Page 3 of Hook, Line, and Summer

“You okay?” Dr. Madden asked.

After taking a few fortifying breaths, I nodded.

“I’m fine,” I said.

But I’m not fine. Not really.

Not with Adam Barnes coming home.

* * *

Adam

I lookedout the window as we rode down the winding coastal highway, trying to focus on the scenery instead of the persistent ache in my arms, shoulders, and lower back. I’ve been working behind a desk for over a decade, so even though my muscles remembered how to work on my father’s boat, they didn’t appreciate it. But I’ll never let him know that.

It’s amazing. I’m the vice president of international relations of a major corporation, but after spending one day with my father, I feel like a clueless teenager. In my normal life, people look to me to make major deals and decisions. Yet today, my dad second-guessed every single thing I did. Worse than when I was a kid.

I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye, trying to decide if I should break the silence. Clear the air. It’s probably not the best idea I’ve ever had, but what the hell? I’ve led major negotiations at work. I can handle a conversation with my father.

That last thought made me chuckle. High-ranking industry professionals have nothing on John Barnes.

“Something funny?”

I covered up the fact that the sound of his voice made me jump by shifting in my seat to face him. There’s no way I’d tell him what I’d actually been laughing about, so I shared something else.

“Not funny really. I’m just amazed that nothing’s changed here. Everything looks the same as I remember it.”

He grunted. I waited for him to say more, but he just continued to focus on the road ahead. I don’t know why I felt the need to express what I’m feeling, but the words just tumbled out.

“It’s strange. All my childhood memories are coming back to me in Technicolor. Yet it seems different somehow.” I shrugged. “I guess it’s because I’m viewing it as an adult.”

No response.

My father has never been what you’d call warm and fuzzy, but since I moved away after college, he’s basically frozen me out. We were together all day and have barely spoken a dozen words.

As we turned onto our road, the setting brought back memories of simpler years. Back then, I had my whole future planned. But as often happens, life got in the way. I didn’t plan on leaving this all totally behind, or staying away, but that’s what happened.

“You know, if you came home to visit your mother more than once a decade, it wouldn’t bestrangeat all.”

He’s not wrong, but I have no idea how to respond, so I took his example and didn’t.

Thankfully we turned into the driveway, putting an end to the awkward ride. Unfortunately, we’ll be doing it again tomorrow. And all the days after that until Andrew’s shoulder is healed.

My mom stepped out onto the porch, greeting us with a smile that couldn’t hide the worry in her eyes.

“How’d it go today?”

“I think it went well,” I said. “It all came back to me, like riding a bike.”

My father stepped around me and walked up the three steps until he stood next to my mother on the porch. He leaned down and kissed her cheek.

“I’m gonna sit for a minute then change the oil in the truck.”

“I can do that.”

He looked over at me and squinted, seeming to doubt I could do routine car maintenance. I don’t know why, since he’s the one who taught me. Granted, I haven’t done more than put gas in my car in the past decade, but still.

My mother whispered something to him and he looked at me again, then nodded.

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