Chapter 31

On Sunday, Colten and I lazed around the Manor. We’d slept late, gone for a swim, and tossed the ball around a little, and now, we were playing chess.

I wasn’t proud to admit it, but I was cornered. Colten had me on the ropes and he had me there after just three moves. It was insane.

Studying the board, I made a move I didn’t see as a threat, but Colten grinned like he’d won the lottery and checkmated me. Throwing his hands up in the air, he did a little jig and smiled at me. “Good match, Dad. Well played.”

I sighed and offered him my hand to shake as always. “You’re getting better by the day. At this rate, I have no idea if I’m ever going to beat you again.”

“Not if I can help it,” he said playfully. Then he launched into a lengthy and super nerdy tangent about the moves he’d been studying in the chess book Mr. Lafferty had let him borrow before the break. “It’s full of tricks and strategy and game plays. I can’t wait to get back to the club and experiment with them against some real players.”

I arched an eyebrow at him. “I’m not a real player?”

Colten flushed, but he was still smiling as he shrugged. “Be serious, Daddy.”

I laughed. “I see how it is. Now that you’re getting good, you’re leaving old Dad behind, huh?”

He gave me a narrow-eyed look, the humor still shimmering behind it. “Maybe I am, but if you would play me more often, you would get better too. I can let you borrow my book.”

“I think I’ll leave the chess to you,” I said as I picked my phone up off the table. “I’ll play you whenever you want, but I don’t need to be as good as you are. I just need to be a semi-worthy opponent for you to practice against. As long as it’s fun, right?”

“Right,” he said, but I could hear his heart wasn’t in it. He glanced at my phone. “Do you need to work?”

“Nope, but you and I need to call Walt,” I said. “He must be missing our visits.”

Colt nodded, getting up and walking around the table to join me on my side. I pulled up a chair for him as I placed the call to the seniors’ living facility back home, hitting speaker once the nurse told me she’d go get Walter.

A few long minutes later, my stepfather’s voice finally came over the line, and to my relief, he sounded as happy as ever. “My boys! You’re both there, right?”

“Yes, we are,” Colten said excitedly, leaning forward as he focused on my phone. “We miss you, Grandpa.”

“I miss you too.” Walter chuckled. “I hope you’re managing to have some fun without me, though. You must be since you haven’t decided to cut the summer short and come home early. How is the lake?”

“It’s awesome!” Colt said loudly, nearly falling off his chair for as much as he was bouncing on it. Walt had always been the only person who could bring out this extremely childlike side of my son, like he felt safe letting his grandpa in all the way, and I truly appreciated Walter’s role in his life—for everything, but more so for always making him feel so safe and loved.

God knew, I tried to provide him with the same thing, but it was different. Walt and I were the only stability in Colten’s life and I was rarely home, whereas Walter was always available for a chat when Colt called. A few times, he’d even asked our driver to take him to see the old man without me.

The fact of the matter was that Walter didn’t have to do this. Not for either of us. But even if he’d felt some kind of obligation toward me because of my mother, he was truly invested in my son even though he wasn’t biologically related to him.

Thank fuck, blood isn’t everything.

As I thanked my lucky stars, Colten told Walter all about Brody, Cole, and the other friends he’d made. He told him about learning how to toss a football and have fun in the lake. He also told him about the volleyball, the town itself, the night market, and how all the people here were really nice.

I didn’t interrupt him, letting them have their time to catch up while I patiently waited my turn. “You’d love it out here, Grandpa,” he said. “You should come with us next time.”

“Next time?” I asked and Walter echoed the question.

Colten frowned at me. “Yeah, next time. Brody says the Manor is empty most summers because it’s crazy expensive, so I was thinking we could come back next summer.”

“Right,” I said slowly. “Sure. Yeah. We can think about it.”

Walter saved my ass by asking more questions about the place and Colten’s friends, and when their conversation started tapering off, I leaned forward. “Why don’t you tell Grandpa about the Lake Warrior contest and how you participated as part of a team?”

I knew he’d want to hear about that. Walter had been concerned about Colten’s social skills for much longer than I had, a step ahead as usual. Over the phone, he laughed. “What on earth is a Lake Warrior contest?”

“It’s this super cool event that they have every year,” Colten explained, excited all over again. “Basically, it’s like a bunch of little competitions in and around the lake. We spent the entire day yesterday at the beach and Dad even won third place. He did this totally wicked belly flop. Well, back flop, actually, and he got a medal for it. Obviously, Scott came first, but?—”

“Whoa.” Walter chuckled. “Who’s Scott and why is it obvious that he came first?”

Colten brow furrowed. “Oh, right. I haven’t told you about him yet. He’s Jewel’s brother and he’s so cool, Grandpa. He even took us out on his boat one day and?—”

“Who’s Jewel?” Walt asked, interrupting him again. “Is she another new friend?”

