Page 8 of So Close

“Long story,” Brynn said. She looked at her watch, and alarm flitted across her features. “I gotta run and get Jacob to Tai Kwan Do. Text me later if my granddad needs anything else, okay?”

“Absolutely,” Auburn said. “And you text me if there’s anything I can do for Carl or you or the kids. Or your brother,” she added.

“More like, is there anything you can doaboutmy brother,” Brynn said, rolling her eyes as she left.

Auburn stepped into Carl’s room. He did look better. He was sitting up, dispensing peanut M&Ms into his palm, and watching soundless television. “Hey, boss,” she said.

He smiled at her. “You’re the boss.”

It was an old joke between them. Carl said she ran Beachcrest better than anyone else, including him.

“Brought you more of those,” she said, and set a new bag on the nightstand. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I need to get out of here before I go postal.”

“Brought you these, too,” she said, and set two copies ofGamesmagazine on his lap.

“Bless you.”

“Figured you were probably dying of boredom.”

He nodded. “And wondering how you were doing, holding down the fort.”

“Don’t you worry about me,” Auburn said. “I’ve got it covered.”

“I know you do,” Carl said. “I don’t know what I’d do without you. I don’t know what Ididwithout you.”

She winced.

“That wasn’t supposed to make you feel guilty.”

“I just wish I hadn’t stayed away so long.”

“Well. You’re here now. Feels so much better to have you back. Beachcrest wasn’t the same without you. Sometimes I think youareBeachcrest.”

Auburn’s eyes filled with tears. She knew Carl loved her—but he wasn’t the demonstrative type. To hear him say that out loud—it meant a lot to her. It was probably the closest he would ever come to sayingI love you.

“I thinkyou’reBeachcrest, Carl. And the place needs you back, so hurry up.”

He sighed. Heavily. “My grandkids think it’s time for me to retire.”

Her stomach tightened. She’d worried this might happen, but she’d tried to think only of Carl’s recovery. Beachcrest’s future—and hers—needed to be the last of her worries until Carl was healed up. But now he’d brought it up …

“Do you feel like it is?”

His eyes found hers, uneasy but frank. “To be honest? I do. I was so tired, even before. And the idea of coming back from this and picking up where I left off?” He shook his head. “It was a big relief when I realized they were—giving me permission, I guess. That Icouldretire.”

The tears were falling freely now. “Oh, Carl.”

His eyes shone, too. “It’s hard to say that to you.”

“I’m glad you did.” She reached out and clasped his big, gnarled hand. They sat for a moment in silence, and then she said, “What will happen to Beachcrest?”

For the first time, he looked away from her, his gaze skittering around.

“Carl?” she asked quietly.

His eyes, a watery gray, came back to rest on her, and she knew she wasn’t going to like what he said next, even before he spoke. “My grandson is here.”

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