Chapter 14
FOURTEEN
“If you don’t hurry up and get this game started, I’m going to paddle your ass. And I bet you’ll fucking like it.”
I chuckle from my seat on the couch as Raúl shoots Colin a look across the ping-pong table and holds up the ball.
“Aw, so excited to get my ball,” he says with a smirk, bouncing it on the table.
Colin laughs, settling into an intense stance on his side of the table. “You only got one? Well, that actually makes a lot of sense.”
“Fuck off,” Raúl says, finally serving and getting this game started. The amount of trash talk these guys all do with fucking ping-pong is ridiculous.
I stay seated on the couch, watching the game with a few of the other guys. It’s the last night of our three-week shift, and they are definitely making the most of it. The intensity of this game might be the highest I’ve seen yet.
But while they’re all amped up, I’m fucking exhausted. I’m used to the three-week rotation schedule since I’ve done it in Alberta, but this is my first time being the only welder on a rotation. And offshore, there are a lot more emergencies to tend to outside my shift.
The guys all cheer as Raúl earns himself a point, and I slap on a smile. I’m also not used to this much social interaction. In the larger camps in the oil sands, it was easy to find quiet solitude when I needed it. But here, living in such tight quarters, there’s no escaping the social aspect of rig life. I do genuinely enjoy spending time with these guys, but putting up a social front day after day, even with people I like, is tiring. And in these last few days of rotation, I’ve been craving the peaceful quiet of Torrin Cove more and more.
My phone buzzes in my pocket as the game, and the trash talk, picks up again.
Theo
Late day, just finishing.
He sends a photo of a large window he installed in an older home today, and holy shit. He did an awesome job. The photo he sent earlier this afternoon before he started showed an absolute disaster. The old window was broken, and the wood around the frame was rotted. Now, after he replaced both the frame and the window, it looks flawless.
Damn, that’s awesome.
Then I smirk down at my phone as I tap out another text.
But you do know there are seven days in a week, right? Not every job has to be finished in one day. Poor Miss Bobber, all alone…
As I wait for him to respond, I scroll up in our texts to another photo he sent early this morning. A photo from the lobster boat at dawn, the sky over the water a mesmerizing blend of colours as the clouds catch the early light of the rising sun. It looks like a painting, with everything looking so perfect and still.
“You up, Liam?”
I look up from my phone to see Colin holding his paddle out to me.
“I’m good,” I say, shaking my head. Then my phone buzzes in my hand, and I quickly glance down at it.
Seven days, seven jobs. No rest for the weary.
And I actually went home before coming here and put a fire on for her. So… I’d say she’s doing alright.
I smile at the thought of him lighting a fire for Miss Bobber, and a flicker of excitement stirs inside me knowing I’ll see them both tomorrow. But I quickly lift my eyes to Colin again.
“I’m actually going to head to bed,” I say, pushing to my feet.
He cocks an eyebrow at me, then glances down at my phone in my hand with a smile. “Got a girl back home? Bet she’s excited to see you.”
I huff out a laugh and shove my phone in my pocket. “No, I don’t. And I’m going to bed because I’m tired from being on call for three weeks,” I say as I playfully push him out of my way.
Colin chuckles, waving his paddle at me. “Tell her I say hi.”
I flip him off as laughter erupts around us. With a wave goodnight to everyone, I turn and make my way down the hallway to my room. Once I’m inside, I pull my phone out again.
Maybe the weary should take a page out of Miss Bobber’s book and sit by the fire once in a while.
I set my phone down, leaving the screen open to his texts as I change into sweatpants and a t-shirt. As I pull the shirt over my head, I glance down at the screen and pause as realization sets in. Since I’ve been on the rig, I’ve actually kept my phone on… something I haven’t done in months. I’ve kept it off for so long to avoid emotions and reminders of home, but since I started texting with Theo… I keep it on.
My eyes linger on it for another moment before I reach out to pick it up. I exit Theo’s texts and tap on my mom’s name, the unsent message I typed out to her staring back at me.
Gu bràth.
It’s been over three weeks since she sent me her message. I can’t even imagine what she must be feeling, or how much my parents must be hurting with each day that passes without hearing from me. They’re respecting my wishes, even though it’s causing them pain. A war begins to brew inside me, as I want to protect them from knowing what I’ve done, but I also want to ease their suffering and make them feel better.
