Chapter 13 Elijah
Elijah
With Tobias, every car ride is a fun road trip.
After work, we head up north to our favorite place.
A few playlists and a couple rounds of ‘would you rather’ games later, three hours feel like three minutes.
And shortly after that, we’re tucked away in the boathouse, under the skylight, listening to music and eating a bunch of junk food that we picked up along the way.
What an amazing idea.
I knew Tobias needed to get away. I saw his face when the cops were in his office and I knew I had to do something to take away the stress.
He lies back on my chest between my legs, passing me a spoonful of chocolate ice cream straight from the carton. In this moment, looking at him like this, I know that coming here was the right decision.
“They just came crashing down. You should’ve seen Yari’s face.” Tobias laughs, clutching his stomach. “Plates everywhere.”
“That’s because Izzy is the worst stacker ever. She always puts the plates on top of the bowls.” I chuckle.
“Ohhh, that’s why. Oops. I do that.” Tobias looks at me and cringes.
“Yeah, but you don’t count.” I hold his head and plant a few quick kisses on his temple. “You can do whatever you want because you’re pretty.”
“Sounds like favoritism." Tobias teases.
“It is. Now reward me!” I open my mouth prompting Tobias to spoon-feed me another bite of the chocolate dessert. I wince. “Mmm! Cold!”
He laughs, turning onto his stomach. Shuffling above me, he blows directly on my mouth making me laugh in confusion.
“Are you blowing away my brain freeze?” I chuckle.
"Yeah. How else would it go away?” He smiles, shrugging. Once the pain subsides, he turns back around, resuming his original position.
I sigh, rubbing his chest. “You’re just the best.” I state, threading my fingers through his hair. “Everyone’s so lucky to have you there. Especially while I’m away. You’ve really been holding down the fort.”
“Thank you. It’s been…a lot.”
“If anyone can deal with a lot, it’s you.” I nod. “You’re my super hero.”
Tobias breathes out a heavy breath. “Now you’re just blowing smoke up my ass.” He chuckles lightly.
“I’m serious. Instead of fighting evil you fight…chaos.” I squeeze my arms around him.
Tobias throws his arm over his eyes. “I don’t understand how you see me like that. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad you do but…sometimes, I feel…like the complete opposite.”
My smile fades once I hear the dark tone of his voice. Is he sad?
I grab his chin and tilt it so he can look up at my eyes. “I wish you could see yourself the same way I see you. You’d understand why I say the things I do.”
He takes a moment to register my words, but once he does, I see the love warming his face as a soft smile appears.
Good.
If he needs me to repeat sweet words to him every single day, I will. I’ll do anything for him.
Yet still, I notice his body has gone tense and he nervously licks his bottom lip like he always does when he’s holding something in.
“Hey.” I squeeze him between my thighs. “You okay?”
“I’m good.” Tobias nods his head, facing forward again. He’s lying. I know it.
“Okay, that’s it." I sit him up. "Somethings been eating at you, I can tell. Talk to me.”
He breathes. “I need to tell you something.”
“What is it?” Genuinely confused on what it could be. He connects his eyes with mine before his gaze darts away. There’s a beat between us and the silence really scares me.
What’s got him so stressed that he felt like he couldn’t tell me?
I turn his head towards me again. “After everything we’ve been through together…
you know you can tell me anything, right?
” He licks his lips, swallowing deeply. I see his mouth begin to open.
The words right on his tongue. I smile softly at his courage.
“You’ll always be my superhero.” I add, cupping the back of his neck and squeezing.
It seems as though that comment snaps him out of his head and back into the present moment. Clearing his throat slightly, he shifts in my lap.
“Um…a guy came in earlier this week to meet about the restaurant.”
Oh. Okay. Random. “Oh yeah?”
“You know Hartman and company?”
I rake my brain for the connection. “The company that owns all those restaurants and stores?”
Tobias nods slowly. “Yeah. Paul Hartman.”
My brows knit together, still unsure where he’s going. “Why’d he come in?”
Tobias sucks in a breath, sitting up to face me. “I guess he wants to invest in Jude’s Place. Become sort of a partner in it. I don’t really know.” He chews his bottom lip looking down at the knitted blanket beneath us.
I let out a sharp laugh. “What a prick!” I shake my head, walking over to the fan across the room. It may be September but it’s hot up here with Tobias and I.
Tobias looks at me, shocked, his eyes curiously scanning my face as I come to sit back behind him. “Why do you say that?”
I laugh. “He clearly just wants to snag Jude’s Place for himself and leave us in the dust. There’s no way.”
Tobias is quiet for a moment. “He talked about…helping us support the place.”
I huff. “You believe that crock of shit? You think we need help because I think we’ve been doing just fine.” I lay beside him, reaching for the bag of Doritos next.
Tobias nods his head, picking at a loose thread on the blanket below him. “Yeah…no, you’re right." He takes a moment to look at me as I hurriedly swallow my mouthful.
I look down, avoiding his eyes. “And you know a corporate guy like that would only take everything out of Jude’s Place that makes it…Jude’s place.” The familiar black cloud creeping over me and making itself known.
Softly brushing his hand over my cheek, his voice is soft and warm. “You know it’ll always be Jude’s Place. No matter what.”
I shrug, shoving another handful of chips in my mouth. “I mean, I guess.”
Tobias sucks in a big breath, and then wipes his hands together, setting the carton of ice cream aside. “Okay, our stomachs are seriously going to hurt after all of this.” He laughs, looking at our junk food mess.
“Yeah,” I smile, nodding my head. I take in a breath, still feeling a little uneasy for some reason.
“Tobias? You’re sure that’s all it was that was bothering you?
” I can’t help this nagging feeling like I’m missing something…
but I’d know it. At least, I think I would. “I mean…you’d tell me.. right?”
He connects his eyes with mine and I see his smile shine on his face. “Yeah. Yeah, I’d tell you,” he replies quietly.
I smile, feeling my nerves settle. “Okay, good. Because it’s still early and we have yet to watch a scary movie.”
“Elijah. This is literally the recipe for nightmares. Scary movies and sweets before bed." Tobias laughs, hitting me over the head with a pillow.
“Since when’d you get so old, Boss? You used to be fun.” I laugh, hitting him back.
“Oh yeah? Is that right?” He scrunches his fingers in my sides, tickling me.
Shit, he’s got me there.
“Yeah. I said it.” I laugh, trying and failing to breathe. “I don’t take anything back.”
“I’ll make you take it back.” He chuckles, pulling me towards him.
“I’d like to see you try.” I scramble to crawl away from him.
Tobias never fails to end our nights in cuddles and laughter.
It’s not long into the horrifying movie, Sinister, snuggled under the skylight in our favorite spot, that sleep pulls me under.
A wave of calm washes over me as I curl up into his arms. For a moment, I fear he’s still awake as I drift off.
But then again… maybe it’s all in my head.