Page 56 of What I Should Have Felt

I shook my head and placed the helmet back down. “Been a long time,” I replied and met him halfway across the parking lot. He grabbed my outstretched hand and pulled me toward him, clapping me on the back as I did the same to him.

“When you left, you told me you’d be back. Didn’t think it’d take fifteen fucking years to see my best friend again.” Turk grinned. “And don’t worry, I never told a soul.”

“I would’ve known if you had, ’cause my parents still don’t know,” I said. I couldn’t believe it. “You look exactly the same, just a bit bigger.”

“And you grew at least another six inches in height and maybe more in muscle. Damn.” He clapped his hands on the outside of my arms and shook his head.

“I’m really sorry I didn’t reach out at all.” I felt my smile fall from my lips. What an ass of a friend I’d been to him. We’d grown up together; he was the only other person I cared to hang out with besides Colette. Despite how I’d left, despite ghosting him as I’d done to everyone else, despite being the only person I’d ever told about my relationship with Colette, all these years later, he seemed not to hold any anger or resentment toward me.

Turk shook his head slowly. “I always knew that something would blow up the moment you told me about you and her. So, when I found out that Ford Thibodeaux had bounced town, I knew that that was the moment when shit hit the fan. There’s no apology needed. Just promise you’ll stay in touch from now on.”

“Even with fifteen years of not talking, that’s still three years less than how long we were friends.” I grinned, feeling that temporary burden leave my shoulders.

He nodded and chuckled. “How many times did my mom drop me off at your house and tell us to just not go swimming in the bayou till she got back?”

I laughed and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Too many. Especially since your mom started doing that when we were still in diapers. Anyway, why are you here at the high school?”

“I’m in charge of the JROTC. With the theme of the fundraiser this year, it seems I get to be involved as well.” He forced a grin on his face.

“You seem so excited about that.” I raised a brow and smirked, catching the sarcasm in his tone.

“Just unexpected is mostly it. Anyway, those of us who are still in town, we all get together at James’s house once a month for drinks and toshoot pool and shit. You should swing by tomorrow night. Colette usually comes.” He winked.

I shook my head and sighed. “When you say those of us still in town, you really mean everyone.”

“Everyone but you.” He pulled his lips into a straight line. “It’d be nice to catch up with you. I’ve got two kids now.”

I raised my brows. “You and Cassy get hitched?”

He grinned, and his eyes sparkled. “She finally said yes.”

“About fucking time. All right, I’ll see if I can.”

We clasped hands again, quickly patted each other’s backs, and then he was gone. Turning around, I wandered back to my bike.

Honestly, it sounded both fun and daunting to see everyone from high school again. Mostly daunting. I wasn’t exactly the most social kid, but with such a small class and small town, it wasn’t like I’d been a complete ghost. Besides, if Colette apparently always went, it would be an excuse to see her outside of my house and the restaurants.

It would be a few hours of adults chatting, catching up, and maybe a minute or two of some semblance of normalcy—something I hadn’t had since returning. I’d at least think about it, and maybe see if Colette was actually going. If she wasn’t, then I’d catch lunch with Turk later or something.

But all of that could wait. I needed to make those phone calls first. Digging in my pocket as I stood in front of my motorcycle, I unlocked it, opened my contact list, and tapped on Dom’s number.

Chapter 24

FORD

Shit. Glancing at my watch, I closed my eyes and realized how horrible of a person I was and that I owed Colette another fucking apology. I’d sent her a text earlier this morning asking if we could meet later and chat. She’d replied that we could after she picked up Azelie. And here I was, the dumb ass who had left his phone at home after installing the security camera to help my parents with the late dinner rush and then close up.

The streets were practically empty, and the LeBlancs’ restaurant was dark. My pops had already taken Mawmaw to the van as I waited for Mama to run back in and grab her jacket. A jacket that she took everywhere with her, even in the dead heat of summer as it was.

“Something’s on my son’s mind,” my mama quietly said as I typed the final code into the alarm box.

“Too much, Mama. Always too much,” I replied and held the door open for her. She quickly slid past me, and I shut the back exit with atink.

She raised her brows, and the tension that still slithered between us stiffened. We’d hardly spoken since I’d returned, and I’d still not had a chance to apologize. Everything with Colette pushed to the side as I inserted the key in the lock and twisted.

“Mama?” I began, stuffing the set back into my pocket.

She tipped her head as we shuffled through the back lot toward the idling van.

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