Page 55 of Fortunate Misfortune
With him.
I smile at the photo I secretly snapped. Freckles are dotted across the wide expanse of his back, and the sun rests like a halo above his head. Just in case I never come back, I want to take a piece of Lake Anita with me.
The smile on my face grows when a text from Shay comes in. The seventh since I left the house this morning.
Shayzilla
If you don’t tell me where you are right now, I’m calling the police.
I desperately need to come clean to my best friend. We can order takeout, and I’ll tell her the honest-to-god truth.
That I have no clue what’s going on.
I shoot Shay a brief proof of life message and silence my phone as we head toward the truck, warmed by the sun and the presence beside me.
My eyes narrow when Kenneth rushes to reach my door before I can.
“No matter how many stank eyes you give me, I won’t stop opening them,” he promises.
Keeping up the thoughtfulness, he waits until I’m buckled to push the truck into drive. Instead of turning on his blinker and heading home, he looks in the opposite direction of Clear Lake.
“Do you mind if I stop by and see Nan? I couldn’t swing by yesterday. I know you’ve got a lot going on, so feel free to say no. I can come back after I take you home.”
My talk with Shay can wait. “I don’t mind one bit.”
“Would you like to come in and meet her?”
Oh god. Why do I want to say yes?
My head shakes quickly in protest. “Nan needs to hear all about your big win. I’ll walk around and find something to do.” I pull my tote into my lap before looking back at him. “Maybe next time?”
His smile splits wide, and my heart flips because it’s the one that’s just for me.
“Next time, Eddie.”
Chapter Nineteen
“Why are you runningoff already?” Nan asks, holding onto my arm as we head into the dining hall. “You should stick around for supper. Titus is going to be sad he missed you.”
“You know I love a good pot roast, but I need to get back to Clear Lake.” I check the window one more time to make sure Mallory isn’t waiting in the heat and unlock the truck. “I’ve got a passenger that has been a real trooper being spontaneous for a few hours.”
Nan spent our forty-five minutes together bragging to anyone who would listen about the race, her arms slicing through the air to act out my form for the crowd.
Dr. Hope even agreed to let Nan come watch the National Championship meet in person, but I made her promise to leave the megaphone.
“A passenger?” she asks as we pass Lucinda, who bats a heavily shadowed eye at me. “Wait. Did you bring Mallory home, Fishie?”
“Maybe.”
Nan digs her heels into the ground until I stop walking and pulls me in for a hug. “Tell her I say hello. I would love to meet her next time.”
I barely refrain from telling her Mallory already agreed, but getting both of our hopes up isn’t something I want to do.
As much as I want Mallory to come back, I know today is an anomaly for us.
The truck is empty when I make it back outside. I lean against the passenger door and check my texts. There are none from Mallory, but there are three from Grant asking if he can get a blow up of my head for the meet in two weeks. I respond with a middle finger emoji as she rounds the corner.
“Looks like you found some goodies,” I say, opening her door.