Theo’s text appears at the top of the screen, and I quickly tap it, not ready to make that decision yet.
Just got home, and that’s exactly what she was doing. Climbing my legs now.
I lie back on my bed, letting out a breath as the sadness over my parents lingers, and I try to push past it.
Because she was lonely. You work too much.
You’re one to talk.
Yeah, but you have a choice.
Theo is quiet for a moment, and as I stare at the screen and wait for his response, I let my mind wander to what he told me before. How he feels like he didn’t have a choice in his life. But outside of fishing, he does. So I can’t help but wonder why he works himself so much.
Not as much as I’d like. I just do better when I’m busy.
I furrow my brow as I read his text again. Not as much as he’d like? So, there is something else he’d rather do? I can relate to the need to stay busy — I need it to drown out the noise in my own mind. Does he also have something he’s trying to escape?
But I don’t ask. Because I know what it feels like to try to run, and try to escape something that clings to you no matter how far you go.
Same.
We’re both quiet for a little bit as I take a deep breath in and the familiar, uneasy sensation builds inside me. But this time, I don’t push it away. I let it grow just enough to push me forward, and give me the courage to share a bit more of myself with him. The part I’ve been trying to escape.
I guess I have a choice too. But I stay busy, even on my weeks off, because it just makes everything a little easier to manage. I’m sure it’s obvious that I didn’t exactly plan on ending up in Torrin Cove. But… I couldn’t make myself go home. So even though I need to keep my mind busy, I also know how important it is to slow down and enjoy what you have before it’s all gone. But that, I’m not so good at.
My fingers tremble as I hit send, and I rub my thumb over my now healed, slightly scarred fingers. I’m not sure why I felt the urge to share this with him, and anxiety grows as I worry what he might think of it.
Of me.
I’m not either. And I know what it’s like to hide yourself away behind work so you don’t have to be alone with your thoughts. And even after losing my dad and seeing how quickly it can all change, I still can’t slow down.
The anxious feeling softens as I read his message. I appreciate that he never pushes or asks for more than I’m ready to give. He just… understands. And while it’s unfortunate that he does understand, there’s also a comfort in that. I don’t know what he’s hiding, or what happened to his dad, and I won’t ask. I won’t push him either.
Before I can respond, another text from him comes through.
I guess living in my disaster zone of a house is a good thing then.
A smile spreads across my face as I chuckle.
Perfect way to stay busy.
Perfect way to get my house finished.
And now I can’t help but laugh out loud.
You’re right though. I should spend more time in this house and enjoy it.
A soft flutter rises in my chest as I think of him spending more time at home… with me.
You do have a whole ass room to drink coffee in.
Haha I do.
Sounds like we need to get started on renos in there.
I smile, liking the sound of that.
Sounds like it.
But as I look at the time, my heart sinks a bit. It’s getting late, especially in Nova Scotia, and I know he should be heading to bed.
Shouldn’t you be asleep?
I will be soon. Someone already is.
Then he sends a photo, and I freeze.
Theo is lying shirtless in his bed with a soft smile, and Miss Bobber is curled up on his chest as she sleeps.
I don’t know why… but I can’t stop staring at it.
At him.
But I quickly tap out a text and hit send before he thinks I’m ignoring him. Or slightly freaking out… which I am.
She looks comfy.
She is. And she’s snoring, which is actually adorable.
I chuckle, trying to keep my eyes away from the photo of him. But they keep snapping back to it as I tap out my message.
Well, you better do what she says then and go to sleep.
Agreed.
Have a good night. See you tomorrow.
My heart seems to skip a beat as I read those last three words.
See you tomorrow.
Night.
But I keep his texts open and tap on the photo, making it bigger.
My eyes trail over his soft freckles on his cheeks and nose, his warm eyes and gentle smile… his hard pecs…
What the fuck.
I close my eyes and release a breath, once again wondering how this happened.
How I managed to develop a thing for Theo. My roommate… a guy .
But as I open my eyes again to the photo of Theo, his warm eyes looking back at me, I focus on the calm and comforting feeling they bring. The same feeling I get each night after talking to him. I never would have anticipated the effect he has on me, but it’s one I can’t ignore. Because somehow, he’s managing to slowly open me back up, despite my efforts to shut down and give up.
My heart thumps as I exit out of his texts and tap on my mom’s name again.
And send the message.
Gu bràth.