Chapter 3 #3
Beau just slaps the top of the truck once, then disappears toward the house.
I back away just as Trevor wraps his arms around Beau for a welcome-home hug.
The sun is gone as I point the truck home.
Instead of the radio to fill the silence, I let the sound of the cracked concrete underneath the tires sing my day’s tired song.
I point my truck toward Joey and Savannah’s little cottage downtown before I can reason with myself.
Before I can tell myself this is a bad idea and Joey’s smile is gonna hurt as much as it’s gonna help.
Maybe sometimes the pain of loving him helps even out the score when things hurt too deeply.
Better a familiar devil than the unknown.
It doesn’t take long to reach the little cottage, the front stoop lit up with fairy lights and covered in the plants I’d sent with Joey for Savannah. Big pots full of lavender, milkweed, and marigolds to attract all the good luck and butterflies that’ll keep Savannah happy through the spring.
My stomach tightens and my heart flutters as I sit in my truck, just waiting, rethinking about coming here. But before I can turn around and head to my lonely little farm, the front door opens and Joey’s standing there with his hands on his hips like he’s disappointed I haven’t come inside yet.
I shake my head free of all my stupid thoughts, climb out, and head toward him.
“Hi,” Joey murmurs, curiosity lighting up his eyes. “You missed dinner.”
I lift a hand and anxiously rub my neck. “Rain check?”
“Always.” Joey wraps a hand around my wrist, squeezing tight like he doesn’t want to let go. “But I still have some cookies with your name on them. And Savannah is in the bath, so you’re in time for story time.”
Joey drags me into the little cottage that smells like him, Savannah, and freshly baked sugar cookies.
Joey always adds some cinnamon to his sugar cookies, so they taste a little like fall no matter the season we eat them in.
We stand in the kitchen, chewing on the cookies, listening to the sounds of Savannah splashing in the bath.
“She’ll be happy you’re here. She complains you don’t come over enough.
” Joey turns around to wash his hands in the sink, and I let my eyes fall over his shoulders and the tight muscles of his back.
His hair is curled at the ends, barely brushing his neck.
I know if I bury my face there, he’ll smell like cologne and a little something that’s just him.
Joey turns back around to find me staring, but he only smiles.
“She’ll be ecstatic you’re here for werewolf story time. ”
“It’ll be sad when she stops believing in all that.”
Joey clicks his tongue. “If we believe in werewolves at our big age, then hopefully she never stops.”
“True.”
“Daddy! I’m done!” Savannah sings from the bathroom.
Joey winks and disappears toward her, leaving my heart racing in my chest. I finish the sugar cookie, dust off my hands, and wash up in the sink. I stand there for a quiet moment, staring out the window at the swing set I helped Joey build a few years ago.
Joey must’ve told Savannah about my presence because she comes scuttling out toward me, curls soaking wet and her Frozen nightgown hastily tugged on.
“Unc-Lee!” Savannah screeches just as she jumps into my arms.
I pick her up and hold her close, uncaring about my shirt getting wet from her hair. She snuggles against me like she always has, and I close my eyes, just soaking in her love and attention. Nobody has loved me quite the way Savannah has, and I’m not sure anyone else ever will.
“I’m just here for story time,” I whisper, so she doesn’t get any ideas.
“That’s okay. I got two new stuffed animals since you were here and I wanna show you. But first can we howl at the moon?” Savannah looks toward Joey for permission. “Please, Daddy, just for a minute. Just me and Unc-Lee.”
Joey smiles in a way that makes his nose wrinkle. God. I think that might be better than the dimples. “Sure, but just for five minutes.”
Savannah bounces excitedly in my arms. “Okay!”
I smile encouragingly at Joey before navigating through the sliding glass door and out to the back porch. It’s not a full moon tonight, but she’s still up there, enough for Savannah to want to howl.
Savannah leans her head against mine as we stand outside. “I wish you could stay always.”
She asks about this so much now. It breaks my heart every time.
I never say the right thing. Never know exactly what to tell her.
It ramped up after the divorce. I don’t think it’s particularly about me, maybe more about the fact she wishes she had two parents at this house so she can have a version of home that all her friends at school have.
“I come visit as much as I can,” I tell her, which is the best thing I can think of on the fly.
“But you could stay here and sleep in Daddy’s room. You could get married.”
Oh boy.
“Daddy and I can’t get married, Savi.”
Savannah pulls away to glare at me. “Why not?”
And I need to avoid a full meltdown. Carefully.
“Friends like us don’t get married. It’s just not something they do. But I’ll love you no matter what. I’ll always be Unc-Lee.”
Savannah’s lip trembles. “I just want you safe here with us always. I want you to tell me a story every night. I want you to make me the grilled cheese the way you make it!”
“I’ll teach Daddy.”
Savannah looks slightly mollified. “Promise?”
“Yes. Now let’s howl, then I’ll tell you a story before tucking you in.”
Savannah does a little howl, and I tickle her side. “You can do much better than that.”
Savannah howls louder, and I copy her. An owl hoots in the distance, making us both laugh at our antics.
I carry her back inside, noticing Joey’s sitting on the living room sofa watching a hockey game.
I wave to let him know all is well, then carry Savannah into her princess room.
The moment I set her down, she runs off to her daybed that’s covered in stuffed animals.
“This is Gracie,” Savannah says with a generous tilt of her head, showing me a fluffy tan stuffed dog. I give it a pet, and Savannah smiles happily. “She’s a good puppy. I just got her a few weeks ago, I think. But she’s, like, the leader of the pack now.”
“She looks like the leader.”
“Right?” Savannah moves over to grab a stuffed alligator. “This is Swamp.”
I raise one eyebrow. “Swamp?”
“Yes, that’s where he lives.”
“Right.” I pet Swamp as well, earning me another happy smile. I point at the bed. “Climb into the bed, I’ll tuck you in.”
“And a story?”
“And a story,” I confirm as I help her into the bed and tuck the blankets in around her. “Let me turn the fairy lights on.”