Chapter 8
8
L ucas called to one of his pitchers from his position at the fence. “Your head’s turning,” he said. “You need to be looking straight on at the end of your throw.”
The boy had developed a weird quirk since March, and it worried Lucas a bit. But he’d seen worse hiccups in his experience.
“Lucas.” A voice behind him interrupted his practice. Lucas turned to find his younger brother jogging toward the chain-link fence lining the ballpark. “Sorry to bother you. You guys almost done?”
Jacob looked so much like him that they’d been mistaken for twins several times. They were about the same height, just shy of six feet, both with broad shoulders, square jaws, and perpetual five o’clock shadows.
“About five more minutes.” He checked his watch. “What’s up? And also, is there a reason this couldn’t be a text?”
“I was in the area,” Jacob said. “It’s kind of important. Work-related.”
Lucas narrowed his eyes. His brother was a real estate agent. Other than both of them having college degrees they didn’t use, his brother’s job had nothing to do with his own coaching job.
“You know how our agency is moving offices, right?”
“Sure.” Lucas kept his eyes glued to the baseball diamond, where the catcher tossed a ball back to the pitcher. Most of the other players were taking ground balls in the outfield, but he needed to focus on the pitcher’s problem for now.
“I need to borrow your truck.”
What was it with people asking for his truck lately? He needed to start charging.
“That’s fine. Still could have texted.”
“I kinda need it now, actually. Long story, but we have a few desks to move and no way to move them. Can I switch cars with you?”
Lucas finally got a good look at his brother. A sheen of sweat covered his forehead, and his shirtsleeves were rolled up. He laughed. “The things I put up with for you.”
He finished up at practice and ambled over to his truck with Jacob. He dug his keys out and dropped them into Jacob’s waiting hand.
“One last thing while I’m here.” Jacob leaned against his own car. “Did Mom text you?”
“She did. Something about a party for Dad’s birthday?”
Jacob nodded.
“I’ll be there,” Lucas said. “Why?”
“I don’t know.” Jacob scratched his chin. “Something’s going on with him, right? Have you noticed it?”
Lucas stared out at the tree line beyond the field. It was one of those spring days that made you want to park yourself on a porch with a glass of lemonade and never leave: warm sunshine, the green foliage stark against the blue, cloudless sky, birds chirping. First Joan: now his dad. He wasn’t a worrier, but these new tensions kept cropping up lately.
“Now that you mention it, maybe. Something at work, you think?”
Jacob winced.
“You think it’s something with Mom again?”
“He wouldn’t do that again.”
His father had cheated on their mother years before, and they’d been through counseling over it. Lucas knew he’d made a terrible mistake, but he’d seemed overwrought with guilt, so Lucas and Jacob eventually forgave him for hurting their mother. He didn’t think his dad would be capable of making the same error. You’re just like me. He thought of his father saying that about the two of them, and he fidgeted in discomfort.
“Yeah. I’m sure you’re right,” Jacob said.
“Are you bringing anyone?” Lucas asked in lieu of continuing the thread of conversation.
“No. What about you? You got a plus one these days?”
“No.” Lucas folded his arms over his chest. “I’ve decided to stay single for a while.”
Jacob’s hairline lifted. “Yeah? That doesn’t sound like you.”
“I think it’ll be good for me, actually.” He’d decided he needed a period of time without a serious girlfriend. He’d been in and out of relationships since high school, and he never let things cool off for long enough to enjoy time on his own. His last girlfriend had told him his dating patterns were a bigger red flag than just being a regular old womanizer, and he had to wonder if that was true. He was fully resolved to remain single.
“Whatever you need to do, I guess.” Jacob handed his own keys to Lucas. They performed their back-clapping dude thing before saying goodbye.
He pondered his problems on the way home—not to be confused with brooding, something he hardly ever engaged in. Was there something unsavory going on with his father? The thought alarmed him, so he focused on Joan instead. He’d been hoping to concentrate on his friendships over the next few months, and his friendship with her was his most important, but she kept responding to his texts with one-word answers and calling him back just to tell him she didn’t have much time to talk. If it were a romantic relationship, he’d know it was the kiss of death. With Joan, though, he didn’t know how to navigate. They’d never had any problems before. He didn’t like it at all. Besides that, there were things he needed to discuss with her—important stuff, like his job offer—and he hated having to beg her for time.
Lucas’s phone chimed as he walked into his house, a little craftsman he’d purchased the year prior.
Christine Coleman
Hi Luke! Joan said she hadn’t mentioned it yet, but we’re having our dinner at Wyatt’s house on Sunday.
Lucas frowned at his phone. Christine was Joan’s sister. Joan and her siblings had dinner together about once a month, and he was often present for it. Either way, Joan always invited him. He’d spent so much time with her family, he was nearly an honorary member. His fingers hovered over his phone. Did Joan not want him there? A weight dropped into his stomach.
Then again, screw it. Something was going on with her, but he was friends with the rest of her family, too. He also intended to figure out how to fix this new fracture in their friendship.
I’ll be there! Thanks for the invite!