“Sure,” he said, still speaking so fast that it was like he’d forgotten that he even needed to breathe. “Well, she’s more Dad’s friend than she is mine, but she’s really cool too, so she’s also my friend. She’s been inviting us to stuff around town and she showed us around after we first got here. Of course, she hated Dad at first, but she was right. He was really mean to her. He almost ran her over.”

“I’m sure,” Walter mused, obviously having realized that he wasn’t going to fully understand who anyone was until he spoke to me. “I’m glad my boys are having such a good time. I’ve heard it’s really beautiful out there.”

“It really is,” Colten agreed and launched into a detailed description of the landscape before he eventually ran out of steam. “Anyway, goodbye, Grandpa. We’ll talk to you soon.”

“Bye, Colt,” Walter said. “I’ll be looking forward to it.”

Colten grinned at the phone, then glanced at me. “I’m going upstairs to read my book.”

I nodded and took the device from him. When he was gone, I cleared my throat and chuckled. “So that had to be a bit of an information overload.”

“I haven’t heard him like that in a long time,” Walt said, his voice warm with joy and approval. “The break sure seems to be doing wonders for him.”

“It is. You were definitely right to suggest this, but how about you? How are you doing?”

Walter laughed. “Well, all the women have been flocking around me like crazy. Something about the summer air has made them frisky. It’s making Chester jealous, so if I don’t have eyebrows when you get home, you’ll know it’s because he shaved them off in my sleep.”

Cracking up because I truly found the visual of all that hilarious, I laughed and pursed my lips at the phone. “You’d better be using protection, old man. I’m not explaining chlamydia to my ten-year-old.”

Walter scoffed. “You’re one to talk. Who’s this friend of yours Colten told me about? Jewel, was it? That’s a pretty name.”

“Yep, but it’s no big deal.” Even as I said it, I knew it was a bit of a lie but I also knew there was no sense in getting his hopes up. Jewel and I were having fun for the summer, but it was hardly like we were going to settle down together. “Life is simple here and Colt was right when he said the people have been really friendly. Jewel has taken us under her wing, including us in the town’s activities to make sure we have a good time as tourists.”

“Uh huh,” he said. “Sounds perfectly innocent. I’m sure that’s all it is, but it’s alright if you don’t want to talk about it. How’s it been there for you? It sounds like Colten has been plenty busy.”

“He has been, but in the best way. Besides, I’ve been busy too.”

“Not working, I hope,” he said sharply.

I chuckled. “Nope, not working. I’ve barely thought about work at all since we’ve been here actually. I’ve hardly even checked my emails and I’m fully embracing the summer off.”

“Good,” he said, sounding relieved. “That’s good, son. What about your inheritance? Have you given any more thought to what you’re going to do about it?”

“No,” I admitted. “Like I said, I’m fully embracing the summer off, which means I’m not thinking about anything serious. Besides, the money is safe where it is and it’s still untouched. There’s no rush to do anything.”

“Of course,” Walt said. “Just make sure that you thoroughly investigate any opportunities that might come up for it, okay?” He paused. “I’m proud of you, my boy. I didn’t really think you were going to give yourself the whole summer off from everything, but it’s good to know that you are. Colt isn’t the only one who sounds happy.”

I inhaled deeply through my nostrils. “To be honest, I wasn’t sure I was going to manage it either, but so far, so good. It’s actually been pretty easy now that I’ve shut off, you know? It’s like that part of my brain is on sleep mode.”

Walt laughed. “It’ll be there when you need it, but you better use whatever is left of your brain to remember to come home with tons of pictures. I want to see my grandson in action on the lake.”

“Yeah, I will. I promise.”

We chatted for a while longer before we said goodbye. Then Colten and I went for another swim, ate cereal for supper, and watched cartoons. As we were winding down, he suddenly looked at me. “Hey, uh, Jewel is coming here again tomorrow, right?”

“Right,” I said, cocking my head at him. “Why?”

“I like her,” he said slowly. “Do you think she’d stay for dinner again?”

“I’m sure she will,” I replied. “Are you sure you want her to, though?”

“Yeah, of course,” he said before adding worriedly, “We just can’t let her cook.”

“Not under any circumstances,” I agreed, thinking back to that casserole and feeling my stomach lurch. “Pizza, it is.”

Colt grinned, turning back to the TV with a satisfied expression on his face. I was glad he liked her. I did too. Perhaps a little too much, but he didn’t need to know that.

By the time Colt and I said goodnight and headed to sleep, I was still thinking about her. These days, it seemed she was always on my mind.

Even more so now.

The sex truly had been mind-blowing, and if I was being honest with myself, once hadn’t been enough. It had been a long time since I’d had that thought, but it was true.

I wanted Jewel. The only problem was that I didn’t know if I’d stop wanting her once we had to leave here. The way I felt right then, I doubted it, but I’d cross that bridge when we got there.

For now, I switched off the lamp on the nightstand and laid my head down on my pillow, consumed by memories of the woman and looking forward to seeing her again in less than twelve hours’ time.