for me then maybe I wasn’t such a loser after all.”
Her shoulders jerked with a sob.
“I’m not saying this to get sympathy or make you feel bad for leaving, Cass. I’m happy for you. I just wanted to let you know that it mattered to me that you cared for me. And I always cared for you. I just had an asinine way of showing it.”
She sniffled and tightened her coat around her. “There isn’t one worthless hair on your head, Dray. And the sooner you believe that the better. You are a fighter in every sense of the word. You grew up in a cold, brutal house, but it didn’t strip away your heart. I know no matter where I end up, I’ll never feel as safe and as loved as I did with you.” She leaned forward and kissed my cheek, and I closed my eyes with the feel of her lips on my skin.
She blotted away her tears with her gloved fingers. “The taxi is taking me to the airport. It’s a really great opportunity for me, Dray.”
“I know, and you’ll be great at it because you’re awesome at everything you do.” I shoved my hands deep into my coat pocket to resist the urge to touch her. The cold, damp air made my broken hand ache, but the pain in my chest was worse. She walked over and hugged everyone goodbye and then glanced back at me once more before heading back to the cab. I climbed back up to the grave site and watched as the small tractor shoveled up the dirt and tossed it into the grave. I stood there and waited until the coffin disappeared completely.
Nix’s hand landed on my shoulder and I looked back at him. “We were all thinking about heading down to the Lucy. Clutch and Barrett are going to stop and get pizza and beer. You up for our company?”
“Always.”
Chapter 8
Dray
The rain had stopped but it had left behind an ugly gray sky and a small storm surge. The boats along the marina rocked from bow to stern and back again. Water lapped up over the edge of the dock and across my shoes as I walked back toward the Lucy.
I’d had just enough time to wash a few dishes and pick up my dirty socks before Nix arrived with Scotlyn and Taylor.
Nix followed the girls inside. “I hadn’t thought about the deck being too wet to use.”
Scotlyn stripped off her gloves but seemed to think better about taking off her coat. After two weeks of triple digit temperatures, the cabin actually felt cold and damp. “It’ll be cozy, but I think we can all fit. Even Clutch.” She looked around. “Maybe.”
“I miss living on the water, but I don’t miss this tiny space,” Nix said.
The storm surge wasn’t really a surge but more of swell. Still, the cabin rocked enough to move the kitchen chairs back and forth. Taylor stretched her long legs out in front of her as she plopped onto the couch with her arm pressed against her stomach. “Not completely sure how long I’m going to be able to stay here. I’m already feeling yucky.”
“You are definitely starting to take on that familiar green pallor,” Scotlyn said.
The Lucy dipped down on its side. “I think the human anchor has arrived with the pizza.” Nix opened the door. Clutch had to bend over to fit through. He had the beer, and Barrett came in behind with the pizzas. I’d hardly eaten since my last day at the beach when Cassie had told me she was leaving. So much shit had happened since then I hadn’t really had time to think about my stomach, unusual for me.
Barrett lowered the boxes of pizza onto the table, and Clutch and I pulled out chairs and sat. I was a third his weight but I could definitely keep up with Clutch in an eating match, and, at this point, I was ready to devour the cardboard box.
Clutch picked up the biggest piece. “I noticed you were looking kind of runty. If you lose any more weight, Tank is going to start a new miniature division just for you.”
I smacked Barrett’s hand away from the slice with the most sausage and grabbed it for myself. “Don’t ever call me mini. That’s what an asshole down at the docks
Her shoulders jerked with a sob.
“I’m not saying this to get sympathy or make you feel bad for leaving, Cass. I’m happy for you. I just wanted to let you know that it mattered to me that you cared for me. And I always cared for you. I just had an asinine way of showing it.”
She sniffled and tightened her coat around her. “There isn’t one worthless hair on your head, Dray. And the sooner you believe that the better. You are a fighter in every sense of the word. You grew up in a cold, brutal house, but it didn’t strip away your heart. I know no matter where I end up, I’ll never feel as safe and as loved as I did with you.” She leaned forward and kissed my cheek, and I closed my eyes with the feel of her lips on my skin.
She blotted away her tears with her gloved fingers. “The taxi is taking me to the airport. It’s a really great opportunity for me, Dray.”
“I know, and you’ll be great at it because you’re awesome at everything you do.” I shoved my hands deep into my coat pocket to resist the urge to touch her. The cold, damp air made my broken hand ache, but the pain in my chest was worse. She walked over and hugged everyone goodbye and then glanced back at me once more before heading back to the cab. I climbed back up to the grave site and watched as the small tractor shoveled up the dirt and tossed it into the grave. I stood there and waited until the coffin disappeared completely.
Nix’s hand landed on my shoulder and I looked back at him. “We were all thinking about heading down to the Lucy. Clutch and Barrett are going to stop and get pizza and beer. You up for our company?”
“Always.”
Chapter 8
Dray
The rain had stopped but it had left behind an ugly gray sky and a small storm surge. The boats along the marina rocked from bow to stern and back again. Water lapped up over the edge of the dock and across my shoes as I walked back toward the Lucy.
I’d had just enough time to wash a few dishes and pick up my dirty socks before Nix arrived with Scotlyn and Taylor.
Nix followed the girls inside. “I hadn’t thought about the deck being too wet to use.”
Scotlyn stripped off her gloves but seemed to think better about taking off her coat. After two weeks of triple digit temperatures, the cabin actually felt cold and damp. “It’ll be cozy, but I think we can all fit. Even Clutch.” She looked around. “Maybe.”
“I miss living on the water, but I don’t miss this tiny space,” Nix said.
The storm surge wasn’t really a surge but more of swell. Still, the cabin rocked enough to move the kitchen chairs back and forth. Taylor stretched her long legs out in front of her as she plopped onto the couch with her arm pressed against her stomach. “Not completely sure how long I’m going to be able to stay here. I’m already feeling yucky.”
“You are definitely starting to take on that familiar green pallor,” Scotlyn said.
The Lucy dipped down on its side. “I think the human anchor has arrived with the pizza.” Nix opened the door. Clutch had to bend over to fit through. He had the beer, and Barrett came in behind with the pizzas. I’d hardly eaten since my last day at the beach when Cassie had told me she was leaving. So much shit had happened since then I hadn’t really had time to think about my stomach, unusual for me.
Barrett lowered the boxes of pizza onto the table, and Clutch and I pulled out chairs and sat. I was a third his weight but I could definitely keep up with Clutch in an eating match, and, at this point, I was ready to devour the cardboard box.
Clutch picked up the biggest piece. “I noticed you were looking kind of runty. If you lose any more weight, Tank is going to start a new miniature division just for you.”
I smacked Barrett’s hand away from the slice with the most sausage and grabbed it for myself. “Don’t ever call me mini. That’s what an asshole down at the docks
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