Page 167 of Smooth Sailing

“He’s different.” I kept whispering.

“Different how?” Pete asked.

“After Maddy left, he seemed to be pulling away. I mean, not really, but it was like he thought something would happen so we wouldn’t. Even before Maddy left, it seemed like he was holding something back. But today, it’s not like that at all.”

“That happens when a man who’s fallin’ in love quits fightin’ the fact he’s falling in love.”

My breath caught.

Falling in love.

We heard washing-up noises coming from the kitchen.

“He’s got some shit it’s his to give you, Di,” Pete said, then he warned. “It’s heavy.”

“Heavy like me working things out with my dad and finding things out about my mom that rocked my world, and Hugger was at my side through all of that?”

Big Petey’s brows shot up. “What’d you find out about your mom?

I told him.

“Well, shit,” he said, collapsing back in his chair when I finished.

See?

Heavy.

“Harlan told me he had this stuff, I’m not going in blind, Petey,” I assured. “But it isn’t like he’s balked when all my stuff was coming at me. We can’t decide how life is going to go, and it’s for sure what’s going on with him and me isn’t out of a storybook. What I can say is, I totally like it like that. Trial by fire, then maybe we’ll have smooth sailing.”

“Hope you do and glad for you,” Pete murmured. “Glad for you both.”

I smiled. “Me too.”

“Now about your mom…” he trailed off so I’d jump in.

And I did.

“I called her. Left a message. Asked her to call me. She hasn’t. Since then, I’ve texted twice. She left them on read. I think she knows I know and she’s avoiding me.”

“What are you gonna do when she stops doin’ that?” Pete asked.

Hugger and Dutch came back with the tin of almond cookies as I answered, “I haven’t decided. I want to hear what she has to say.”

“What’re you talkin’ about?” Hugger asked.

“My mom,” I told him.

His lips thinned again.

“Whatever happens, it’ll be okay,” I promised, stroking his forearm.

“Mm…” he hummed.

Mm…I so liked Hugger’s deep, rough mm.

“Parents gotta make all sorts of decisions that are hard,” Big Petey announced sagely. “But it’s good you know all you had with your dad, no matter what happens with your mom.”

“This is true,” I murmured, then turned to Dutch. “Speaking of Dad, he lives in a gated community. I was wondering how you guys were looking out for him there. Not that I’m questioning you,” I added hurriedly. “Just wondered.”

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