“It’s like you’ve done that a hundred times,” Bodhi looks down at me amused.
“I have,” I smile back, cutting the engine and throwing him the keys. “You get us home later, okay? Alright men, let’s go get us some Hidden Treasure.”
I hop out and lead them through the outdoor patio to the hostess stand. I can see her standing there before I even turn the corner. Luna, the only girl my age I would ever consider a friend, even though we’ve never talked to each other outside of Hidden Treasure. She’s homeschooled so I’ve never seen her at school, although I don’t think I would see her at my school anyway. Luna comes from a very hippy like surfer family. The kind who don’t always wear shoes, who might be high as they teach yoga, and who puts education last and a good surfing day first.
She took a job at Hidden Treasure as a hostess when she was only fifteen, to get away from her family, which includes five younger siblings. Too much family time, all the time, she’s told me. She’s girl crush beautiful by the way. She might be a little Hawaiian, but a little white as well I’m guessing. She has long curly black hair and darker skin, but these amazing light blue eyes and tiny freckles all over her nose and cheeks. As we get closer, I realize just how much I’ve missed her.
“Eva!” she shouts when she sees me approaching. She runs at me and throws her arms around my back, lifting me up at the same time. “Girl, I thought you were a goner! Like those crazy Halifax people kidnapped you or something. I was worried sick! Took extra shifts just so I wouldn’t miss your ass if you showed up. It’s been like what, two weeks? It’s never been two weeks. Spill, woman!”
I laugh. “Remind me to give you my cell number.” I point to Bodhi “This is—”
“Bodhi!” she screams and starts jumping up and down. “You’re Bodhi! Jesus Christ, I need to sit.” And she does, right on the rails of the fence. She fans herself with a menu. “I’ve seen pictures of you,” she says to Bodhi. “And heard all about you, for like two years. And you two,” she points to Coop and Beck. “Bodhi’s friends, right? The bike rides home? Sorry, I don’t remember your names …”
“Beck,” he says.
Coop is speechless, just staring at her. I nudge him. He still doesn’t talk. A very rare moment for Coop, that’s for sure.
“Coop, this is Coop,” I tell her, nudging him again.
“Eva, does this mean what I think it means?” she questions. “Holy shit, what does this all mean? Break time! I’m going to go tell them I’m taking my thirty,” she points behind her, walking backwards to the inside portion of Hidden Treasure. “Take your usual spot! I’ll be out in a minute!” Then she takes off running.
“That is Luna,” I laugh at the guys. “Her parents are hippies, she has five younger siblings, and she’s listened to me bitch about life for almost two years now.”
I lead the guys over to my usual spot by the bar. Coop throws himself down in a chair and puts his head on the table.
“You alright there, bro?” Bodhi asks him.
He looks up and at me. “Please tell me she’s into dudes and she’s single?”
Everyone laughs, except me. “Theodore Cooper. I know how you work. Stay away from Luna, you got it?”
“I think I love her,” he groans.
Bodhi and Beck are still laughing.
“You hurt Luna, I hurt you,” I warn him. “She’s coming, don’t embarrass yourself.”
Luna grabs a chair, placing it at the head of the table and sits backwards on it. “Okay, I’ve got thirty minutes. Forty if I play my cards right. I already got drinks coming out and two seafood boils ordered. I realized I never introduced myself. Luna Morris,” she says to the guys. “Your friendly Hidden Treasure hostess and therapist to my gal pal Eva.”
I laugh. “I discovered Luna and Hidden Treasure on a whim when I was on my boat one day and refused to go back home,” I tell the guys. “I ended up here and kept coming back whenever I snuck out on the boat by myself.”
Luna tosses her long hair off her shoulders. “My gal here was a train wreck. Took one look at her and knew she needed some Luna love. She vents, I listen, we eat. At least once a week for two years, but then you disappear on me! Let’s hear it. Where the hell have you been?”
I give her the short version, which ends up being long even though I leave out a few minor details. Luna knows a lot about my past, a lot about the last three years, but not everything. Today I tell her most, the scary shit I was always afraid to say out loud. By the time I finish, our food has already arrived and everyone’s eating.
