Page 8 of Code Word
“Morning to you too,” Luke said, pushing the door open. He was almost smiling, looked like he’d slept some, and had a change of hoodie at least.
I held the tray out. “Breakfast,” I declared. “Because all the food’s in my cabin. I didn’t even ask if you had coffee in here.”
He took the tray, and I followed him back in. His cabin was much the same as mine, though his fire was almost out, so I threw a few small logs on it for him.
“Thanks,” he said before sipping his brew. He closed his eyes and sighed at the first taste.
“Sleep okay?”
He shrugged. “Hm.”
He lifted the top piece of bread from one of the sandwiches, finding the one with ketchup, and he grinned at the food, then at me. “Dude. You remembered.”
The first real smile I’d seen in far too long, and it made mehappier than I’d realized. I also realized just how long it had been since I’d seen it. “Yeah, course I fucking did. Ain’t no one know you like I do.”
His eyes met mine.
I shrugged and nodded to his egg and ketchup sandwich. “Ain’t no one do something as disgusting as that for anyone but you either.”
He kind of smiled as he chewed. “Is good too,” he said with a mouth full of food.
So gross.
I shoveled in a huge bite to match his grossness, and he chuckled.
We ate in companionable silence, like most things we did when it was just us, and when he was done, he collected the plates and mugs and put them in the sink. “I’ll wash these. Least I can do.”
I pointed my thumb toward my cabin. “The real mess is in there. You can wash those too.”
He blinked. “Oh, sure.”
“Dude, I was joking. It’s just a frying pan. I’ll do it later.”
He made a face I couldn’t quite read. Like he should have known I was joking but missed it. Like he was trying too hard. I wasn’t sure, but it didn’t sit well with me.
This uneasiness . . .
He could be going through something, sure. But to be awkward with me?
That wasn’t right.
“Hey,” I murmured.
His eyes met mine, and I could see that maybe he hadn’t slept as much as I’d first thought.
“You know, it’s kinda stupid that we’re making a mess in both cabins. You should come camp in mine. Then we only have to clean up once.”
I didn’t give a fuck about the cleaning. I wanted him to getsome freaking sleep. And I could guess the only time he’d had any solid sleep was on the couch with me the other day.
His eyes flinched, like he was torn about something, but then he looked to his feet and gave a shrug. “Yeah, okay,” he mumbled.
I went to him, put my hand on the back of his head, raking my fingers through his hair, and pulled him in for a bit of a hug. His forehead went to my collarbone, his hands by his side, and he sighed.
“You’ll be okay,” I whispered.
His breath caught and he was quick to turn to the sink. He filled it with water, squirted in some dish soap, and made himself busy. “I’ll just wash these and I’ll bring ’em over.”
So, guessing I’d just been dismissed, I nodded slowly.Okay, then.
