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“I guess I could.” My heart races at the thought of being in that cabin in our spot. Being in his space. He wants me there. My heart also breaks for him losing a friend.
Bear reaches into his pocket. He slides a key on a keychain over to me. “You know where his place is?” he asks innocently.
“Yeah, I know where it is.” I tilt my head. “Do you know when he’ll be back?” I look between them both. They’re up to something.
“He said a few days,” Sam adds as he grabs another piece of pizza.
“Okay, I guess I can do that.”
“Good, I’ll let him know,” Bear says.
“How have you been, Sam? It was good to hear you play the other night.”
“Been alright. Shop and the club keep me busy,” he says. Now that I’m older, I see Sam differently. He’s a good person. I wonder if he has a girlfriend or is seeing anyone. I saw him bring a few women around when SJ and I were in school, but he never seemed to be serious with any of them.
“I see you put the ladder away,” I tease.
“I figure you’re old enough to know how to use the front door now. You were then, too,” he adds with a snort.
I bumped into him with my shoulder. “Missed you, Sam.”
He doesn’t say anything, but I don’t miss how his mouth turns up slightly.
“Wait, who is Rook?” I ask.
“His cat,” Sam says with a laugh. “SJ took in a stray that kept coming around.”
“Okay. Anything else I should know before I head out there?” I ask. “Are you sure you’re both not up to something?”
“I’m not up to anything.” Sam shakes his head.
“No, that should be it,” Bear adds, not answering the question.
I sigh. “Okay.”
I missed this. It feels good to be back here with them.
* * *
I sit parked in SJ’s driveway, and it feels so strange to be here. It’s so quiet and peaceful. No noise. I lived in the city for so long that coming back has been so calming. I’m still getting used to the idea that SJ is a grown man now and not a kid sneaking out to the lookout with me to make out. And he built an entire grown-up house at our spot. This is so wild.
The gravel crunches under my shoes as I walk up to the house. The front porch has a large stained dark wooden deck with natural rocks landscaped around it. A lot of trees surround it, and the view is spectacular, especially with fall in full swing. I noticed the other day that he’d built it in the perfect spot.
The craftsman style house has a metal roof with a large chimney. It feels like coming home. Only this is his home and not mine.He built it without me. He made a whole life without me.
A pang of sadness fills me. It feels like he continued without me. I take a deep breath and brush these thoughts aside. I’ll admit, I’m dying to see the inside of the house. The house we were supposed to have built together. The house we dreamed up on countless picnics here. One time, we used rocks to lay out where we’d put our living room and kitchen, and he’d even made up a garage where he said he’d work on his truck. I look around and don’t see a garage, but I see a big open space next to the house where a garage could go. Maybe he has plans for that. I wonder what else SJ has planned for his future. He’s been making it clear that he wants me, but I’ve heard that from him before.
Something brushes up against my ankle, and I look down to see the ugliest gray cat I’ve ever laid eyes on. He only has one eye; he’s missing part of an ear, he’s covered in scars, has bald patches where he’s missing fur, and he looks downright terrifying. Like a cat off thePet Cemeteryhorror movie. But his tail is up, and he’s purring like he’s friendly.
“Well, hello there, you must be Rook.” I coo as I lean down and scratch him between his ears. He leans into the scratches and purrs even deeper.
“You’re a friendly little guy,” I say, relieved his personality isn’t as rough as he looks. “Are you hungry?” He responds by purring and sitting patiently by the door where his water bowl sits.
I pull the key from my pocket and open the front door to find a large and cozy living space. It’s sparsely decorated and still smells like new construction. The kitchen has a backsplash that’s partially finished, and I see the glossy tiles stacked next to the counter in a box. It’s still a work in progress, and as I look around, I can feel that SJ has poured his love into this place. He’s made a beautiful home here.
I open the pantry to find cans of wet cat food. I grab a can and head back out to the porch, where Rook waits patiently, watching me through the glass door. I set the can down, and he chows down on it. I refill his water dish and set it back down for him, giving him another pet and scratch.
He happily eats and watches me, and I realize he has no teeth, either. What a peculiar cat. It makes him even cuter. “You’ve been through some stuff, haven’t you buddy?”
