Page 121 of Wild Eyes
I found home in a broken glass
I found home in the words that he gave me
In the pines, by the water
In the arms of a lover
Little hands with big hearts find me
And I find peace
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
WEST
“So, when is Skylar back?”Ford asks as he finishes tying his bowling shoes. Big nerd finally got sick of wearing the disease-riddled rentals and invested in his own pair. I’ve never been more satisfied by anything in my life.
“Tomorrow.” I rip open a bag of Skittles and pop a green one in my mouth as we wait for Rhys and Bash to show up to the lanes.
“Oh, that’s not bad.”
I shrug. It’s fucking awful, is what it is. She left a week ago, and I’ve been moping ever since. I know her promise to come back is not a hollow one, but I miss her so much, it hurts.
I also know she’s worked hard to achieve her status. Sure, Rose Hill could be home base, but for how long? Or for how many days a year? And could I settle for having only snippets of time with her?
Yes.
The word pops up in my head, and I know I’d take any sliver of time I can get with her. I’ve fallen in love with her. And I live in fear of not being enough. It’s a heavy burden in some ways toknow Icould be the thing that makes her change the course of her career.
Deep down, I’m not sure I’m worthy of someone changing their entire life to accommodate me. The pressure of it—of thinking I could let them down and become the source of their regret—that’s what keeps me up at night.
“Are you addicted to Skittles?” Ford snaps me out of my spiral by eyeing me judgmentally as I pop a few sugar bombs into my mouth.
I ignore him and offer the bag. “Want some?”
His superior look fades as he reaches for the bag.
“No orange ones.”
“What? Why?” His brows furrow as he takes the candy.
“I know you’re accustomed to getting everything you want, but no orange ones.”
I catch the end of an eye roll right as Bash stomps in with a deadly scowl on his face. He’s got Crazy Clyde in tow.
“Clyde,” I announce, reaching forward to give him a shoulder slap. He was a long-time member of the team but hasn’t left the hospital much lately. “Good to see ya, man. We’ve missed you.”
He snorts as he steps gingerly around me to take a seat. Truth be told, he looks terrible. Puffy and pale where he’s always been sinewy and tanned from hours spent in the sun fishing, hunting, and meandering through the woods. Bash is the only one who really knows him, and Bash is a man of few words, so none of us know Clyde that well. Only that he’s the hermit who lives on the other side of the mountain and believes a lot of wild conspiracy theories.
“You haven’t missed me. That’s just the 5G radiation fuckin’ with your brain.”
“Programmed by the government?” Ford guesses.
My head tilts. “I thought it gave you cancer?”
Clyde grumbles at us before snapping his finger at Bash. “Grab me a beer while you’re up there, will ya?”
Bash glares at him, jaw popping. “Are you fuckin’ kidding me? A beer right now?”