Luna’s biting on a piece of corn, shaking her head. “Insanity. This is insanity, all of it, but first, Bodhi,” she turns to him, she puts her hand on his arm. “I’m so sorry to hear about your mom. I’m really, really sorry. Eva always talked very fondly of her.”
“Thank you, Luna,” he says.
“Girl,” Luna turns to me, “you had me worried to death. Give me your phone, right now.”
I toss it over to her. “Sorry, it’s just been really crazy.”
“Oh, I get that. But I might have had to dip into my parents’ stash of happy smokes way more than normal because I was so distraught over your mysterious absence. There,” she hands me back my phone. “I’m in there, you’re in mine, I won’t ever lose ya again.”
“You want to join us for dinner tonight at Bodhi’s grandpa’s house?” Coop suddenly asks Luna.
Bodhi and Beck both choke on their food. I take a big sip of my water and sit back to watch this play out.
Luna’s face is pink. “Coop?” she questions his name. He nods. “Coop, that sounds like a jolly fun time, but I’ve gotta watch the terrible twosome tonight for my parents while they teach couples yoga at their studio. My youngest sibs are three and four and have scared away all other babysitters. But I’ll catch you all the next time?”
He nods but looks as if his world has ended.
“Luna!” someone shouts from the distance. “We need you!”
“Shit. Well, my time’s up. It was nice meeting you three,” she says to the guys as she stands. “Eva,” she nods behind her. “A word?”
I get up and walk with her back to the hostess area.
“Girl, you okay?” she immediately asks. “You look so happy, and Bodhi, my god he’s gorgeous. Pictures didn’t do him justice. You two are like Malibu Barbie and Ken. I need to hear the details another time. Explicate details, okay? Because it’s so obvious what you’ve already done with him—but you look so happy! I get jitters with how happy you are. You good?”
“I’m good,” I honestly tell her. “So much better than I have been.”
“No more need for the happy smokes, I take it? I missed you, girl. You can’t disappear on me like that.”
“I’m sorry. I won’t let it happen again,” I promise. “But for real, Luna. I’m in a different place than I was before. Things are so much better. You should really come hang out with us.”
She laughs and reties her hostess apron. “Hippy Luna over on the Halifax with the rich judgmental folks?”
“We aren’t all like that. You know I’m not like that, and those three,” I point to the guys, “they aren’t Halifax guys. Yet they haven’t turned to dust by hanging out with me.”
She laughs again. “I’ll think about it, and text you. That sound good?”
“Yep. Or I’ll text you, find out where you are, and have the guys help me kidnap you.”
“You’re flipping crazy, Eva. I’m glad you’re back, peace out girl.” And then, because she’s Luna and she’s done it before, she gives me a fat goodbye kiss on my lips before she turns and walks away.
I head back over to the guys. All three of them are staring at me as I sit down.
“Did she kiss you goodbye?” Coop is the first to ask.
“Guys,” I laugh, stabbing a potato with my fork. “That’s just Luna. She was raised to be all peace, love, and flowers. She’s into dudes, or maybe she’s into both? Trust me though, I’ve heard very detailed st
ories about her ex-boyfriend and—”
“Ex?” Coop interrupts. “She’s not dating anyone?”
Bodhi and Beck laugh again, but I point my fork at Coop. “Leave my Luna alone, Coop. I will hunt you down while you’re sleeping.”
Bodhi sits back and puts his arm around my shoulder. “She’s seems really cool. How come you never mentioned her before?”
“Because I knew Coop would look at her like a piece of hot meat.”
They’re all laughing now.
“For real,” Bodhi then says.
I look up at him. “To be honest with you guys, I didn’t want to lose her. After the accident, when I lost you three, Luna was the first person I ever talked to again. I was afraid if anyone knew about her, she would get taken away too. I’ve been here at least once a week for close to two years and she’s sat right here just being my friend. I needed a friend that no one could take away.”
Bodhi’s arm tightens around my shoulder, and he kisses my forehead.
“That’s deep, Eva,” Beck says. “And personal, I get it.”
