Page 53 of Colt

Thanksgiving was bitterly cold but there was no snow predicted. Chelsea glanced in the rearview mirror to see Joey looking out the window and wearing headphones. He was a good kid who just went down a wrong path for a while.

She glanced at Colt sitting in the passenger seat and when he looked at her, she winked, making him chuckle.

“I hope you’re hungry because she goes all out. I bet I still have turkey in my freezer from last year. I keep telling her not to send me home with more, but it’s like talking to a brick wall,” Chelsea said.

“Must be where you get it,” Colt said with a grin.

“Are you saying I’m stubborn?”

“If the shoe fits.”

“I think that’s the pot calling the kettle black.”

Colt shook his head. “I’m not going to argue with you.”

“Good. Because you know I’m right.”

“Every woman is right, even when she’s wrong. I learned that from Walt.”

Chelsea laughed. “He was so great.”

“Yeah, he was.”

Chelsea looked in the mirror again.

“Joey? Are you hungry?”

She watched him remove his headphones and frowned, so she repeated her question.

“I’m starving. I can smell that turkey from here,” he said.

Chelsea looked at Colt and smirked.

“Oh, we don’t have turkey. Mom makes tofu shaped like one.”

Colt snorted out a laugh but coughed to cover it.

“Tofu?” Joey asked.

“Yeah, now it’s not as good as a real turkey but Mom likes it.” Chelsea shrugged.

“Tofu,” Joey said, shaking his head, making Chelsea and Colt laugh.

“She’s yanking your chain, man,” Colt said.

Joey’s eyes widened then he laughed. “Good one.”

Chelsea drove up to her parents’ house and parked by the back door.

“This is a nice place,” Colt said.

“It is. I loved growing up here. Oh, I see Eli’s here.”

“Eli’s here?” Joey asked, and Chelsea heard him swallow the lump in his throat.

“Yes, don’t worry. He’s not going to jump on you.”

“I like him, but man, he scares me.”

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