Page 207 of The Vacation Mix-Up
“I’m not.”
“You are! I’ve already had to apologize to a customer for an F-bombIdidn’t say.”
I wince. “Sorry.”
“Hmm. So, what’s eating at you, little bro?”
“Riles. Krystal. The usual.”
“Riles? Has something happened?”
“No. It’s nothing like that. I’m just worried about her.”
She picks up a hatchet and presses the tip of her finger to it, so I raise my eyebrow, suggesting she put it down. Roni and tools aren’t a good match.
Rolling her eyes at me, she begrudgingly sets it back on the bench. “Why are you worried about her?”
“Because she works long hours, and Manhattan isn’t safe.”
“You’re not her father,” she says condescendingly.
“No shit. That doesn’t mean I can’t show concern for her safety.”
“I never said that.” She picks up Dad’s hammer and presses it to her chest. “And Krystal? Why’s she pissing you off?”
“She’s not. But she is coming by today to collect the divorce papers.”
“Ah, I see.”
Running my hand through my hair, I turn my back to her and stare out into the yard, the shorter days and longer nights turning the leaves on the trees from green to yellow. I’ve always loved Fall in my hometown, and not before long, I’ll need to set aside some time to rake them all up.
“Krystal coming here to collect the papers was going to happen at some point, Riley. And who knows, you might find it cathartic.”
“I just want that part of my life finalized. I’ve moved on. Krystal has moved on. The divorce still lingers.”
“Well,” she says, stepping up beside me and handing me the hammer, knowing I treasure it as much as she does, “after today, it won’t. So stop swearing and massacring that poor chair. As for Riles, take a deep breath and have a little faith. From what you’ve told me, she’s intelligent and certainly capable of looking after herself.”
“She is those things, and more.”
“Then stop worrying.”
“Easier said than done. How can I protect her if I’m here and she’s there?”
Roni punches my arm.
“Hey!” I rub the spot. “What was that for?”
“Stop with the macho protection crap.”
“Macho? Wanting her safe isn’tmacho.”
“It is if you think you’re the only one who can keep her safe.”
I narrow my eyes at her. “When are you going back to teaching?”
“When you no longer need me here.”
I frown. “Veronica.”
