Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 121210 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 606(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121210 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 606(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
I glance back through the open door of the coffee shop with a different perspective, found in the eyes and soul of a father’s love, and everything I’ll never have with Josie—the family I’ll never have—hits me right in the face.
I just don’t fucking understand how it all went so wrong.
“Uncie Clayyyy!” Summer calls from down below, grabbing my attention again and making me squat in front of her.
“What’s up, pretty girl?”
She holds up her plushie in front of me and smiles. “Pink puppy.”
“Yep.” I grin at her and make a show of shaking her pink puppy’s paw. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Pink Puppy.”
“She a gurl!” Summer exclaims. “Gurl like Summer!”
“Oh, sorry,” I apologize with dramatic wide eyes before smiling at her puppy. “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Pink Puppy. And what a cute girl puppy you are.”
She giggles. “Daddyyy Clay Daddy Clay,” she babbles, and I nod again before Bennett sighs heavily as he checks the time on his watch.
“All right. Yeah. We better go. I don’t know what traffic will be like getting into Burlington.” He turns serious eyes to me. “But, really, you should leave too.”
I glance inside the store again, watching as Earl stares up at the menu with his hands in his back pockets, holding up the line behind him. A crowd full of people showed up here today, and still, I imagine she’s feeling the absence of Grandma Rose pretty acutely. I wish I could be there for her—wish I could help. “Maybe I’ll just go in and order a drink. Be neighborly, friendly-like, you know?”
“No, man. I don’t know.” Bennett’s voice is incredulous. “Because I don’t think that’s a good idea at all.”
“We’re going to have to be civil at some point, I’d think,” I say, ignoring the burning indignation I feel every time I look at her to spout some bullshit.
Unfortunately for me, Ben isn’t buying it at all.
“Yeah, but I don’t think we’re at some point yet,” Bennett says. “Really, Clay.” I turn back to look at him, and his face is hard with warning. “This is a special day for her, and despite all the bullshit, you seem to still really care about her. Maybe you should just let her have this moment.”
I sigh and slide my hands into the pockets of my jeans. I mean, Bennett is right. I don’t want to ruin this for her any more than I wanted to get the stupid divorce papers from her four months ago in the first place. I love her and, at least right now, it feels like I always will.
“I’ll behave, okay? You guys get going to your appointment and don’t worry about me.”
Bennett shakes his head but sighs again. “All right, Sum. Let’s hit it.”
Summer waves her chubby uncasted arm at me excitedly, and I grin at her so big my face hurts. She’s a constant happy piece in a puzzle full of negative emotions. “Bye-bye, Uncie Clayyy!”
“Bye, baby girl. You and your daddy be sure to come over for dinner soon, okay?”
Summer nods, babbling, “Dindin, daddy, doooo.”
“I think that’s a yes.” I laugh and Bennett smiles.
“We’ll come over next Monday when the bar’s closed.”
“Sounds good.”
“But seriously, behave yourself.” Bennett claps me on the shoulder one last time before walking away to head to his truck, and I turn back to face CAFFEINE one last time, my hands on my hips.
Maybe I can just congratulate her? Be the bigger person for a shadow of a moment and then get the hell out of here. Surely I can do that.
Right?
Right. Of course. I’ve loved this woman for years. She may not want to be with me anymore, but maybe, I don’t know, she just needed time?
Maybe I can show her how big of a person I can be, and she’ll realize that we really are supposed to be together…
I glance back to make sure Bennett and Summer are gone—to rule out my best friend’s thwarting—and then head for the door, falling in line behind Deputy Felix Rice and Sheila Higgins. Josie doesn’t notice me back here; she’s too busy, and that’s probably a good thing. The goal is to get in and out of this unscathed, not to make a scene.
I’m just going to show my support. That’s it.
To distract myself from the woman behind the counter, I strike up a conversation with Sheila Higgins, who stands directly in front of me in line. “Hey, Sheil, how’s it going?”
“It’s okay, I guess.” She shrugs, a little frown turning down one side of her mouth. “Marty’s a little down and out because he got laid off from the plant.”
“Oh, no way,” I say, feeling genuine sadness for them. If Phelps is laying people off, it’s bound to affect a lot of folks in town. “Marty’s a good guy and a good worker. I’m sure he’ll get back on his feet soon.”