Page 29 of Tide Over

But why, and how? I’ve never been into a guy before. And if that is what it is… why him? The guy Ilivewith. What the fuck?

I don’t know… I don’t know what this is, what it means, or how I feel about anything, let alone him.

All I do know is that he provides me with a sense of calm and comfort that I haven’t had in a long time. And as I drift off to sleep, brown eyes and freckles lingering in my mind, I just let it happen.

THIRTEEN

“My spaghetti looks like worms!”

Heather sighs and gives Mason a cautious look across the dinner table. “Please don’t tell me you put worms in your spaghetti.”

Chris leans over, peering into Mason’s plate. Then he shakes his head. “We’re good.”

“Oh, thank god.” Heather lets out another breath, then turns back to Mom to continue their conversation. “So, anyway, the new ice cream display freezer will be delivered tomorrow. It was a tragic day yesterday when tourists came through looking for moon mist ice cream and I couldn’t deliver.”

“Oh good,” Mom says. “Would you happen to have some time tomorrow, Theo, to get that hooked up?”

I look up from my plate to my mother’s hopeful expression and nod. “Yeah, I’ll come after we get in off the water.”

“Thanks, honey,” Mom says with a smile.

They keep chatting about the store, throwing around ideas about expanding the farm market side of it, and I find myself zoning out while I mindlessly pick at my dinner. Until the sound of a name snaps me out of it.

“How’s Liam making out?”

I look up at my grandfather as he watches me, waiting for my answer.

“Uh, good,” I say, shifting my weight in my chair.

“Informative as always, Teddy,” Heather chuckles. “Care to elaborate?”

I shoot her a look. “He’s just over halfway through his shift now. He’ll be back in a little over a week.”

Mom smiles. “And he’ll be coming to dinner when he’s home, I hope?”

All eyes are on me, like I know the answer to that.

“I can ask him.” I shrug. “I’m sure he will.”

Grandpa chuckles, leaning back in his chair. “So, how exactly did he end up here anyway, and not back in Cape Breton?”

I shrug again. “I don’t know. He said he wanted a quiet place to live.”

Grandpa tilts his head slightly, brows furrowing. “Cape Breton is pretty quiet.”

“Does he still have family there?” Chris asks, effortlessly catching Mason as he almost falls off his chair trying to reach for his toy truck on the counter.

Isla rolls her eyes and reaches behind her, sliding the truck further out of reach. Then she points at Mason. “Sit down and eat.”

I shake my head as everyone keeps their eyes on me, waiting for my answer to Chris’ question. “I don’t know.”

“Whatdoyou know?” Heather says with exasperation. “He lives with you! Do you guys talk at all?”

“Yeah,” I say, furrowing my brow at her. “But I’m not grilling him for his life story. If he wants to share, he can.”

Heather sighs with a shake of her head and Mom huffs out a little laugh, cocking an eyebrow at me.

“He’s not a big talker, ok?” I say, bringing my attention back to my plate and taking a bite, hoping this is the end of the questions.

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