“Totally didn’t mean to not bring her up to you all, but these last couple weeks have been a little insane.”
“Hell yeah they have,” Coop agrees. “But now that we know about her, do you think—”
“No!” I laugh. “Don’t make me stab you with my fork, Coop!”
We finish up our lunch, wave bye to Luna, and head back to my boat. Coop and Beck are walking ahead of Bodhi and I, as Bodhi reaches for my hand and stops us right before we get to the dock. He leans in and gives me a very heated, passionate kiss. My foot even pops up. I didn’t realize that was actually a thing.
“Thank you?”
He laughs and grabs my other hand. “I get an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of my stomach whenever you talk about these last three years. I’m angry I wasn’t there. Pissed. I’m more upset you were on your own. Luna, hearing that you had her as a friend—”
“Bodhi?” I say through a slight smile. “Are you jealous of Luna?”
“No!” he quickly says. “Well, maybe? Not jealous that she’s your friend, but jealous because she got to be with you when I wasn’t. That makes me a horrible person, doesn’t it?”
“No, that’s adorable,” I tell him. “But not needed, because I’m yours now, Bodhi Bishop. I always have been, okay?”
“I know,” he smiles, kissing my hand as we walk down to the boat. “Luna? Do you think she’d ever go out with Coop?”
“Ugh!” I shove him. “Not you too!”
He laughs. “I’ve never seen Coop like that before. This might be different.”
I shake my head and cover my ears. “No, no, no!” But then I look up at Bodhi and his beautiful, hopeful face. “Damn you,” I sigh. “Fine, I’ll see what I can do, but if Coop ends up hurting Luna, you’re going to turn the other way while I kick his ass, okay?”
He smirks and replies with, “Confession.”
I raise my eyebrow up at him.
He gives me a small kiss. “Your threatened rage might be turning me on, and I love how protective you are of Luna.”
I raise my eyebrow up at him again, waiting for more. “That’s it? Nothing else?”
“That’s it,” he confirms.
“Confession.” I kiss his lips, thinking for a moment before responding. “Knowing my threatened rage might be turning you on, might be turning me on, and tell Coop he better be afraid. No one messes with my Luna and gets away with it, not even Theodore Cooper. I will kick his ass.”
chapter thirty
Eva
I t’s midafternoon by the time we get the boat back to my house. Bodhi told the guys he’d drive them to Beck’s truck at High Bridge after dinner, so we’ve got a few hours to kill before we go to Calvin’s. As we walk into my yard, we see my brothers running around playing soccer. Rowan runs right over to Bodhi when he sees us, almost colliding into his legs.
“I won putt-putt!” he exclaims.
“You did, little dude?” Bodhi says. “Nice job!”
“Can we go surfing now?” Rowan pleads.
Bodhi laughs. “Couple days? Sunday? Coop and I give lessons then. Eva, can you bring your brothers to the beach around noon on Sunday?”
“Of course,” I answer.
Rowan grins and runs off to join Miles, who then kicks the soccer ball right at Beck’s face. Beck blocks it with his hands.
“Damn, little bro,” Beck impressively says. “That’s some leg you got there. Coop, you and him,” he points to Rowan, “against me and this dude?”
“Game on,” Coop smirks, and they run off.
“You two!” my mom calls out to Bodhi and I from the patio door. “Inside please.” She walks back in and slams the door closed behind her.
“Shit,” Bodhi mumbles. “Are we in trouble? Is this about last night? Eva, I’m not going to be able to look at your mom with a straight face if she starts questioning us about—”
“Bodhi, calm down,” I shake my head, almost laughing at how nervous he looks. “I doubt she’d get pissed off if she finds out we had sex. She actually already assumed we were.”
His eyes grow large. “Your mom talked to you about sex with me?”
I put my hand on his cheek. “Look at me,” I say to him. His worried eyes stare into mine. “Deep breath, Bodhi. My mom is actually very relaxed when it comes to this type of stuff. She’s the one who took me to get my IUD last year. She knows I’ve had sex. I actually think she would much rather I have sex with you than with—”
“Eva,” Bodhi groans. “That’s not helping.”
