Page 106 of Summer Reading

“Go,” I said to Ben. “We’ll catch up later.”

“All right.” I walked Ben to the door. He leaned in and kissed me quick. His eyes sparkled with excitement, and he cupped my face with one hand. “We still need to talk about us, Samwise. There are things I need to say.” His voice was soft, for my ears only.

I pressed his hand to my cheek and responded quietly. “Me, too,” I said. “See you later?”

He nodded. He turned to Dad and Stephanie and said, “It was nice to meet you, but I have to run.”

“Nice meeting you, too, Ben. Come by anytime,” Stephanie said.

Dad was glancing between us with a curious look, but he smiled and said, “We’ll see you soon.”

I accompanied Ben out to the porch. He was practically vibrating with excitement.

“Don’t speed,” I said. Then I made a face. “Ugh, I’ve been chaperoning Tyler too long. I sound like a parent.”

“No,” Ben said. “You sound like a woman who cares about her man.”

“My man?” I asked. My heart started thumping triple time.

“Who would be me,” he said. “In case that wasn’t clear.”

I laughed. He hugged me one more time, and I tried to shake off the ominous vibe that it was goodbye, but my gut was twisted up with anxiety as I watched him get on his motorcycle. I had a bad feeling about his conversation with his mother. I tried to tell myself it was because she was mean, to be frank, but it was more than that.

What if Ben learned that his father was in Australia or something? Would he just leave? I wouldn’t blame him if he did. But where did I, where did we, fit into that scenario? I tried to put the doom aside. I’d worry about that when it happened. Maybe the guy was just living in Falmouth and would be ecstatic to hear from Ben. Yeah, that could happen. Why fear the worst and not hope for the best?

Because the worst is what always happens to you.Not true! I argued with the voice in my head. My proof was that Ben had happened to me and he was the best thing ever.

I watched as his taillight disappeared, and hoped that for once Moira would be honest with her son and tell him the truth. I returned to the living room to find Tyler running the luggage upstairs.

“Well, this was all unexpected and I’m eager for details, but I am desperate for a long, hot soak in the tub,” Stephanie said as she climbed the stairs. She paused to send my dad a pointed look. “Get the details and fill me in?”

“Roger that,” Dad said. He turned to me. “Looks like we have some talking to do.”

He had no idea.

Chapter Twenty-Six

“Would I be a complete jerk if I begged you to finish cooking dinner?” Tyler asked from the entrance to the kitchen. “I’ll even eat the green stuff.”

“Green stuff?” Dad asked. “As in vegetables? You hate vegetables.”

“They’re not so bad,” Tyler said.

Dad raised one eyebrow and looked at me. “What sorcery is this?”

I smiled and then glanced at Tyler and said, “Can you make the salad? Dad and I will be right there.”

“Sure.” Tyler vanished.

Dad’s jaw dropped. “I have so many questions.”

“So do I,” I said.

He tipped his head to the side. “What’s up?”

“Dad, I had a rather awkward conversation with Moira. She told me that when you and Mom separated, you went to live with her on the Cape,” I said. “Is that true?”

My dad took a second to process the question and then he nodded. “Yes, I did,” he said. “Things weren’tgood with your mom and me, and Moira was an old friend. I needed a place to go, so when she invited me to the Cape, I went.”

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