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Ella didn’t like to disturb him when he was back there. He was a visionary who saw life in a canvas of colors. It was his space to free his mind and bring his art to life.
Her phone vibrated, and she looked down at the screen, another excited smile overtaking her face.
I’m thinking you should let me take you out.
A part of her wished that she’d taken him up on his offer for coffee. Her grandfather was busy with his friends; he might not even have noticed if she’d gotten home late, and even if he had, she could’ve lied and said she was at Krissy’s, her best friend’s house. But Marco would’ve questioned her, and after the way he acted over a text message, she was sure that wouldn’t have ended well.
She typed back a quick response.
Shouldn’t you be spending time with your grandfather?
Her phone vibrated a few seconds later.
I would be but he fell asleep.
Ella looked at the clock. Seven-fifteen. That was about right. If the crew downstairs wasn’t over her grandfather would have dozed off on the couch by now.
I’m getting ready to watch a movie, want to watch it with me?
He responded almost immediately.
How do you suggest we do that?
It would be so much better if they were in a dark theater together, his warm body beside her, but this would have to do. She typed back.
Easy. You watch the same movie as me.
What movie?
She skimmed through her selection, but nothing stuck out.
I haven’t decided yet.
Can I suggest one?
Sure.
Kind of in the mood for a little Free Willy.
Now her smile was stretched wide from one side to the other. She grabbed her laptop settled into bed and sent a reply.
It’s a date.
Chapter 5
The next morning, Lucas awoke to the sound of pots clanging around. He sat up in the twin bed that once belonged to his dad and ran a hand over his face. The room, he imagined, hadn’t changed much. The walls were bare except for a track medal that hung from a thumbtack. A desk sat in the far-right corner next to a window that overlooked the backyard and out to the cove.
It was weird being in a place that once belonged solely to his father. He tried to imagine his dad as a teenager, but he couldn’t see past the man in the tailored suits. Was he always a hardass or did time do that to him?
He glanced at his phone—that he fell asleep on after a late night of texting—and checked the time. He was an early riser, but four-thirty in the morning was pushing it. He stayed up texting Ella until midnight, hoping he’d be able to sleep until at least six.
Unfortunately, once he was up there was no way he was able to fall back asleep. He answered a couple of emails. Almost immediately his phone chimed and he looked down at the email from Leo, his best friend and business partner.
Why the hell are you up already? Aren’t you technically on vacation?
Before he could respond another email came through, this one from Brian, his other best friend and business partner. He didn’t realize that Leo had copied him on his reply.
That’s because he doesn’t know how to take a vacation. Seriously, and I mean this in the sincerest way, screw off. We have everything under control.
