Chapter Thirteen
Levi
“Well, I’ll be damned. If I didn’t see this for myself, I’d never believe it,” Billy calls out to Mark as the boat cuts back toward the DuPonce’s private beach, the lake stretching endlessly around us after a day well spent out on the lake.
“What’s that?” Mark asks.
Billy tips his chin in my direction, a slick grin pulling at his mouth. “Looks like Levi’s face is tryin’ to smile.”
“That’s a smile?” Mark shoots back.
“The closest damn thing I’ve ever seen to one.”
I give Billy the side eye, and he chuckles.
“Too bad you had to ruin it by opening that big mouth of yours.”
His chuckle breaks into full-on laughter, and Mark joins in. I roll my eyes as they carry on, clamping my lips together so they won’t notice my amusement.
“Careful, looks like you’re starting to make friends,” Tom says, shoving me while cracking a grin.
I look at the two goons in the seat across from me who are now tossing cheese puffs into each other’s mouths. They are absolute goofballs, but after all the time I’ve spent with them, I can also say that they’re good men.
“I could do worse,” is all I say back to Tom.
He grins like he knows he’s right and that I’m finally planting some roots here. It’s one thing to work somewhere, but when I start making friends, when people start to matter to me? That’s when it’s real and goes from only being a place to call home to being somewhere I feel I belong.
Caiden eases the throttle as we enter the bay and hit the no-wake zone.
At five miles an hour, with no other boats stirring the water, the lake smooths out until it looks like glass.
The sun sinks low behind the mountains, throwing streaks of orange and gold across the surface, the light stretching and fading like it’s in no hurry to leave.
Caiden cuts the engine, and the boat drifts the rest of the way in, nudging softly against the dock. Tom and I hop out, grab the lines, and tie them off before we all grab our things and head back to the trucks.
“Birthday bonfire and hamburgers?” Callie asks us all, wiggling her eyebrows and wrapping her arms around Tom.
“Is a birthday bonfire any different than a regular bonfire?” Emma mumbles playfully.
“I’m down.”
“Same. If there’s food, count me in.”
With Mark and Billy’s enthusiastic approval, they all turn toward me.
I look at Caiden and Della.
“We don’t mind hosting.” Della smiles softly as Caiden kisses her head.
“Sweet.” Billy high-fives Mark. “I’m gonna invite Ainsley and Rory if that’s cool. Their shift should be over by now.”
“And Tris,” I add, still watching Caiden and Della like I’m in a trance. Ellie’s tail wags beside me at the mention of Tri’s name, and I don’t realize I’ve stuck my foot in my mouth until I see everyone’s faces.
Billy is frozen, phone hanging haphazardly in his hands, his eyes darting from face to face as he searches for a cue on what to do.
The rest of their movements mimic one another.
Hesitation spreads like a ripple with a mix of brows knitting together, creasing foreheads, lips pressed thin or slightly parted like they have a question that’s right on their tongue, but they’re afraid to ask.
As they shift their weight from foot to foot, I look around for a cue of my own, not understanding the issue here.
Silence stretches as they subtly lean toward Della and Callie.
Callie seems to be the only one willing to make eye contact with me, so I tilt my head to the side and focus my attention on her.
“What? Is that not okay?” I ask, not fully understanding the issue.
She looks to Della, an unspoken conversation exchanged through their eyes.
“She apologized to Caiden and me last week. Something to do with Rory’s “12-step program” of how to be a better person,” she says to Callie, putting quotations around 12-Step. With a glance toward Caiden, she shrugs. “That’s fine with us.”
Callie smirks as she looks between Billy and me. “Alright, then. And Tris.”
Billy nods slowly and continues his text.
“It’s your birthday,” Tom murmurs with an all too knowing smile, like maybe I actually deserve to have the person I can’t seem to get off my mind today here with me.
“Or funeral,” Mark says under his breath, causing snickers to break out in the group.
“Want it to be yours?” I ask, purposefully trying to sound as serious and scary as possible.
Finally, when it looks like Mark is about to piss himself, I bark out a laugh.
Billy traps him in a headlock and gives him a noogie like we’re just a bunch of kids.
When we’re all done messing around, we settle into the truck and head to Caiden and Della’s cabin.
The whole drive there, I try not to overanalyze why the idea of Tris joining us at the house feels like the missing piece to an otherwise perfect day.
