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“Yeah, I remember that. It’s like I woke up one day and my body just fell apart.” He laughed. “The kid,” he pointed back with his thumb in the direction of the Airstream, “is just about to turn thirty. Hanging out with him makes me feel old,” he admitted.
It was easy talking to Drew. He wasn’t intense like Levi and I had been right about Levi being a decade younger than me. In fact, he was twelve years younger.
“I’m going to head back.” I strapped my boot back on and pushed myself up on my feet, careful not to put all my weight on my bad ankle.
“Do you need help?”
“I’m good.” I took a few steps and then turned back to Drew. “Thank you. It was nice talking to you.” And I meant it even though I had been worried he would ask more questions.
“Have a good night, Charlee.” He smiled widely.
He might have grown up in the sun, which was apparent by his tanned skin, but he looked remarkably younger than his fifty years and I bet it had something to do with his carefree nature.
“Goodnight, Drew.”
Midnight trotted next to me as I hobbled back up to the trailer. Before I went inside, I turned and watched Drew head back to the Airstream. Maybe the boys weren’t so bad, after all. Maybe Drew and Levi were just what I needed.
Levi
“Why is she so willing to open up to you and not me?” I marveled at his social skills. Drew and I sat in a booth of the café, eating our breakfast the next morning. Darkness was barely hanging on as dawn encroached. The surf was forecasted to be good today, so we woke up earlier than usual hoping to beat the dawn patrol.
“Dude, I’m telling you, you wear your emotions like a wetsuit. She doesn’t need complicated right now, and you scream that shit louder than a child that’s lost its favorite stuffed animal.”
“How the hell do you know what that sounds like?” I took a bite of my omelet. Beverly made the best ones I’d ever tasted. This place was legit. I had to bring Evie here one day.
“I’m an uncle, remember?” He sat back, having polished off his massive plate of food.
“Right. By the way, how is your sister?” I completely forgot that her fiancé left her when she got pregnant. Said he had never wanted kids.
“Happily living the single life. The child support helps, but I send her money every month, too. The jerk hasn’t even seen his kid.” Drew shook his head. “Real winner.”
The restaurant door creaked open and in strolled Charlee minus her boot. It had been a couple of days since she basically told me to get lost. When she caught our gazes, she quickly looked away, tucking into her seat in the corner booth by the window.
“Not even a wave,” Drew remarked with a smug jab.
“Shut up, dude. You should be the one offended, seeing how she prefers your company over mine, apparently.” I pushed my plate away, having lost my appetite. The thought that Charlee might not want to engage with me anymore was disheartening.
“Are you not going to finish that?” Drew asked as he eyed the half-full plate of hash browns and bacon.
“Be my guest.” Drew pulled the plate over and shoveled it down.
“You should go talk to her,” Drew said with a full mouth.
With where I was positioned, I was facing her booth, so it was impossible not to glance over occasionally. “Are you crazy? She’d probably dump her coffee on me.”
He shook his head and washed down his food. “There’s no way she would waste a perfectly good latte on you,” he joked.
Right on cue, Beverly walked over to Charlee’s table and placed her latte down. Charlee peeked up and smiled, thanking Beverly and then turned her attention back to the window that overlooked the ocean. It was how I found her every morning prior, completely transfixed. It made me wonder what her connection with the ocean was. My connection was because of surfing, but I hadn’t seen her go into the water once.
“What I wouldn’t give to peek into her head,” I said quietly.
“Honey, you do not want to be in her head.” Beverly overheard me. She stopped at our table and refilled our coffees. “You are better off getting on with your day,” she advised curtly.
What was her problem?
“Great advice, Bev. We were just heading out to surf, anyhow.”
“At least one of you is smart.” She winked at Drew and then gave me a side-eye as she walked away.
