by Jerry Cole
We took a car to the airport. Evelyn wanted to drive us, but she was having a rough day, making Keller feel awful for leaving. My mom was going to help as needed, telling us to have a great time. Evelyn told me to send Mom her love and ask her to visit soon.
I loved that they were close.
The flight was brief, and we rented a car to drive to our house. We picked rooms and unpacked a bit before Mallory bounced into the small living room in a sundress. “Beach!”
“Mal, we’re here to see his mom. How about we go over there and see what happens?” I teased her as she pouted.
“They have a place on a private beach. You’ll love it.” Keller grinned as he peered through the sliding glass door that offered a view of the ocean without the beach. He was wearing board shorts and a t-shirt that boasted the name of a popular surf company, and I walked over to kiss him.
“You look every bit the California boy,” I murmured as he chuckled against my lips. I was wearing similar shorts with a plain gray t-shirt, and we all wore some form of sandals. “I like it.”
“Gross!” Mallory told us as we both pretended to glare at her. We left the house, locking it and sliding into the red convertible that Keller wanted to rent. He drove a few blocks and parked in front of a small ranch home that was close to the beach. You could see water and sand all around it.
The front door opened, and a small blonde woman ran out and into Keller’s arms as he met her. “My baby. You’re home.” She cried, and I shared a look with my sister. He calmed her down and introduced her to us. His mom was Jill, and a big, brawny man with dark hair followed her to the driveway, whom she introduced as Jim. Jill invited us in, and we followed the couple, looking around the cozy home. It was perfect for two, but it was hard to imagine a small Keller living here. Jill offered us drinks, and Jim added that he bought some beer. We accepted and went to the back deck to chat, watching the waves roll into the sand as the sun set.
I could see the happiness in Keller’s eyes, and Mallory looked like she was in a dream. Jill mentioned that she could make some dinner, or we could go out since it wasn’t that late yet. The three of us exchanged glances, and Keller wrapped his arm around his mom. “How about Tina’s? I think they’d love it.”
“Perfect. We can take Jim’s truck.” We finished the beers, and he led us to the garage and a beefy black Chevy.
“Nice,” I said, slipping into the back seat with Mallory and Keller.
“It’s my weekend car. I drive a vehicle for the job.” Jim was what I expected, knowing his job. He loved Jill, and I could feel Keller’s happiness. We drove out of the neighborhood to the small coastal town, looking around as we drove. Keller pointed out some places that he frequented along the way, and I looked at the small building that Jim parked in front of.
“Seafood. The best place in San Diego.” Keller was smiling as he got out first, helping me and then Mallory.
Once we were at a table by the window, Jill leaned forward. “How is Evelyn doing?”
“She’s better. She has good days and bad, but the girls help a lot. Micah’s family has also taken all of them under their wing.” Keller smiled at me. “She wants you to visit.”
“I need to. Those girls must be so big now. She said they’re driving last time we spoke,” Jill smiled, reaching for her water.
“Yes. We’ve witnessed it.” I laughed as Mallory rolled her eyes. “They’re doing well, though Hayley is crazy at times.”
“Evelyn tells me that you’re like a big brother to them right beside Keller.” Her blue eyes were warm on my face, and I nodded. “She adores you for that.”
“I love them. We all do,” I offered, looking at Mallory as she nodded. The waitress stopped by the table, and we all ordered big plates of seafood with their famous lemonade. This trip wasn’t about drinking but family, and I didn’t care if we stayed in all weekend. The food was amazing, and I inhaled it despite eating a late lunch before we left. Keller insisted on getting some ice cream to bring home, where we enjoyed it and kept talking. We didn’t leave until eleven o’clock and went right back and into our rooms to sleep. We wanted to be at the beach early tomorrow morning.
Mallory woke up first, calling to us from the living room. “Shit. She needs her own house,” I grumbled, cuddled close to Keller.
