Forty-Two
forty-two
DRIVE - INCUBUS
OWEN - JULY 28, 2014
T he van hums beneath us as we drive through town, Ruby babbling in her car seat while Sara hums along to the song playing on the radio. Barrett sits in his booster seat beside her, looking out the window, his brows furrowed like he’s puzzling out some grand mystery.
The memories from the wedding are fresh—the laughter, the vows, the feeling of Callie’s hand in mine as we promised each other forever. Having Barrett there meant everything to me, him smiling and comfortable in our blended family.Today is bittersweet as I bring him back to Sabrina’s house.
I slow as we turn onto her street, the familiar white house coming into view. Everything looks the same, the porch light off, her car parked neatly in the driveway, but something unexpected catches my attention.
There’s someone sitting on the porch with her.
It only takes a second to recognize him. Will.
He’s stretched out on the porch swing, one leg propped up on the edge, his ball cap tipped low over his eyes. Sabrina’s sitting beside him, her arms crossed, her posture stiff and defensive.
Callie leans forward slightly, squinting as we pull closer. “Is that Will?” she asks, her voice laced with curiosity.
“Sure is,” I mutter, slowing as I pull into the driveway.
As soon as the van stops, Barrett pipes up from the back. “Why’s Uncle Will sitting with Mom? Did he break something?”
Callie stifles a laugh, her hand flying to her mouth.
“Not this time,” I say, sliding out of the driver’s seat and moving to the side door. “I think he’s just… visiting.”
Barrett wrinkles his nose as I unbuckle him. “Mom doesn’t like visitors,” he says confidently.
“She might like this one,” Callie murmurs under her breath, but I pretend not to hear her.
Sabrina stands as we approach the steps, her eyes immediately softening as they land on Barrett. “Hey, bud,” she says, her voice warm.
“Hi, Mom,” Barrett replies, bounding up the steps to hug her. “Did Uncle Will break anything?”
Sabrina sighs, giving Will a pointed look. “No, he didn’t break anything,” she says, though her tone is clipped.
Will leans forward on the swing, his smirk firmly in place. “I’m just lending a hand, Klein,” he says casually, tipping his hat.
“What kind of hand?” Barrett asks, peering up at him.
“A neighborly one,” Will says with exaggerated patience, ruffling Barrett’s hair.
Barrett shrugs. “Mom doesn’t like neighbors either.”
Callie snorts, biting back her laughter as Sabrina gives Barrett a look. “Why don’t you go inside and wash up? I’ll be right there.”
Barrett pauses, glancing between me and Sabrina. “If Uncle Will needs a screwdriver, it’s in the junk drawer,” he announces before running inside.
As the screen door slams shut, Callie finally lets out a laugh. Sabrina pinches the bridge of her nose, clearly trying to maintain her composure.
“Well,” I say, glancing between her and Will. “This has been… informative.”
“Relax, Klein,” Will says, grinning. “Just helping out a friend.”
Sabrina’s glare could melt steel, but there’s a faint blush creeping into her cheeks.
Callie shifts Ruby on her hip, her eyes sparkling with barely concealed mischief. “Thanks for keeping Sabrina company,” she says lightly.
Will tips his hat to her. “Anytime, Mrs. Klein.”
I raise an eyebrow but keep my thoughts to myself. “Alright,” I say, turning back toward the van. “We’ll see you later.”
“Bye, Uncle Will!” Sara chirps from her car seat, waving enthusiastically.
“Bye, sweetheart,” Will replies, his grin widening.
As we pull out of the driveway, Callie is already looking at me, her lips twitching.
“You don’t think they…” she says, trailing off with an air of playful curiosity.
I glance at her, letting out a laugh. “Sabrina and Will? No way. That would be crazy.”
“Would it?” she presses, tilting her head.
“Yes,” I say firmly, shaking my head. “Sabrina doesn’t put up with anyone’s nonsense, and Will? He’s nothing but nonsense.”
Callie hums thoughtfully, looking back toward the house as it disappears from view. “She looked a little flustered,” she muses.
“She was annoyed,” I counter. “There’s a difference.”
“Maybe,” she says, but the glint in her eye tells me she’s not entirely convinced.
The van is quieter without Barrett, though Ruby’s babbling fills the space easily enough. I glance at Callie as we head home. Her hand rests on my arm, grounding me in that way only she can.
“You’re overthinking it,” she says lightly, her smile soft and knowing.
“Probably,” I admit, squeezing her hand before returning it to the wheel.
