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"Yeah, a week ago."
I take a step forward. Luke's palm on my shoulder stops me. I turn to face him. I notice beads of sweat on his forehead from the sun's heat, and his sweatshirt is starting to cling to his lean body.
"I know you've been doing okay, but I just wanted to check in. Are you good? Is there anything I can do?"
I know what he's talking about. I know he's talking about my drinking problems and the other thing. The thing we don't speak about.
"I'm good, Luke." I run a hand through my hair.
"You're moving to North Carolina to oversee a project you won't tell me about. You're leaving Pixel in my hands."
"In your capable hands. And I'm not moving to North Carolina; it's just temporary. I'll be back in no time."
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Luke looks worried about me, his brows furrowed.
My daughter squeals in delight, and I observe her. She's wearing denim overalls and a pink long-sleeved shirt. Her tiny fingers pick up slugs off the wooden fence, and she names them as she puts them in a bottle she found.
"I just want to be a better dad to Ruby. The last two years…." I pause, take a deep breath, then raise my hand to shield my face from the sun. "It's been rough for both of us. I want to connect with her, and what better place to do it than her mother's hometown?"
I look at my best friend. His glasses are in his hair, his blue eyes glint with emotion, and his mouth forms a tight line.
"You do what you have to, ." He clasps my shoulder. "Just know I'm always here for you."
I nod, and we share a quiet moment. Luke's phone rings, and he fetches it from his pocket. He excuses himself, and I stare at the mansion while he's gone. It's a large house—a little too large. I wonder if I should have gotten something smaller, closer to town.
"I have to go, man. Trouble back home."
By home, I know he means my company, Pixel.
"Anything I should know?"
"No, don't worry about it. Just take care of yourself and Ruby. You'll be there for the next board meeting, right?"
"Of course. Take care of her, too." He knows I mean Pixel.
He nods and calls to Ruby. She runs over, hugs him, and returns to her slugs. Luke fixes his sunglasses on his head, enters his car, and revs the engine.
"If… no, when you're dying of boredom here, remember, New York is always right there."
"I'll keep that in mind."
His car becomes a speck in the distance until he disappears completely out of sight. I look around. Trees surround the house, and birds chirping make me feel like I'm in Hansel and Gretel. I don't know how long I stood there until a voice behind me jolts me out of my reverie.
"Mr. Jackson?"
I turn around toward the voice. It's low and familiar.
There she was, dressed in overalls and black boots. Her face was round, and she had a warm smile with two cute dimples adorning each cheek. Then I noticed her hair…
Wait, I recognize that hair…
It was raven-black with strands of white standing out in the waves of black. It was the same hair from that night at the party. It was the same smile—I'd thought about that night enough to remember her smile. My heart skips a beat as I wordlessly stare at her. I search her face for a hint of recognition.
She doesn't look like she recognizes me.
"Mr. Jackson, I'm Layla Garner," she says as she stretches her hand. "I applied for the babysitter job."
It was the lady from the party—my one-night stand. I take her hand in mine as she looks at me, smiling like we're strangers.