“Get ready. I want to eat donuts on the beach.” Keller looked at me and shrugged before slowly pulling away. We showered quickly and changed into clean clothes, meeting Mallory in the kitchen. She was wearing denim cutoffs and a pink tank top, smiling as she danced around the tile floor.
We walked out to the car and headed to a local bakery to get Mallory’s treats. We each ordered coffee and headed to the beach that Jill’s house overlooked. It was Friday, and Jim would be working while she painted for her upcoming show. We grabbed a blanket from the car, and Mallory ran down the sand with it blowing behind her. We all managed to spread it out, dropping down to watch the people walking near the water and the occasional jogger. It was still quiet, and I grabbed a chocolate donut as I looked down the small expanse of the beach.
“I think you had a hard time leaving this place,” I observed as I looked at Keller.
“Of course. I grew up here, learned to surf here, and everything. It means a lot to me, but it’s an easy visit. I love things about Colorado as well.” He smiled at me before leaning in for a kiss. “I did used to love this place when I needed some quiet time. There are a few places that I went to a lot. I’ll show them to you.”
“Are you going to see any friends while you’re here?” Mallory asked, nibbling the edges of a pink donut.
“Not sure. I didn’t think about it with the visit only being over the weekend.” He shrugged and frowned. “We spent tons of time with my friends back home. I just wanted to see Mom and Jim.”
“You can, Keller. I don’t want to stop you from anything you want to do.” I looked at Mallory, and she shrugged.
“I know. I just didn’t think too far ahead.” He was staring forward, and I wondered if there was something bad in his past. I knew he dated here and had some breakups, but were they worse than he let on?
We finished eating and took our coffee down to the water, walking barefoot along the sand. The sun was up and breeze strong as I pulled my ball cap down tighter over my hair.
“I grew up on this beach. I used to keep my parents out here for hours. I’m sure it drove them crazy.” Keller laughed as we held hands and watched Mallory walking ahead.
“Good memories?” I softly asked as he went quiet.
“They are. I have more with Mom than anything else, but I treasure them. Not seeing her as much is strange to me.” I squeezed his hand, and Keller smiled at me. “I don’t think she’ll ever leave this place.”
“I can’t blame her for that. It’s beautiful.” I laughed as Mallory bent down to pick something up. She held up a shell, and I smiled at her as she tucked it carefully into the bag she brought along for this very purpose. “We might end up leaving her here.”
“She’s like a kid here. It’s fun to watch.” Keller looked at me. “That’s the good thing about freelancing. You can work anywhere.” His face fell. “Well, that doesn’t apply to the band.”
“Does it bother you that I have ties to Colorado?” I asked, sensing something in his words. I stopped walking, and he jerked, holding onto me to maintain his balance.
“No. Not at all.” Keller threw up his hands as he sighed. “I was talking about Mallory if she ever wants to move.”
“Yeah. I guess.” I replied, feeling doubt and anger flood me. I suddenly imagined him moving back here and leaving us behind. What the hell was wrong with me? I started to walk and tried to focus on Mallory’s sheer joy. Thinking about being away from her hurt as well, but she was a big girl. She created a life that she could live anywhere, and based on what I saw, Mallory was going to be successful for a long time.
“Micah?” I turned my head to look at Keller, who was giving me a shocked gaze. “
You’re just walking away?”
I ripped my hat off and scrubbed a hand through my hair, trying to make sense of my emotions. “No, I just needed to move, to think.” He approached me, and I stared into his eyes. “Here I go doubting everything.”
We both heard a scream and turned to see Mallory standing still and drenched with water. “Are you okay?” Keller asked as he rushed forward.
“It came out of nowhere!” She spurted as he looked her over.
“That happens. You have to be careful here. Are you cold?” He asked as I joined them.
“The temperature is amazing. I’m good, but I need to watch the water closer.” She laughed, and we both relaxed. Mallory ran her hands through her hair to get the water out, leaning over. She ran off again, and Keller turned to face me with worried eyes.
