Page 35 of Worth the Wait

He stayed busy with the normal wear and tear, things like brakes, replacing tires, and engine stuff, especially during tourist seasons, but his passion was in the projects. The kind that took months to complete and even longer to get the parts in.

“No one buys old cars anymore, Patrick. They’re all driving the ones you plug in. I haven’t had a good rebuild in the last couple of years.” He sounded sad.

“Maybe I’ll buy some old junker just to give you something to do,” I suggested, half meaning it.

“You already have an old junker,” he teased, smacking the console of my truck and making Jasper’s head pop up.

“You know I’m never getting rid of this thing.”

“I know, son. I know.”

He didn’t have to say more. We both knew that I kept this truck because of the memories it held. I wasn’t ready to let them—or her—go. At least not quite yet.

“Mind if I call her real quick? She’s been blowing up my phone,” he asked.

I nodded, holding my breath while he pressed some buttons on his cell.

I stayed quiet, my hand petting Jasper absentmindedly as I drove the familiar streets toward Jeremiah’s house. While I could only hear what he was saying, the sound of Addi’s voice filtered through the cab, even though I couldn’t make out any of her words.

The call ended, and Jeremiah breathed out a sound I couldn’t quite discern. “I guess she and Sarina will be here tomorrow. No talking her out of it.”

I laughed. “That sounds about right.”

When we pulled into his driveway and I cut the engine, Jasper instantly jumped up and stepped onto my thigh. There was no use shoving him away, so I opened the door instead. He hopped out and started sniffing at the new environment, his tail pointing straight up in the air. I grabbed the crutches from the bed of the truck and handed them to Jeremiah, who was already halfway out, standing on one foot.

“You can wait two seconds,” I chastised.

“Just give me those damn things,” he grumbled as he took the crutches from me and tucked them under his arms. “Why haven’t they figured out a way to make these comfortable yet?”

A gruff laugh escaped from deep in my throat. “Probably focused on more important things.”

“They don’t care, is what it is,” he said, and I figured that he was most likely right.

“Do you need me to take you to the shop? Or will you actually take a few days off and stay put?” I asked while he dug into the pocket of his pants and pulled out his house keys.

Even though there was no real reason to lock our doors, most of us still did.

“Haven’t decided yet,” he announced as he hopped inside the threshold.

I followed behind, shutting the door and locking it after Jasper ran in.

The hallway walls were still filled with framed photos of me and Addison and Jeremiah from over the years. He hadn’t taken a single one down. I would have known that if I hadn’t stopped coming over.

I watched as he headed into the living room, Jasper following close behind. When Jeremiah took his usual seat in his old, worn-out recliner, Jasper sat down next to it and laid his head on top of the armrest, begging for some attention.

I started pacing a hole in the carpet, unsure of what to do or how long to stay.

“I know it’s hard. With her being gone and all,” Jeremiah said before gesturing for me to stop pacing like a caged animal and sit down on the couch.

I did.

My heart squeezed inside my chest. I couldn’t breathe as I looked at all the framed photographs, the memories that surrounded me at every turn. Four years ago, this had been the most natural thing in the world, being inside this home. But now, I felt like an outcast. Did I still belong here?

“Can I ask you something?” I willed myself to calm down, but I was freaking out and questioning everything I thought I always knew.

“Of course, Patrick. You can ask me anything. You know that.”

I watched as he leaned forward and tilted his upper body in my direction.

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