play!”

And that was how we ended up at Chained on a night I had planned to fill with emails, spreadsheets, and coding. This was much more fun, but knowing the work was still waiting for me sucked. I pushed it down as hard as I could, not wanting to ruin the evening.

Tonight was a glitter-free night. Ms. Lily rarely brought it out and with good reason. I told myself it made the glittery craft nights more fun this way, but it still made the crafty table less fun.

At least tonight, they had stickers. Lots and lots of stickers.

“I like your monster, Abbott.” He was coloring a pink monster holding a blue tree. Leave it to Abbott to have all the colors except the ones that made sense. “I think it needs a sticker.”

I peeled a sparkly sticker from the sheet I’d been using and, after Abbott nodded, put it on the page.

“It’s so shiny!”

“Oh, that reminds me, Brock, I have a gift for you in the car.”

“What?”

“I’m supposed to remember to give it to you before we drop you at home. Don’t let me forget.”

As if I could forget. It was the only constant in my mind. He was clear that it wasn’t from him, which meant it could be Will. Will was his daddy and as loyal as they came, but Will also understood and respected our friendship. It wouldn’t be odd for him to pick out something for both of us on a trip if he thought we would both use them together. One time, we each got matching personalized sippy cups for our movie nights. Another time, we got teddy bears that hugged each other.

This didn’t feel like that, though. Or maybe I was in wishful-thinking land.

“You’re mean.” I stuck out my tongue at him.