Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 82756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 331(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 331(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
But certainly, I wasn’t alone in being relieved when everyone stood to sing the final hymn, an old classic I knew by heart. Too many funerals and all that.
“I didn’t know you could sing,” Holden murmured next to me. “You’re good.”
My cheeks heated at the praise. “Grandparents dragged me to enough Sunday services. I guess I learned to sing along. My mom, though, she was the one with the voice.”
“She’d be proud of you.” Holden’s voice was gruff before reverting to his usual teasing. “Better be careful. Sam will recruit you for the choir.”
The joke landed flat because we both knew I wasn’t sticking around long enough to become a regular anywhere in Safe Harbor.
“I’d scare away the parishioners.” I waved my tattooed forearm in Holden’s direction before catching his eyes for a meaningful look. “Besides, I’d rather sleep in.”
“Me too.” Holden’s mouth twisted as his voice turned wistful. “Honestly, I would have rather slept in today. But it was a good service.”
“Lots of pretty words.” I moved so more of the sparse crowd could filter past us.
Holden gave a harsh exhale as a trio of older ladies passed. “I wish Worth could have heard the words. Doesn’t matter how nice the words were if they don’t reach the right people.”
“Clearly, he’s not ready to hear them yet.” It was the truth, but my voice came out sharper than I’d intended.
“Suppose not.” Expression cloudy, Holden pointed his wheelchair toward the coffee and snacks table. “You want more coffee?”
“Nah.” Chest aching, I watched him wheel away. This seemed to be my day for pissing people off, not that I usually had to work too hard to do that. Being bluntly honest with a side of cranky tended to do the trick. But with Holden, I wanted to be better. I wished I knew the right words to say or the right gesture to offer him comfort. Instead, I kept saying the exact wrong thing.
Probably just a matter of time before he too was sick of me. A memory of the wall calendar in my grandmother’s pristine kitchen flashed in my head, big red marker numbers counting down until I left for basic. And the morning after Ev’s funeral, his mom had had my coffee in a to-go mug, muttering about the long drive ahead.
Overstaying my welcome. I was good at that. Knee deep in the muck of my feelings, I almost missed Earl loping up next to me.
“Cal. Guess who I had in the shop earlier?”
“Not good at guessing.” I tried to return her smile, but I doubted my lips even moved, not that Earl was deterred.
“An RV enthusiast with an eye on your rig.” Earl pursed her garish pink lips, a reminder that my RV had been taking up valuable lot space at the garage for weeks now. “I told him it might need to be dragged off, but he went on and on about how rare the damn thing is and how much fun to restore that make is.” She fished a piece of lined notebook paper out of her shirt pocket. “Long story short, he’d like to make you an offer.”
She handed the paper over. It had a man’s name, phone number, email, and a number I never would have associated with my broken-down RV.
“Wow.” I whistled.
“Yep. That’s a figure, all right. And you can add it to whatever piggy bank you’ve got going for a new RV.”
“Uh-huh.” Dazed, I bobbed my head like an unsteady doll. “I’ve been getting donations too. Holden made me a new site.”
“I saw. It’s a right pretty website. Holden, he does good work. Man of many talents.” Something in her tone made me blush.
“Yeah.”
“I’d bet between this offer and whatever funds you’ve raised, Bud, my RV dealer friend, could get you in a new rig, maybe even soon as next week. Get you on the road in no time.”
Next week? Was that what I wanted? To hit the road again? Leave Safe Harbor in the rearview? Head…where? I wasn’t sure. Anywhere but here. My chest pinched tight and hot, making it hard to get a full breath. “I suppose.”
“Free up Holden’s guestroom.” Earl cackled like she knew perfectly well I hadn’t been sleeping in that room.
The pain in my chest intensified, blooming behind my ribs, that feeling of having overstayed my welcome almost overwhelming. All I could manage was a nod.
“Not saying he’s ready to be rid of you.” Earl’s tone was apologetic, but I shook my head. From one blunt person to another, I appreciated the honesty, even if it hurt.
“No, you have a point.”
“Didn’t—” Earl held up a meaty hand, but I cut her off by talking faster.
“I’ll call this number. And your RV dealer friend.”
She sighed like I’d personally disappointed her. “Make sure you get the veteran special.”
“Will do.”
Earl drifted away shortly before Holden rolled back to where I stood. My feet felt heavy, stuck in wet silt. The place was nearly empty now, but I wasn’t in a hurry to head out. I was intensely aware of the paper in my pocket, crisp and crinkly. Yeah, I could stand here a while longer. Holden didn’t have a coffee cup, but a mostly eaten store-bought sugar cookie on a napkin rode on his thigh.