am. He’s right, but he has no experience to draw from, no understanding of how much adults like to complicate their lives.
D rew and I enter Brady’s house in the morning. It’s quiet, but I know Tori’s here because her car is in the driveway. He takes his bag upstairs. I go to the kitchen and see Tori sitting in a chair on the back deck¸ staring out into the ocean. Her sad face worries me, and I go out to check on her.
“Where is everyone?”
She turns her head and smiles, rubbing her arms likes she’s cold, only it’s eighty outside, which means she’s upset. “Brady’s at rehearsal, and Liv and Harrison are at the Center.”
“That’s some view, isn’t it?”
“It is.”
I lean against the railing and study her briefly. “What’s wrong?”
Her shoulders sag. She toys with the hem of her shorts. I wait. “I come out here sometimes to be close to her.”
She doesn’t need to say her name for me to know she’s talking about Mona.
“I’m sorry.”
“I don’t want any of us to be sorry anymore. Davey tells me every time I see him. I try to remember something good came out of that day. A life was lost and one was found. Davey got straight, and located his son. I know he’ll never get over what happened, even though I’ve forgiven him.”
I find it hard to forgive him, but that’s my issue to get past. He’s a decent guy, and it’s probably time for me to stop blaming him for my actions. “I think it’s hard on all of us.”
“I know.” Her gaze travels to the staircase that leads to the beach below. “I’ve even thought about having the stairs replaced. Stupid, right?”
Her falling down those stairs was the start of my downward spiral, and I’m not fond of them, either. I kneel in front of her and grab both her hands.
“I’m no one to judge. Do what brings you peace.”
“Don’t mind me. I’m an emotional wreck from this pregnancy.” She pulls her hands away and stands up. “You don’t look so hot yourself. What’s up?”
Drew comes through the slider before I’m forced to spill about the source of my agony.
“Hey, kiddo. Did you have a good time?”
“The best, except Uncle Tug’s girlfriend went all crazy at dinner because the waitress spilled drinks on her. She called me an F-word brat and asked if I was retarded.”
“Oh, really?” Tori gives me a stern look. “What else?”
“Davey tossed her out of the restaurant. That part was cool.”
Tori laughs. “I see. Why don’t you go inside and get a snack, and I’ll be in in a minute.”
“Adult conversation time,” Drew whines.
“Yes, now go.”
Once Drew is inside, I say, “Don’t freak out.”
“Surprisingly, I’m not. I can tell you feel bad by how bent you look. Girlfriend, huh?”
“Kind of.”
“Uh, she either is or isn’t.”
If I tell her the truth, I’m going to get a lecture, but hell, if I say Larissa’s my girlfriend, I’ll still get a lecture.
“It’s a business arrangement,” I admit.
“You might want to elaborate.” She sits back down in the chair, and I know there’s no getting out of this.
“The board isn’t happy with my behavior. It looks good to be out with a ‘girlfriend’ for dinner a few nights a week.”
Her mouth opens as she stares at me in shock. “You’re totally kidding me, right? Is there a camera somewhere? Are we on some reality show?”
Now that she’s put it that way, the arrangement does seem pretty comical. “I’m dead serious.”
“So you don’t have any feelings for this girl?” I shake my head. “Then why do you look so down?”
“Maria was the waitress,” I mumble, and look away.
“Oh. Brady told me they hired her. That must have been awkward.”
“You have no idea, but she was ready to throw down when Larissa laid into Drew.”
“I’m liking Maria more and more.”
I smile big — too big — and she notices.
“Oh, and I’m guessing so do you.”
“Doesn’t matter. Dating her won’t exactly make the
D rew and I enter Brady’s house in the morning. It’s quiet, but I know Tori’s here because her car is in the driveway. He takes his bag upstairs. I go to the kitchen and see Tori sitting in a chair on the back deck¸ staring out into the ocean. Her sad face worries me, and I go out to check on her.
“Where is everyone?”
She turns her head and smiles, rubbing her arms likes she’s cold, only it’s eighty outside, which means she’s upset. “Brady’s at rehearsal, and Liv and Harrison are at the Center.”
“That’s some view, isn’t it?”
“It is.”
I lean against the railing and study her briefly. “What’s wrong?”
Her shoulders sag. She toys with the hem of her shorts. I wait. “I come out here sometimes to be close to her.”
She doesn’t need to say her name for me to know she’s talking about Mona.
“I’m sorry.”
“I don’t want any of us to be sorry anymore. Davey tells me every time I see him. I try to remember something good came out of that day. A life was lost and one was found. Davey got straight, and located his son. I know he’ll never get over what happened, even though I’ve forgiven him.”
I find it hard to forgive him, but that’s my issue to get past. He’s a decent guy, and it’s probably time for me to stop blaming him for my actions. “I think it’s hard on all of us.”
“I know.” Her gaze travels to the staircase that leads to the beach below. “I’ve even thought about having the stairs replaced. Stupid, right?”
Her falling down those stairs was the start of my downward spiral, and I’m not fond of them, either. I kneel in front of her and grab both her hands.
“I’m no one to judge. Do what brings you peace.”
“Don’t mind me. I’m an emotional wreck from this pregnancy.” She pulls her hands away and stands up. “You don’t look so hot yourself. What’s up?”
Drew comes through the slider before I’m forced to spill about the source of my agony.
“Hey, kiddo. Did you have a good time?”
“The best, except Uncle Tug’s girlfriend went all crazy at dinner because the waitress spilled drinks on her. She called me an F-word brat and asked if I was retarded.”
“Oh, really?” Tori gives me a stern look. “What else?”
“Davey tossed her out of the restaurant. That part was cool.”
Tori laughs. “I see. Why don’t you go inside and get a snack, and I’ll be in in a minute.”
“Adult conversation time,” Drew whines.
“Yes, now go.”
Once Drew is inside, I say, “Don’t freak out.”
“Surprisingly, I’m not. I can tell you feel bad by how bent you look. Girlfriend, huh?”
“Kind of.”
“Uh, she either is or isn’t.”
If I tell her the truth, I’m going to get a lecture, but hell, if I say Larissa’s my girlfriend, I’ll still get a lecture.
“It’s a business arrangement,” I admit.
“You might want to elaborate.” She sits back down in the chair, and I know there’s no getting out of this.
“The board isn’t happy with my behavior. It looks good to be out with a ‘girlfriend’ for dinner a few nights a week.”
Her mouth opens as she stares at me in shock. “You’re totally kidding me, right? Is there a camera somewhere? Are we on some reality show?”
Now that she’s put it that way, the arrangement does seem pretty comical. “I’m dead serious.”
“So you don’t have any feelings for this girl?” I shake my head. “Then why do you look so down?”
“Maria was the waitress,” I mumble, and look away.
“Oh. Brady told me they hired her. That must have been awkward.”
“You have no idea, but she was ready to throw down when Larissa laid into Drew.”
“I’m liking Maria more and more.”
I smile big — too big — and she notices.
“Oh, and I’m guessing so do you.”
“Doesn’t matter. Dating her won’t exactly make the
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