Chapter 25
Tank
As I suspected, having the residents of Sheet Cake see Wolf’s bunker does wonders to shift his image.
Not to say he didn’t already have their support—last night at Dark Horse proved that.
But I think most people supported him for reasons that had more to do with knowing the quality of his character, not because they saw Wolf as particularly capable.
Now, though, they’re experiencing exactly what I did the first night we came down here.
Wolf is a secret genius. One who not only thinks but lives outside of the box, which is exactly what Sheet Cake—a town very much not from a boxed cake mix—needs at its helm.
I feel strangely proud, as though Wolf is a tropical island I discovered when I accidentally got shipwrecked on his shore.
In that bad analogy, I’m giving myself way too much credit.
But how many years has Wolf been inviting people to his bunker who never came?
I think almost all of Sheet Cake has come, even the ones who probably are planning to vote for Wolf’s brother. And it means another day of doing work for someone else when what I really wanted to do was extend my time with Rose at the diner and go with her to Austin.
And yet … here I am, along with most of my family.
Collin and Pat are helping to direct parking in the gravel lot of the bar.
The line to get in stretches almost that far back, like the bunker is the newest ride at an amusement park.
James is effectively the bouncer at the outhouse, making sure no more than twenty people at a time are down here and that only six at a time ride the elevator.
“Fire codes,” James said by way of explanation, but I’m pretty sure he made up an arbitrary number that seemed safe to him.
Winnie and Kyoko are at the bar, Molly’s at the coffee shop, and Lindy is with Evie at home, or I’m sure they’d all be here too.
I’m on kitchen duty, handing out water and sodas in Wolf’s kitchen. I wish we’d had time for Rose to make some of her cookies and cupcakes, though I’m not sure she could have baked fast enough. Every time the front door opens, though, I keep hoping to see her walk through.
Finally, she does, with John right behind her. He’s on the phone and gives me a quick wave before heading toward one of the bedrooms, presumably to finish up his call.
“Theo, hi!” With no hesitation, Rose wraps me in a tight embrace.
“It’s so good to see you,” she says, then laughs. “I guess it’s only been a few hours.”
“I feel the same way.”
It’s the strange slipperiness of time, where when I’m with her, it goes by too fast. When I’m not with her, time is sticky slow, stretching on beyond what is possible.
She pulls away, but not before I press a kiss to her forehead. “Did you have to wait long?” I ask.
“No. I feel bad, but Pat insisted we cut the line since we’re headed out of town.” She makes a face. “He might have told everyone we have a medical emergency.”
I’d like to fake a medical emergency so I can get out of here. “Classic Pat.”
“Your pictures didn’t do it justice. I mean … wow. Do you have time to give me a quick tour?” she asks.
This, I can do. People can get their own drinks for a few minutes.
“The backyard is the best part.” Taking Rose’s hand, I lead her out to the back patio and into Wolf’s version of the sun.
It’s just after noon, so the lights are on the brightest daylight setting.
Wolf is doing his tour thing across the yard, and when he sees me emerge from the house with Rose, he winks.
“I can’t believe this,” she says, tilting her head up to turn in a slow circle, taking it in.
“It’s cooler at night,” I tell her. “The stars are amazing.”
And just at that moment, Wolf hits the switch and the cavernous space darkens.
Rose’s hand tightens around mine as the stars wink into place above our heads.
Because I know Wolf does this for every group, and I know it only lasts for approximately two minutes, I lean down, capturing Rose’s lips in mine.
“Ever made out with a man under the stars and under ground?” I ask, breathless against her mouth.
“I never kiss and tell,” she says, and I’m laughing when the lights go back up. “But now, the number is at least one.”
Not long after, I ride the elevator up with Rose and John to say goodbye.
He gives my hand a firm shake as they say goodbye, standing just outside the outhouse.
It takes effort not to draw him into a hug.
I get the sense he isn’t very touchy-feely, though if anyone in this town needs a hug, I think it’s him.
Rose didn’t have to tell me he works too much, though she did.
It’s a Sunday, and the man is practically glued to his phone.
Which makes it surprising that he stayed here last night. Then again, when he talked to me, he said he wanted to change. I’m not sure if this workaholic thing is part of that, but change does take time.