I focus on the road, a glimpse of Will leaning toward Sabrina, saying something that made her roll her eyes, lingers in my mind. There was a hint of a smile on her lips too.
Crazy, I think again. Absolutely crazy.
But I let it go. With Callie’s hand on my arm and the girls filling the van with laughter, whatever’s happening back there is not my concern. Not yet, anyway.
The clang of tools being tossed into the truck bed echoes through the empty lot as Will stretches his back with a groan. “Thank God that’s the last of it,” he mutters, wiping the sweat from his forehead with his forearm.
I pull off my gloves, tossing them onto the dash before leaning against the truck. The late afternoon sun casts long shadows across the site, and the faint hum of machinery in the distance is the only sound breaking the quiet.
“Never thought I’d be so happy to leave West Haven behind,” I say, glancing at the half-finished building behind us. “As much as I appreciate the owner giving Callie and I a cabin after the wedding, I feel like I’ve been paying for it ever since.”
Will chuckles, grabbing a water bottle from the cooler. “Place feels cursed. Every damn fitting was a fight.”
“Not to mention the overtime,” I add, shaking my head. “I’ve barely seen Callie and the kids the last couple of weeks.”
“Yeah, well, at least you’ve got something good to go home to,” Will replies, his tone casual but with a hint of an edge.
I glance at him, narrowing my eyes. “And what about you? What’ve you been going home to?”
He shrugs, twisting the cap off his water. “Same as always.”
“Uh-huh,” I say, crossing my arms. “Except you’ve been spending a hell of a lot of time over at Sabrina’s lately.”
Will freezes for just a fraction of a second before taking a long drink of water. “Didn’t realize you were keeping tabs on me, Klein,” he says, smirking as he leans against the truck.
“I’m not,” I counter, raising an eyebrow. “But Barrett’s got a big mouth. He mentioned something about you hanging out on Sabrina’s porch on more than one occasion.”
Will snorts. “Kid needs to work on his poker face.”
I don’t let up, stepping closer and crossing my arms. “So? What’s the deal? You don’t exactly strike me as the ‘just dropping by’ type.”
He tilts his head, watching me for a moment before sighing. “Look, it’s not what you think.”
“I didn’t say I was thinking anything,” I reply, though my curiosity is definitely piqued.
Will rolls his eyes, rubbing the back of his neck. “You’re not gonna let this go, are you?”
“Not a chance,” I say, leaning back against the truck.
For a moment, he doesn’t say anything, his gaze fixed on the ground. Then he exhales sharply. “Fine,” he mutters. “I’ve been checking in on her, okay?”
“Checking in?” I repeat, frowning.
“Yeah,” he says, his tone defensive. “Because I don’t trust that piece of shit Alex to stay gone.”
The mention of Alex makes my stomach tighten, and I straighten slightly. “Has he been around?”
“No,” Will says quickly, shaking his head. “Not yet, anyway. But guys like him don’t just disappear. I don’t trust him, and I don’t like the idea of Sabrina dealing with him alone if he does show up.”
The conviction in his voice surprises me, and I find myself reassessing the situation. Will might be a lot of things—cocky, reckless, a pain in my ass—but he’s also loyal.
“So you’re just… keeping an eye on her?” I ask, my tone more neutral now.
“Pretty much,” he says, shrugging. “She’s got enough on her plate without worrying about that asshole popping up out of nowhere.”
I nod slowly, mulling over his words. “And Sabrina knows this?”
Will smirks. “She’s not exactly thrilled about it, but yeah. She knows.”
I can’t help but laugh. “Let me guess, she told you to mind your own business.”
“More or less,” he says, grinning. “ You know how she is, stubborn as hell. I’m not about to back off just because she doesn’t like it.”
I shake my head, a small smile tugging at the corner of my mouth. “You’re a glutton for punishment.”
“Maybe,” he says, chuckling. “But someone’s gotta do it.”
We fall into a comfortable silence, the tension from earlier fading as the sun dips lower in the sky. As much as I want to give him grief about this, I can’t ignore the truth in his words. If Alex does show up again, Sabrina’s going to need someone in her corner.
“Well,” I say finally, pushing off the truck. “If anything happens, you let me know. Got it?”
Will nods, his expression serious. “You’ll be the first call, Klein.”
“Good,” I say, clapping him on the shoulder. “Now let’s get the hell out of here.”
Will grins, grabbing his gloves as we climb into the truck. The drive back is quiet, the weight of the conversation lingers between us. As the miles stretch out behind us, I feel better a little knowing someone’s looking out for Sabrina, especially if that someone is one of my best friends.