Page 55 of Faking It With the Grumpy Single Dad

Nothing is making sense.

In the brief phone call, Flo explained that they’d gone to the beach for the day—one of the last days before tourist season starts in full force—which I already knew. We thought it would be good for the boys to get some sun and sand, especially since they’ve been so restless with school ending next week.

It’s not like Cody to wander off without saying something. He’s always the one who sticks close, always the cautious one. He’s always cared about following the rules. Sometimes, he’s even given me a run for my money in terms of being a polite, law-abiding citizen. But he’s also only nine years old. Even though I’ve taught him about stranger danger, he’s not immune to being lured away by someone with foul intentions.

I slam my foot on the gas, pushing the truck to the speed limit’s edge as I navigate through Mermaid Shores’ winding, narrow streets. The closer I get to the beach, the deeper my thoughts spiral. Maybe it’s a kidnapping, or maybe it’s something even worse. Did he get lost in the sand dunes, caught in a riptide, or dragged out by the waves?

A dozen worst-case scenarios pile up in my mind, each more terrifying than the last.

When I finally pull into a parking spot at the beach’s main entry point, my heart is a jackhammer. Flo and Eli are waiting at the end of the boardwalk. Eli is clutching his grandma’s hand, his face pale with worry. I barely manage to remember to put the truck in park before I’m leaping out and striding toward them.

“Where did you see him last?” I ask, my voice sharper than I intend. Flo, ever the calm one, pulls Eli a little closer, her own face creased with worry despite her steady voice.

“By the dunes,” she says. “We were flying the kite, and I asked Eli to hold it for a minute while I adjusted the string. Cody was right there, just a few feet away. When I looked back, he was gone.”

I close my eyes for a second, willing myself to stay calm. I can’t break down. Not in front of Eli. He already looks worried enough. He probably knows his brother even better than I do, which means he also knows that it’s not like Cody to just abandon us.

“How long has it been?” I ask, my throat tight.

“About forty minutes,” Flo says quietly, glancing down at her watch. I can hear the guilt in her voice and see it in her eyes, and I know I need to tell her it’s not her fault. But right now, I don’t have the energy to reassure anyone.

“Alright,” I say, running a hand over my face. “I’ll start looking around town. Flo, take Eli home—”

“No, Dad!” Eli’s voice is pleading, and he grabs my hand, his grip tight. “I want to help look for him. Please, don’t make me leave.”

I look down at him, my heart twisting. Eli’s usually the bold one, always trying to act older than his age. But right now, he’s just a scared kid who doesn’t understand why his little brother is nowhere to be found. Maybe keeping him with me will help him feel less afraid. It might help me, too, knowing he’s close.

“Okay,” I say, giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “You can stay. But you have to stick with me, understand? No running off.”

He nods, his face set with a determination that mirrors my own. Flo touches my arm, her eyes meeting mine, and I see my same fear and worry reflected back at me.

“We’ll find him,” she says softly. “He couldn’t have gone far. It’s a small town, and the folks here know better than to just look the other way if they see a lone kid wandering around.”

I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat. I want to believe her. It’s true. I live about twenty minutes inland, but I’ve done enough business in Mermaid Shores that plenty of the locals know me. If not by face, then by name. They know I have my two boys. Chances are that if the right person stumbles across Cody, they could figure out who his father is.

I’m definitely not going to wait around for someone else to be a Good Samaritan, though.

“Alright,” I say, turning back toward the parking lot. “Let’s drive around town, maybe check the residential areas. Flo, can you stay here down by the beach, just in case he shows up?”

“Of course.” Her voice wavers, which is unlike her. Even at the worst of times, my mom has always been the picture of unflappable grace.

I usher Eli into the truck, and we start our search.

First, I drive through the neighborhood closest to the beach, hoping maybe Cody just got turned around and wandered into the wrong place. This area is full of local businesses, tiny bed-and-breakfasts, and quaint beachside townhouses that are usually empty during the offseason. Eli stares out the window, uncharacteristically silent, scanning the sidewalks and milling crowds.

We pass kids playing with beach balls, tourists taking photos, and locals setting up the final necessities for the incoming busy season. The whole world seems to be moving forward, blissfully unaware that my entire life is unraveling.

“Cody wouldn’t just leave, Dad,” Eli says suddenly, his voice trembling.

I reach over and squeeze his hand. “I know, buddy. We’ll find him. We just have to keep looking.”

But as the minutes tick by, the knots in my stomach tighten. Cody is just a little kid. He’s always been the cautious one, the one who worries about strangers, who is terrified of getting lost.So many times throughout his life, he’s been the boy who hides behind my legs whenever someone new appears.

Except for when he met Poppy. He seemed to feel safe around her right away, happily chatting with her alongside Eli when I wasn’t even around to make the introduction.

I really can’t think about that right now, though. Whatever unfinished business I left behind at Poppy’s cottage needs to be dealt with another time.

I push down the rising panic, keeping my voice steady for Eli’s sake.

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