I don’t like watching her go. Once she and John walk away past the line of people, I notice James arches a brow in that way he does to indicate something’s on his mind. I’ve grown fluent in the language of my son’s eyebrow arches.
“What?”
He shrugs solemnly, and then he grins. It’s so wide and so un-James I almost fall over. I grab my phone to memorialize it in a photo, but he figures out what I’m doing and snatches it from my hands. His smile slips away, but his eyes are still amused.
“It’s weird,” he says. “Seeing you in love.”
“Good weird, I hope?”
He gives the tiniest of eye rolls and hands back my phone. “Of course, it’s good. I just … wasn’t sure I’d ever see it. I think we all stopped hoping.”
I’m not sure how I feel about that, so I simply nod. My phone buzzes in my hand, and my mind immediately jumps to Rose. But it’s Collin calling. With a sigh, I answer and he launches right into talking without saying hello.
“Hey, an engineer just showed up out at The Oven to look at drainage and grading.”
“On a Sunday?”
“I know,” Collin says with a groan. “And I’m out here parking cars for Wolf. Can you swap with me so I can get out there and meet with him?”
James, clearly able to hear Collin’s side of the call, arches another brow. This one is a challenge.
“No,” I say, and it feels strangely freeing.
“No?” Collin sounds positively shocked, which only reiterates my suspicion that this is a word I need to start saying a little more.
“I can’t help you. Let people park their own cars. It’ll be fine.” And then I hang up. James is giving me yet another look, this one involving no eyebrow arches. “What now?” I ask.
I’m eager to go after Rose and John. I could probably catch them if I run. Or I could ask Pat or Collin to stop them in the parking lot and ask them to wait. But it’s a rare thing when James initiates conversation, and I can see he has something to say.
I can tell Collin no to parking cars, but if James needs to say something, I’m saying yes to this.
“You’re going to keep doing more of that,” James says. “Now that you have Rose.”
“More of what—saying no?” I’ve already had this realization myself, but the confirmation from my son feels good.
“You’re going to have to stop jumping up any time we call. You need to be a little more selfish.”
I make a face. “Selfish is the last thing I want to be. It’s what I’ve spent my life actively trying not to be.”
“I don’t mean selfish in a bad way,” James says.
“Is there a good kind of selfish?”
“Yes. Though I’m sure there’s a different word for it. I’m not good at this.” James runs a hand through his dark hair. “Being selfish in a good way is prioritizing the things you need to for you, but for the sake of your well-being. Not just for, like, selfish gains.”
I’ve never thought of the word having a good side, and now I’m mulling this over as James continues.
“You’ve been living your life for other people for years—namely us, but also now them. And Wolf. Chevy. This whole town.”
He gestures out at the line waiting for entrance and, from the looks of it, trying their best to hear this conversation. James must realize this too because he lowers his voice, even though I doubt anyone is close enough to pick up on what we’re saying.
“You give so much of yourself. It’s admirable.
It’s good. I’m not saying stop doing that or asking you to not be who you are.
But just make sure you’re saving enough for yourself.
And for Rose. My siblings and I are grown.
We’ve got this. Tell us no a little more often.
Maybe you can ask us to help you every now and again. ”
“You’re wise beyond your years, son,” I say, and James looks away. He never did well with direct praise. “Thank you. And actually, I do need some help. Or I might. Remember that house I bought? The old farm? Well, it’s in terrible shape. Either a complete gut job or it needs a bulldozer.”
James’s mouth pulls up in the smallest of smiles. “Well, which one is it?”
I grin. “I guess I need to ask Rose her preference. Now, speaking of Rose, I need to see if I’m too late to hitch a ride to Austin.”
Turns out that I have missed her, and when I call, she doesn’t pick up.
Probably because she’s driving. Collin, still trying to figure out his situation, gives me an imploring look, but I only shake my head as I hop into my truck.
The drive isn’t that far, and while I’d rather be riding with Rose, I’m already planning how I can surprise her there and see if she’d like to have our seventh date in Austin.
The scary Emily gave me her number before she left, and I find myself calling her now as I head out of town. She sounds surprised when she answers.
“Is Rose okay?”
“She is, and she’s also why I called. She mentioned something about y’all sharing locations. We haven’t done that yet, and I hoped I might trouble you for a location check in a little bit.”