“Are we okay?” He asked, and I reached out to touch his face.
“I realized that I could lose you,” I whispered as he smiled weakly at me.
“I am not going anywhere. I just get sappy when I’m here. I love my life in Colorado. I love you,” He moved in to kiss me, a gentle press of his mouth to mine. “I’m yours.”
“I love you,” I told him, staring into his eyes.
“Was this our first fight?” Keller asked as he kept staring at me.
“Maybe. It wasn’t so bad.” I shrugged and smiled. “We can’t do a lot of makeup sex right here, but later?”
Keller laughed and hugged me. Mallory came back to us with a large shell, and we smiled at her drenched appearance. “I think Mom mentioned stopping by for lunch. What time is it?” He glanced at his watch. “We have a couple of hours. Want to stay here or drive around?”
Mallory smiled and looked around. “Let’s drive around.”
We returned to the car after picking everything up. Keller took the wheel and drove us to a record store tucked away in a corner. He spent hours there as a kid looking at everything and buying stuff he loved. Everything was streaming now, but we could all appreciate a record store. He walked us across the street to a charming coffee shop, boasting that it was the hang out in high school.
He drove us out of the town to a cove, parking in the sand. “I used to take a short hike here and just think about things.” He led us down a sandy path, and we looked over the cove that seemed like it would be smaller with that entrance. It was beautiful and even better, empty.
We walked down the makeshift steps and wandered over the sand. This beach was more for exploring with rocks scattered about and places for tide pools. Mallory headed to the right, and Keller smiled as he followed. We peered into the various pools to find sea anemones, small crabs, a starfish, and even some fish. The plants and sea life were brightly colored, and Keller took a few pictures. Mallory managed to find some shells, and we hopped over the rocks to the sand, heading to the other side.
“How is there nobody here?” I asked as I clutched his hand.
“On the weekends, there is. It’s empty during the week, mostly because the locals are the only ones that know about it.” We climbed more rocks and looked out over the waves rolling in. There were even more tide pools, and Mallory marveled at the large crab and starfish, taking a picture of each.
By the time we finished there, it was close to lunchtime. Keller called his mom, and she told us to come over. We took the car and headed to her house, walking in as she hugged each of us. “How do turkey sandwiches and chips sound?” She asked as we followed her to the kitchen.
“Perfect, Mom. How is the painting coming along?” Keller asked as he moved to help her. They worked flawlessly together as they fixed four thick sandwiches and plated them with chips. Jill grabbed a beer, and we went out back to eat, watching the water. Mallory told her about the errant wave from earlier, and we laughed again.
She told us about her coastal paintings that she was currently focusing on and took us to her small studio once we finished eating. The work was beautiful, slightly abstract against the canvas. There was no doubt what the subject was, but it was gorgeously vague in some ways. “Your show is going to rock. When is it?” Mallory asked as she looked at Jill.
“Two weeks. I’m so nervous. I’ve been casually selling to stores over the last few years, but this is big.” Jill pressed a hand to her chest and breathed in. “Jim is amazing and encourages this for me. I love him so much for that, being a single mother for so long.” Keller hugged her, and she sniffled. “My son is the best.”
“You’re the best,” he assured her, and I watched their tender moment. I glanced at Mallory, and she wiped a tear from her eye with a small smile.
“I’m sorry. I get emotional around this one.” Jill smiled when they finally separated.
“It’s amazing to watch. You would love our mom.” I smiled, and she returned it.
“I need to get out that way. It’s been a few years.” We all went back to the deck and lightened the conversation as we just watched the day pass. We waited for Jim to get home and went out for dinner again, this time to a Mexican place that Keller claimed was the best place in the US. It was as good as he said it would be, and I ate quickly, sipping the margarita that I ordered with the meal.
Jim told us that he was working on a big case and would be busy over the weekend. Jill made plans with hopes that he could join us, but they’d been dating for six years, and she got it. When we were getting ready to leave, Jill stood up and looked curiously at Keller. “Are you going to see any of the old group this weekend?”
