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“Oh, sorry.”
“No, it’s no problem. I dropped the two-name thing when I left Tennessee, and now, I’m just Jo. My phone died on the plane, and I haven’t charged it yet. I hope I didn’t miss a text.”
She smiled. “Oh no, you’re good. Can I get you something to drink? The sweet tea is made right.”
A glass of water was sweating in front of me. “Water’s fine.”
“Well, I’ve seen your resume, and your friend recommended you personally. I’d like to get to know you a bit. Why don’t you tell me about your dream job?”
43
LUCAS
With no response from Jo,I finally fell asleep around one. I called again this morning, and still nothing.
Once my car’s trunk and seats were loaded with kitchen gadgets, all my computer stuff, and whatever clothes would fit, I headed up I-5 north. I needed to talk to Jo, and nothing could stop me.
It was still morning when I climbed the stairs to her apartment two at a time. I didn’t break any land speed records on the drive, but I pushed some limits.
I knocked on her door, but there was no response. I knocked again, and still nothing. Where the hell was she?
I kept knocking.
“She’s not home.” I turned to see an older man with a white beard and wrinkles from long days in the sun, probably fishing. He crossed his arms, tucking his gnarled hands beneath his elbows, and eyed me with a scowl from the door across the breezeway.
“Hello. I’m Lucas. Jo’s friend. Do you know where she is?”
“You the boyfriend?”
“Yes, sir. Lucas Bakker. My folks have the—”
“I know who you are. I’ve seen your flashy car. She’s not some little chickadee you can use for entertainment.”
“Yes, sir. I … I wasn’t using her for anything. I’m … I’m in love with her.” It felt good to say it out loud.
“Well, you have a fine way of showing it, leaving her here while you take some job in the city. I’m not sure you know what love is if you think leaving her behind is part of it.”
“Sir—”
“Name’s Edward. You can call me Ed.”
“Ed, I messed up. I shouldn’t have left. That’s why I’m moving back, today, as a matter of fact. Look at my car.” I gestured to the street. “I had to bring the kitchen stuff, so I could cook with her. I’m in love with her and I fu … messed up.”
He snorted. “You got that right. A sweet girl like her, they don’t come along every day. She gave a grumpy old man good food and good company and wouldn’t take a dime even though she needed it. She tried to pay me for some crab I caught for her a while back, and I practically had to arm wrestle her to make her keep the money. She does nice things because she’s a nice person. In this day and age, you don’t see that much.”
He squinted at me. “She said you guys weren’t together anymore.”
“No, we are. I am. We are. I didn’t make that clear to her.”
“She said she wasn’t the girl who got the prince. You ask me, any prince’d be lucky to get her.” He eyed me again. “You the prince?”
“I sure hope so.”
“Are you good enough for her?” he asked.
“I’m gonna try to be because I don’t want to live without her.”
Ed paused, staring. “She went back to Tennessee, interview for a job with some big singer that one of her friends knows. Said she couldn’t afford Perry Harbor much longer since her best paying gig ended, and she hadn’t found other work. Time to cut bait and go home, but I think she’d like to stay.”
