Page 101 of Goldilocks
“His memory is bad,” Sam said, gentling his voice. “I don’t want you to be upset if he doesn’t remember you.” Sam was certain that he didn’t. He never talked about Eric. Even before his dementia had worsened, even before Sam realised there was something wrong with his dad, there had been no ‘Eric’ in the house.
“I know,” Eric admitted. “But even if he doesn’t remember me, I still would like to see him. The way I left things…I have a lot to apologise for.”
“Not really,” Sam disagreed. “It’s not as if you stole Dad’s car and took off.” And at fifteen, it wasn’t Eric’s responsibility to look out for anyone but himself.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Ivan drove them to the beach in Sam’s car, while Eric took Ivan’s car to Aunt Mal’s. Sam tried not to stress about it. Ivan was the one with the sharp wit, the hard look in his eyes, and Sam had made sure he wasn’t going to be anywhere near Oisín to fire shots that his dad wouldn’t even realise were meant to hurt him.
Roan parted from Sam with a kiss, and Sam saw the relief plain on his face as he changed form. Entered the water. Sam stood ankle-deep in the freezing ocean water, watching until he’d vanished in the distance, before then trekking back up the beach to a waiting Ivan.
“Sally’s?” Ivan asked, swinging the car key around his finger. They’d made plans to meet Eric there for dinner.
Not wanting to be alone with Ivan for too long, Sam nodded.
The pub was filled with people. Sally and Laurence worked behind the bar, and Sam saw Jasper sitting at the bar alone with a pint of what looked like MiWadi while a host of admirers eyed him from a distance. Ivan homed in on Jasper as if he had a sixth sense for strangeness and whistled. “No shortage of pretty faces in this town, is there?”
“I guess not,” Sam agreed. Someone must have made Jasper change out of his own clothes because he sat with an army-green bomber jacket, too-large jeans and boots. There was a lump around his stomach where Sam assumed his tail was wrapped and hidden beneath the jacket and across his knees was another jacket that was suspiciously sword shaped.
Sam approached the bar and pulled out the stool next to Jasper. “Hey,” he greeted. “Jasper, this is Ivan. Ivan, Jasper.”
Ivan’s smile was far too slick and far too bright. He nudged Sam with his elbow, leaning his arm against the back of his high-backed chair and relaxing there. “Should have guessed you’d know the hottie, hm? Mary told me you’re a sucker for a pretty face,” Ivan murmured quietly to Sam. Jasper’s long hair was arranged to hide the strangeness of his ears, but Sam saw the twitch. A vaguely pleased look crossed Jasper’s expression, and he raised his chin.
Jasper had definitely heard the compliment.
Louder, and with a winning smile, Ivan said hi to Jasper. Jasper inclined his head in acknowledgement.
“Hi, guys,” Laurence greeted them with a warm smile. He flicked a tea towel over his shoulder. “Any drinks?”
“I’ll have a whisky coke,” Ivan said. “And concussion boy here is only allowed water.” When Sam gave him a look, Ivan shrugged. “The packet the doctor gave Eric said no alcohol for at least two weeks.”
Laurence’s dark eyes slid to Sam, and he raised an eyebrow. A clear question. He was leaving it up to Sam since he knew Adonis had healed him already. “I’ll have the same as Jasper,” Sam said.
Laurence’s smile faded. His dark eyes flashed from friendly to on-guard. Sam twisted to look over his shoulder, catching that Laurence’s on-guard look was being returned by a pair of shining eyes, Austin’s glare far more intimidating than Laurence’s. He stood a step to the side of Sam’s chair, and when he turned, he moved that glare from Laurence to Sam.
“Sam,” Austin said.
“Austin,” Sam echoed back. Sam couldn’t hazard the tiniest guess as to why Austin was approaching him. Between Austin spearing Sam through the ribs with his‘That’s not what love and patience look like’, and Sam then witnessing his brutal rebuff at Roan’s hands, Sam was surprised Austin was willing to come anywhere near him. “What is it?”
Austin’s expression vied between uncertain and nervous. His lip twitched, and it seemed as if he was putting in extreme effort to keep his gaze on Sam and not anyone around them. “You…we should drink together. Since we’re friends.”
“We’re friends?” he asked. Was he trying to get back at Sam for what Roan did? Sam wasn’t against getting closer to Austin, but he hadn’t gotten the impression that Austin was interested in anything of the sort. In fact, Sam was dead certain that Austin considered him little more than a nuisance.
Austin’s expression froze. There was a battle between anger and hurt that prodded at Sam’s ribs once more, trying to find a weak spot to sink in. The hurt in Austin’s eyes found several.
“We can be friends.” Sam softened his voice, masking his confusion. He angled toward Austin, aware of the listening ears all around.
Austin’s top lip curled back before his entire expression shut down until his face was as cold as a wall of ice. “Fuck yourself,” he said. He turned on his heel and stalked away.
Sam watched his retreating back, baffled. Austin moved through the crowd of the pub and went out the back door.
“What was that about?” Laurence asked.
Sam waited only another second. “I think I should find out. Excuse me.” Sam slid from the stool and followed Austin’s path, coming to the outdoor area of the pub. Locals mingled with tourists, though it was far quieter outside. A soft breeze drifted in over the ocean and though a tiny wisp of cloud drifted in front of the sun, the lack of sunlight didn’t make it any less bright.
Sam twisted, but there was no silver-blond hair. He walked to the gate that led away from the pub and opened it, but even with quick steps, by the time he rounded the corner of the building, there was no sign at all of Austin. He scanned the pier. It was busier than he’d ever seen it in March, the hot and dry weekend having drawn tourists to the area in droves, and Sam knew that he wouldn’t be able to find Austin among them. He was too good at disappearing.
“No sign of him?” Ivan’s voice chimed in from behind.