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Everyone is waiting for me to fall apart. Everyone, including me.
“Yeah,” I nod and force a smile. “I’ll be alright in a few days. It just hit hard, ya know?”
“I know. She had a great life, though, nineteen years is fucking amazing.”
“It still doesn’t feel like long enough.”
He makes himself a latte and we sit at the table. From the window, I see the snow has already melted and the mound of dirt where I buried Cherry is visible. An ache crawls up from my chest and settles in my throat.
“How are you and the kid getting along?” Kelley asks, breaking into my thoughts.
“Good. Much better than we were.”
He sips his coffee. “Good to hear. I told you things would get better in time.”
“It’s crazy living with teenagers. Their moods are all over the place.” I nod my head toward the corner. “I’ve got a mini Starbucks in my kitchen. Lily leaves clothes and makeup everywhere, and Penny trails around after her cleaning it up. Every TV in the house is on twenty-four seven.”
“I still think you’re nuts for letting Penny move in. Double the trouble.”
“Nah, she’s a good kid. And she helps smooth things out a lot with me and Lily. If it was just us here living alone, I think we’d have been at each other’s throats. Penny’s an amazing cook, too. I keep telling her she doesn’t have to cook dinner for us, but she loves to.”
“She texted me first thing this morning to tell me about Cherry. She’s worried about you. I’ll tell ya what, that girl cares about you a fuckin’ lot. It’s a shame she’s so young ’cause otherwise, she’d be perfect for you.”
I shift in my chair. “She’s a good friend. Just like you.”
“Friends don’t keep the bed warm,” he says. Ironic, considering my experience last night proved to be the exact opposite. “There’s a new waitress at the bar who I think would like you. She’s cute, a single mom. She’s got a sweet personality.”
“So why don’t you ask her out?”
“I’m too all over the place to date someone. You’re already settled down. So settled down, you’re practically glued here.”
I shake my head and gulp the rest of my latte. That last bit is always the sweetest. “I don’t want to get involved with anyone. I’ve had enough heartache for a lifetime.”
He pins an impatient look at me. “Not everything has to end in heartache.”
“I don’t wanna find out.”
“Dude, if your life was a movie, I’d already have your plot twist figured out. You’re not really here.”
Laughing, I say, “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“You never leave the property. We never see you talking to anyone else. Everyone comes to you. Every scene happens here. If this was a movie, there’d be some crazy moment when we realize you’re not really here and you’re either a ghost or everyone else is hallucinating. Like in Sixth Sense or The Others.”
I raise my eyebrow at him. “You watch way too many movies. You know that, right?”
“I’m serious. You gotta get out of here and do things. And not just go pick through garbage and buy groceries. You hafta meet people. Live.”
“Can we ever have a conversation without you playing therapist?”
He grins. “Nope.”
“I love ya, man, but focus on your own life.”
Leaning back in his chair, he says, “Actually, I am. I’ve got some cool news I was going to tell you later this week when I stopped by. But since I’m here, I’ll tell you now.”
“Cool news would be great right about now.”
“There’s a tribute concert happening in three months for Dylan King. They’re calling it DylanFest. It’s the anniversary of his death. Somebody sent the guys at Seven Shot a video of me singing their covers at the bar. They love my voice and stage presence so much they want me to sing with them at the concert. Can you fucking believe that? I’m going to sing with Seven Shot. In front of a huge-ass crowd.”
Dylan King is the former lead singer of rock group Seven Shot—Kelley’s favorite band. Dylan was killed in a wreck years ago, and Kelley’s band has been covering Seven Shot’s songs since he was in high school. Somehow, Kelley’s voice is a dead ringer for Dylan’s unique vocals.
“Are you serious?” I say. “That’s fucking wild.”
“I nearly shit my pants when their manager called me. This is like my fucking dream.”
“I have zero doubt that you’re gonna kill it, bro.”
“I want you to be there. So you’re gonna have to leave the house. I’ll tie you up and throw you in the back of my truck if I have to.”
I let out a laugh. “Alright. I’ll make an exception for you. There’s no way I can miss something as cool as this.”
“I’m kinda nervous. I never thought I’d be on stage in front of thousands of people with my favorite band.”