“I didn’t think too hard about that. I just want to keep it low key,” Keller replied, and I could tell he was trying to rush the subject along.
“Oh. Okay. I’ve run into Bonnie a few times, and she always asks about you,” Jill said slowly, and he led the way to the door, saying nothing. She scowled and tilted her head, moving when Jim took her hand. He murmured something to her, and a pained expression crossed Jill’s pretty face.
There was a story there and fuck if I didn’t want to know what it was.
We went back to the house and sat by the fire pit, as Jill asked about my family. My sister and I both answered the questions, and it made me realize how much I loved my family. Jill smiled a few times when I sensed that she understood something, and that made me smile. Jim went to bed before we left, and we made our way back to our house at midnight. Everyone was tired, and we went right to bed, but I knew that Keller needed more from me. We fucked quietly but hard, both feeling the mysterious emotions connected to it.
“Are you okay?” I whispered when we cuddled together afterward.
“I am. Coming here brings back memories for me. You know how that is.” He moved closer and kissed me.
“You don’t want to see your friends, like Bonnie?” I knew I might fuck everything up, and he froze for a moment.
“I haven’t seen her for years. It’s all good.” He sounded casual, and I considered my next move. “I love you. Let’s get some sleep for tomorrow.”
“I love you,” I pulled him closer and let it go. We had time for that.
Chapter Thirteen
Keller
We woke up in the morning and got ready for our day. Jim was working, so we picked Mom up in the convertible, and I hit the freeway to drive into San Diego. It was gorgeous. We stopped at a few beaches, having no real plans to end up anywhere in particular. There were the ones that everyone went to and packed every inch of the surface.
We found another spot in Embarcadero that offered a beautiful walk overlooking the water with less of a beach, but gorgeous, nonetheless. Mallory loved La Jolla and shopping at the fancy stores with Mom. Neither bought a thing, but it was a fun time, and we watched the divers go into the water from several feet up. People were also snorkeling, and Micah teased Mallory about going in.
We found a few more beaches and went to a late lunch on the water at a little dive. It was incredible, and Micah kissed my cheek after my first bite. Mom smiled, and her eyes shimmered as she glanced out toward the water. I could tell that she liked us
together, and even Jim was openly accepting about it. When we first met, I was worried due to his lifestyle. He was this big, tough detective, and even my dad didn’t love me for who I was.
He hugged me the first time we met and explained that he was one of the main officers that was working against hate crimes. It was a big thing anywhere, but he noticed it growing in the San Diego area in general. It made me proud, and I saw how much he loved my mom.
After lunch, we started talking about the evening. We were all tired and headed back to mom’s house to relax. She had supplies to make her chicken chili for dinner, and I raised a fist into the air. We took cold water and rested in the low chairs on the deck that was now in the shade. We all fell asleep, and I woke up with the ocean breeze blowing against my skin. Smiling, I opened my eyes and realized where I was. I blinked and glanced around to see Mallory and Micah sleeping soundly.
This was home deep in my heart. This breeze and the view of the perfect beach was something I memorized long ago. I was here with my favorite people in the world right now. I listened to hear just the wind and waves, assuming Mom was busy in the studio or the kitchen. I was in no rush to leave this spot and let my mind wander back to the past.
I had good friends here in high school. It was a small group, but we were close-knit. Bonnie was my best friend since middle school and like a sister to me, especially since I was an only child. We did everything together, and then everything changed. She was the one that introduced me to my ex. It wasn’t her fault that he was an awful human, but I’d always connect the two of them.
I had no interest in seeing her or anyone else from those days. I knew that it sounded abrupt when Mom asked me about Bonnie. I could feel Micah’s eyes on me and the confusion thick in the air as he frowned at me. I just couldn’t see him again, and they were close when I left town. I avoided everyone in my old crowd.
