Page 80 of Dandelions and Smoke

“So there is something else going on.” She smirks, knowing she’s caught me off guard.

I huff out a breath loudly.

“You’re not clever,” I quip, biting back my own grin.

“Rory,” she says more sternly now, her brows lowering.

All my muscles tense, and I look away. I know she’s concerned, but I don’t want her to worry about me.

“It’s Lettie,” I say, self-preservation finally kicking in. “She’s on bed rest, and I’d really like to go to Florida and be there for her and Lucas, but with the Winter Fest next week, I wasn’t sure how to ask you. It would mean you and Tris picking up all my shifts…” I pause, my mouth going dry as I push through. “I’m not sure how long I’d be there for.”

“Oh my God, Rory. Of course, you should go. We can figure out the cafe until you get back.”

I swallow over the lump in my throat and bite nervously at my lip. “Are you sure?”

A small voice whispers in the back of my mind, hoping she’ll tell me they can’t do it without me, wanting to feel like I’m needed here, but she reassures me that everything will be fine. I give her a big hug, squeezing for a second longer than necessary before she goes inside and I drive away.

Before I can change my mind, I get home and pack. I don’t have much, but I take everything that matters and shove it into my backpack while tears stream down my face. As I zip it closed, the books-and-tea fidget keychain that Chief bought me hangs, rocking from side to side, reminding me of the kind of attentive and thoughtful man I’m leaving behind, of the life I’m walking away from, and of the love I’m letting go.

“If I stay, I’ll only make a mess of this too,” I murmur to myself, removing the keychain and placing it on my now bare dresser.

Since Emma transferred the tickets to me the very first chance she got, I book the earliest flight in the morning and send Blake and Lucas a group text letting them know my plan before closing my eyes for a few hours of sleep, knowing that by morning my flight will take me well over five hundred miles away.

Da-da da da.

SEVENTEEN

CHIEF

I feel like I’m trying to corral a bunch of toddlers today instead of full-grown adults. Actually, scratch that. I’ve been hanging out with Scout all week, and this crew is definitely being more difficult. With that thought in mind, I glance at my phone to admire the new photo I took of him and me. Well, one of the new photos.

I think I’ve used the camera on my phone more this week than the entire time I’ve owned the thing. I can’t help it, though. With every new thing he does, I take a picture, wanting to capture it so that I can hold onto the memory forever. After missing so many important milestones and his day-to-day life, everything he does feels picture-worthy.

Picking it up from my desk, I scroll through the photos, feeling like pieces of myself I’d lost are finally finding their way back. It feels as though everything that came undone over this past year is finally being pulled back into place. I scroll endlessly, passing photos of him playing, clumsily walking around in my work boots, cuddled up with me, and, of course, completely captivated by his newest favorite show, Paw Patrol. I was happy to see that Marshal, the firefighting dog, is his favorite.

With another swipe, the photos of Scout come to an end, and the photos of Rory and me begin. As happy as I am about all the time Jasenia has been giving me with Scout, I wish Rory were here to meet him and enjoy this with me.

I check my messages again, only to confirm that there are no new ones from Rory today and deflate a little. It’s been about a full week since she left abruptly for a family emergency, and I miss her like crazy. Funny how quickly she’s become such an essential part of my very existence. With all these little moments happening with Scout, she’s the first one I want to tell and share them with. I’ve been sending her pictures all week, but I’m not sure she’s receiving them since she tells me she has terrible cellphone service at the ranch.

While I understand completely why she feels she had to go and wants to be there for Lettie and Lucas, her leaving, the text goodbye with very little information on when she’d be back, all felt very sudden. Trying to get comfortable, I shift in my chair but give up. Leaning back, I run my knuckles over my freshly trimmed beard, realizing it’s not the chair’s fault I can’t keep still, but the nagging feeling I have that something is missing when Rory isn’t here. It’s like the feeling that Rory doesn’t get before locking her keys in the car, which has happened nine times in the last four months. When she finally allows me to buy her a new car, it’s going to have a keypad on the door, I silently promise myself with a grin.

Fortunately, the Turtle Bay Fire Department has been playing an essential role in the Winter Fest this year, so between spending time with Scout and preparing for today’s Polar Bear Plunge event, I haven’t had time to sit and overthink anything. Otherwise, I might actually start convincing myself that Rory is ignoring me on purpose, but that doesn’t make sense, so I won’t be one of those guys who’s insecure in their relationship. I trust what we have, and we’re happy… I think.

Before I can fall further down that rabbit hole, my door flies open, nearly sending me jumping from my chair.

“Son-of-a-Billy!” I scramble, babble, and call out.

“Nope, don’t have one of those, thank God. But boy would that be a scary day.” Billy quips. “Can you imagine? Me? A dad?”

He sits in the chair in front of my desk and throws his legs over the arms. For a second, I stare at him completely dumbfounded as my pulse returns to normal from his sudden entry.

Once I actually manage to process his question, it dawns on me that as absolutely terrifying as it would be to have two Billys running around here causing chaos, considering his other more redeeming qualities, imagining him being a father doesn’t seem that scary to me. I, however, have zero intentions of telling him that, lest he get any ideas.

“I’m going to tell Rory to hide another pink dildo in your home if you don’t learn how to knock.” I exhale softly, the tiniest smirk hidden beneath my calm mask.

“Good. And when you do that, tell her to text me back. I’ve been trying to figure out for days what I’m supposed to get Lucas and Lettie as a baby shower present,” he says, checking his phone the same way I’ve been all morning.

Not wanting to get into how I haven’t heard from her either, I change the subject to a more pressing matter. “What do you want?”