Page 22 of Returning Your Love
With no answers other than to put one foot in front of the other in taking care of the responsibilities I’d accepted, I forced my ass out of the tent. Determination to keep my hands to myself and honor Chaz’s vow to Shelly lay heavily on my mind.
Chaz sat on the canoe at the end of the cove, facing away from me, shoulders rounded as he slumped over his fishing rod. Did he feel like shit even though nothing had happened between us? Was he bummed as fuck about the choices we’d made that had led us to the path we currently walked?
I got the coffeepot going, dead set on getting back the carefree sense from the day before where nothing mattered and no responsibilities dragged us down. If I hadn’t already fucked up too bad. We had a handful of hours before we had to pack and head into town. Well, Chaz needed to. He had work in the morning while I had nowhere to go until later in the week.
I heated up some sausage in a pan over the electric stovetop with plans to stir up some pancake mix as Chaz paddled toward shore. Maybe a hot breakfast would entice him to stay a little while longer.
Once he stood on land and pulled the canoe out of the water, I piled a plate high with food and set it on the table.
“Come eat,” I ordered, keeping my tone light as though nothing too much or deep had taken place last night.
“Thanks,” he said, tucking himself into the picnic table and allowing me to breathe a little easier.
“Any bites?” I asked, sitting across from him.
“No.” He shoved pancakes into his mouth and wouldn’t look at me.
I guessed we were leaving our conversation alone, but I was fine with that as long as we could move forward. “Hey, you still put those model cars together?”
A huff of laughter jolted Chaz on his bench. “God, no.”
“Why not?” I asked, smiling at the upturn of his lips and the quick glance he’d gifted me.
“I don’t even have time to shit, shower, and shave in peace let alone spare a second for useless hobbies,” he said, shaking his head.
My heart ached even more for him, but I was determined to remain upbeat. “You know what they say about all work and no play…”
Chaz lifted an eyebrow in question while stuffing a whole sausage into his mouth.
Shit.
I tore my focus off the grease lining his lower lip as he chewed and swallowed.
“Something about having bills to pay? They’re content at the end of the day?” he asked, joking. “We slay? Gotta jump into the fray? Might make us gay?”
My gaze jerked back to his at that last one.
“Shit. Was just tossing rhymes out. Didn’t mean anything by it. And like I said last night, I’m pan—gay is good in my book.”
I rubbed a hand over my scruffy face. “No worries.”
“I was, uh, thinking I need to get back to town earlier than planned.”
My chest caved in, but I wasn’t surprised considering his mood. “Oh yeah?”
“Mmm.” Chaz drank the last of the coffee I’d given him, and he stood, taking his plate with him. “Got a voicemail last night from a client. Car broke down, and I have to fit them in ASAP.”
Unlike me, Chaz knew how to lie and didn’t mind doing it.
But I would give him a pass, same as I always had. “Okay. Do you have to pack up now?” I asked.
“Yeah. I’ve got a shit ton of work backed up and would like to get a few hours in before Shelly comes home tonight.”
Disappointment hit hard, leaving an ache radiating through my entire body.
“I’ll clean up the breakfast stuff if you want to pack up the tent,” I suggested, fighting to keep my true feelings from my voice.
He nodded and turned away.