After over an hour of hanging out, the fire is roaring, its crackling logs a background noise to the various conversations happening as everyone relaxes after the long day.
Since Caiden drove the boat, Tom volunteered to man the grill.
Billy and Mark said they’d help out too, but everyone unanimously agreed that even though they’re firefighters, they still can’t be trusted with fire.
Apparently, there’s a running joke about them and flaming marshmallows.
Being that I now know them well, I’m not surprised.
It is, however, ironic since they both still work part-time in the kitchen at Turtle Bay Tavern.
“That’s because there’s a sprinkler system installed,” Callie reminds them when they point this out to her. “That you have both tested on two separate occasions.”
Billy and Mark both drop their chins to their chests with an “Oh, yeah.”
“Exactly,” Emma says with a laugh.
I don’t realize I’ve been waiting for Ainsley, Rory, and Tris to arrive until I see movement on the wrap-around porch.
Except, as Ainsley and Rory pop around the corner, joining us in the big yard behind the cabin, there’s no Tris.
A heaviness settles in my chest, and my shoulders drop slightly at the realization.
Not wanting anyone to notice, I quickly hitch them back up again and offer a weak smile to Ainsley and Rory as they say hello to everyone around the fire.
I take notice when Rory and Emma hug for a beat longer than the rest.
“How is he?” Emma asks in a hushed voice that tells me this conversation isn’t meant for me.
Rory’s face transforms as she gives her a quivering smile and shrugs. Emma pulls her into another hug right as Tom closes the grill.
“You girls are just in time, burgers are done,” Tom calls out, placing the tray on the large picnic table next to the plates and condiments. He looks around, like he’s counting, as we all gather, taking a plate and having a seat. “No Tris?”
“She didn’t pick up the phone,” Rory answers him, but her eyes shoot straight for me.
I pretend not to notice and instead add ketchup and mayo to my burger.
“Ah, that’s too bad. Maybe next time. Sit and eat, ladies, we have plenty.” Tom closes the grill and joins the rest of us.
The burgers are delicious, even Ellie thinks so.
At least I’m assuming by the way she scarfs hers down.
What dog doesn’t like a good burger? After eating, we all return to sitting around the fire as dusk turns to night and the moon’s light fills the sky.
Time goes by with ease, yet I still can’t shake the lingering disappointment.
Even more surprising is that I didn’t know how much I wanted Tris here until it became clear she wouldn’t be joining us.
The realization sends me down a path all its own that I’ve actively worked to avoid all day.
It’s my first birthday without Krystal.
I slide my phone out of the pocket of my jeans, which I changed into when we got to the cabin, and search for a picture of us from today, last year.
I quickly find the one I’m looking for. It’s Krystal and me standing in front of Yosemite National Park’s iconic granite peaks.
She and I decided we’d take a camping trip for the Fourth of July and come home the day after my birthday.
A fun getaway, just the two of us. In the photo, we’re both sun-kissed from all the hiking we did, her long brown hair is pulled into braids in front of her, and she’s smiling, but me? I’m looking at her.
Before anyone can notice, I sniff back tears and quietly clear my throat.
I miss her so much. That hasn’t changed.
I wake up every day thinking maybe it will, but it doesn’t.
It’s become easier, but I imagine it’s like losing a limb.
Eventually, I’d learn to live without it, but hell, I’d still miss my damn arm or leg if they were gone, and that’s what Krystal was. .. a part of me.
After burgers, everyone goes back to hanging out around the fire.
Some time passes, and Callie surprises me by bringing out a birthday cake.
Everyone joins in to sing the most interesting rendition of the song Happy Birthday that I’ve ever heard.
Once I’m sure I haven’t gone deaf from the noises that came out of Mark and Billy, I blow out the candles and hug Callie.
“Thank you for this,” I mutter softly.
She smiles up at me with warmth. “Anything for Uncle Bigfoot.”
While everyone continues to drink throughout the night, I start fidgeting.
It’s not just my legs that are restless, but my mind.
I keep checking the time, and as the minutes pass slower and slower, I decide that, as much fun as this is, there’s somewhere else I want to be.
When Tom stands up to grab another drink, I follow after him.
“So what do you think? A good birthday?” he asks as he pours himself another glass of whiskey.
“Yeah, man. Thanks,” I say, rubbing the back of my neck like it’s sore. “It was a great day, but I think I’m ready to head home.”