Page 79 of Between Hello and Goodbye

“Thanks, you’re the best. I’ll let her know.”

“Yep. Talk to you later.”

“Talk soon. Oh, and Ash?” Morgan cleared his throat. “I’m glad you’re back safe.”

My chest constricted. “Yeah, okay…” I mumbled. “Whatever, shut up.”

Morgan chuckled. “Love you too, bro.”

I drove to my place and Chloe was there, just climbing out of her silver Camry. Kaleo was already on the tire swing I’d put in the front yard. Kal had insisted on a few upgrades. I’d been watching the kid a lot lately, thanks to Morgan’s business taking off, and now that the school year was ending, I figured I’d be having him even more.

“Hi, Uncle Ash!” he called, twisting the rope above him into a tight coil, then letting it go. The tire spun around and around.

“You’re going to make yourself puke,” I called, then muttered, “Again.”

“Hey, Asher,” Chloe said. She wore a light blue dress and a sunhat to keep the blazing June sun off her face. “I’m sorry for the change of plans.”

“Not your fault. Thanks for bringing him.”

“Of course.” She reached into the backseat of her car and came up with a glass tray covered in foil. “Poblano fried rice with shrimp and pineapple,” she said and put it in my hands. “I made it this morning. I figured you’d be too tired to cook.”

“Oh…you didn’t have to do that.”

She smiled up at me. “I know. But you never let me, so I just went ahead and took the initiative.”

Her gaze was soft but pointed, her meaning clear.

When are you going to take the initiative with us?

“Well…thanks,” I said. “It smells great.”

“You look dead on your feet and sound worse. Morgan tells me you put in some overtime on the Big Island?”

“Yeah, but it turned out to be precautionary.” I glanced over at Kal who was clinging to the rope and hanging back until he was almost upside down. “So, thanks, again, Chloe…”

She smiled, and before I knew what was happening, she pushed back the brim of her hat and shyly kissed me on the cheek. “I’m glad you’re back. Get some rest and maybe tell me all about it sometime.” Before I had time to answer, she turned and waved at Kal. “Bye, Kaleo! See you Monday in class.”

“Bye, Miss Barnes!” he called back, upside down.

She gave me a small, parting smile and drove out.

“Fucking hell,” I muttered. The dish in my hands smelled amazing and my stomach grumbled. “Hey buddy, you hungry?”

“Yes!” Kaleo climbed off the tire swing and walked with me to the back door of my house. “Did Miss Barnes kiss you?”

“You saw that, eh?”

He nodded thoughtfully. “Does that mean you like her now instead of Faith?”

I winced. “No. Chl—Miss Barnes just gave me a peck on the cheek. Doesn’t mean anything.”

“She likes you.”

“How do you know that?”

He scoffed. “I haveeyes, Uncle Ash.”

“I see your point.”