Later, I stare across the table, relieved that I can keep a smile with this man without looking like I抦 chewing on broken glass.
揟he food抯 spectacular. They source it all locally here. Hell, the mahi-mahi might be the best thing on the menu in my not-so-humble opinion. You won抰 regret ordering it, Cole,?Troy says with a wide grin.
揟hanks,?I tell him. 揟his restaurant wasn抰 here last time.?
He nods, sipping his mai tai. 揙h, yeah, lots of interesting changes around these parts. I admire you for coming back even if it took some time梑oth of you. I know it isn抰 easy.?
Destiny smiles warmly, and it must be infectious because I don抰 feel like I抦 faking it. When Troy sent over that text asking for a dinner to square away our argument, I didn抰 have the heart to turn him down.
揥hat can I get you??a smiling server asks.
I look at Dess first, knowing she takes a million years to decide without a little encouragement. 揧ou got your eye on the mahi-mahi too??
揢m, yeah. With garlic mash and island slaw.?She nods firmly, her dark-blond hair flapping.
揈xcellent choice, madame. And to drink??
She looks at me. 揅an I get a pi馻 colada??
揂s long as it抯 a mocktail,?I grumble.
She rolls her eyes at me like she抯 actually expecting me to slip the lady a bribe to spike my underage daughter抯 drink.
揥e can certainly make it one,?the waitress says.
揂ctually, just give me a banana smoothie,?she says, sighing like only a disappointed bratty teenager can.
I look back at the server. 揟wo mahi-mahi specials, a bourbon, and a smoothie.?
揑抣l have the same,?Troy says.
The waitress grins at him. 揥ith the banana smoothie??
揝urprise me,?Troy says with a laugh, falling back in his chair. His permanent tan makes him look like part of the scenery, blending him with the lacquered wood and high leatherback chairs under the low lamplight.
揌ow much trouble have you guys been getting into today? I saw Dessy a couple times around the house, but I heard you hopped on a boat earlier??
揧eah! We had to see the dolphins, Uncle Troy…？
I sit back while she talks his ear off, as if he hasn抰 been living the island life for the past decade.
揇ang, girl. I thought you were building up to tell me about mermaids,?he jokes with her before he looks back at me. 揝o you抮e both having a good time??
揥e抮e good,?I say bluntly, taking a purple-tinted taro roll from the basket.
揌appy as hell to hear it.?His eyes dart to Destiny. 揑 know it抯 a little heavy coming back here梥ay no more.?
My eyes flick to her nervously, but she just smiles and nods.
I know I should just behave.
He抯 a nice guy who genuinely misses us, not some damn creeper. Why did I overreact so harshly when he started asking about Destiny?
Maybe because it抯 becoming more obvious that she抯 not the one who needs to put a lid on her emotions on this trip.
揥e抮e good, Troy,?I repeat, considering my next words. 揥e had to come back sooner or later, didn抰 we? I never sold the house.?
揧ou would抳e gotten an earful if you had. Your future grandkids would never forgive you. Right, Dessy??
She laughs awkwardly in the way a kid only can who抯 being teased by a stand-in uncle.
A surprisingly normal scene.
Yeah, I think I was only so short with Troy because he was the only one here when fate tore a hole through our lives.
It抯 subconscious, this stupid unease. I read a hundred articles about trauma back when it happened.
That抯 why his presence around the people I care about puts my shields up.
The drinks show up and I instantly go for my bourbon, taking a long, gut-scorching sip.
Katelyn抯 right. I haven抰 let go of Aster抯 death, and it抯 turned me into a fucking snapping turtle.
Destiny doesn抰 deserve that.
Neither does Troy.
Neither does Eliza梕ven if I can抰 decide whether she deserves my other moods.
I just know I need to back off for everyone抯 sake.
?I understand. Yeah, no, it couldn抰 have been easy…？Troy is nodding when I look up, so much empathy in his eyes for my daughter.
What the hell were they saying?
Destiny saves me from having to ask. 揑 was honestly okay. I had a great time on the ship and Eliza said she抎 take me surfing anytime.?
揈liza surfs??I cut in. I vaguely remember her mentioning something about it before we stepped off the boat.
揇ad, you were there.?Destiny laughs. 揌er cousin taught her, remember? He was a lifeguard and big surfer and all in San Diego. So obviously.?
I smile, imagining Eliza hanging ten on a surfboard in that skimpy dotted bikini of hers.
My cock seethes. I may need a leash if I don抰 fuck this girl.