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You smell good.
He blinked at me.
Oh shit, did I say that out loud?
My heart skipped a beat.
“Taste it,” he said, his eyes shimmering.
I sipped the coffee; the blend was smooth and didn’t have any bitterness.
“It’s good, right?”
I chuckled. “Okay, you win. It’s an improvement on my Blend 43.”
He laughed, and Officer Fancy Pants hit another level of smoking hot.
“How are we going?” He nodded at the map I had laid out on the back counter.
“We’re traveling well. Still a few more hours. How are you going with Dad?” I took another sip.
“He’s great,” Tyler said. “He tells some funny stories.”
What the hell? I just about choked on my coffee. Nobody ever called Dad great, especially not when it came to conversation.
“Are you hungry? Zena gave me enough food to last us a week,” Tyler said.
“Yeah, actually, I’m starving. That would be great.”
“I’ll be back in a tic.”
Tyler and Dad joined me on the bridge to eat, and as the pair of them chatted about fishing and boats, I couldn’t believe Dad was the same man who woke up this morning.
Zena’s mini hamburgers were amazing, and Tyler’s coffee really was to die for.
But it was Dad’s jovial mood that made me happy.
The rest of the day was a continuation of everything good about our morning, and as the sun dipped lower, streaking the sky with molten hues, the sea air drifted through the bridge, coaxing away the stale air that seemed to have dominated my zone for years, tempting me to believe that Dad and I may have finally turned the tide on our miserable years.
It would be about time.
Tyler’s whistle preceded his entrance onto the bridge.
“Hi, captain.” He leaned against the door frame, yet he commanded my attention in more ways than I wanted to admit.
“Well done, Kingsley. You remembered.”
“Why are you so jumpy, anyway?” A playful edge carried his words.
I scowled at him rather than reply because I had absolutely no idea why I was so jumpy.
He scanned out the windshield. “How are we going?”
“We’re cruising just fine. You and Dad finished for the day?” I asked.
“Old Smithy has gone for a lie-down.” His tone was so caring, my chest squeezed. “He’s a good guy.”
His unexpected comment was warm and oddly soothing.