“It will be fine,” I promise. “I will do the talking.” I grab his hand and lead him inside. My mom is at the counter and she definitely isn’t happy. “You summoned us?”
“The red pickup truck,” she says instantly. “Who’s driving it?”
I look over to Bodhi and mumble under my breath, “I would rather have a sex talk …” I then turn back to my mom. “I don’t know what you’re talking—”
“Eva. Don’t,” she demands. “I had the police check the cameras again, in the afternoon, like Bodhi suggested.”
Bodhi looks down at his hand in mine.
My mom continues. “He was seen on our street again. The police aren’t worried, not at all. But he was on our road twice, during the same time someone was in this house, going through your dad’s office and then cleaning up their mess. I know this means something to you both. Who is it? I thought we weren’t going to lie to each other anymore, Eva?”
Neither Bodhi nor I say anything.
“I thought I could trust you two—”
“My dad,” Bodhi blurts out. “Eva thinks it’s my dad.”
I quickly look up at my mom. Her mouth is opened and all the color has drained from her face.
“What did you just say?” she asks Bodhi.
“My … dad?” he cautiously repeats.
“It’s his dad,” I confirm. “I know what Bodhi’s dad looks like, and I saw him today, this morning, in the red pickup truck.”
“How the hell do you know what Bodhi’s dad looks like? How do you know what your dad looks like, Bodhi?” my mom asks.
“Pictures,” I answer for both of us. “But the bigger question here is why do you look like you’re going to throw up at the thought of Bodhi’s dad being in Flagler?”
She doesn’t respond. I don’t expect her to.
“Mrs. Calloway,” Bodhi says softly. “I think I want to hear what you know about my dad now.”
Her face falls. “Son of a bitch,” she mutters. She walks around the counter and sits at one of the barstools, taking a deep breath. “Bodhi, I don’t know much, just the few things your mom had told me, and I’ll tell you it all, but I don’t think you’re going to like what I say.”
Bodhi glances at me and then back to my mom. “Let’s hear it.”
She nods her head. “Your dad, he never disappeared from Flagler like you thought or like you were told. He was never h
ere.”
“What do you mean he was never here?” Bodhi questions her.
“Your mom, she didn’t meet your dad here in Flagler. She met him in the Bahamas while on vacation. Your dad was the captain of a deep-sea fishing boat that your mom was on for a day, and that’s how they met. That’s where you—that’s where she … it’s where—”
My hand stays in Bodhi’s as he moves us closer to my mom. “Are you trying to tell me I’m the product of a onetime fling while on a vacation?” He starts rubbing my fingers so hard, I’m afraid my skin is disappearing underneath the friction.
“I’m so sorry, Bodhi,” my mom says. “This is what your mom told me.”
“But I have a picture!” he exclaims. “A picture of my dad and I—I was maybe two?”
She nods her head. “When you were two, your mom took you to the Bahamas to meet him. That was the first time he found out about you.”
“She kept me from him?” Bodhi cries out. “She didn’t even tell him she was pregnant? He didn’t find out about me until I was two? And then what? She leaves and never goes back? Did he even know where to find me?”
My mom shakes her head and replies, “I don’t think he even knew your mom’s actual name.”
“What?” I question her. Bodhi looks over at me destroyed, absolutely destroyed.
“Lenora, she told me when she first signed her name on the log sheet on the boat, she wrote a different name down, but he started calling her this name and she never corrected him. He was just the captain of a deep-sea day trip. She didn’t realize they’d even see each other after that day, but they did.”
“She couldn’t call him?” Bodhi questions. “Send him an email? A text? A letter? Anything?”
“She said they never kept in contact once she left,” my mom answers him. “She found out she was pregnant after getting back, and she wasn’t even sure he’d still be there almost three years later. But she thought she owed him the chance to meet his son. She went to the Bahamas with you to see if he was still there, but Bodhi, this is where things get complicated—”
“This is where things get complicated?” he shouts. “I’m sorry, but shit seems pretty complicated already. I’m done, I can’t listen to this anymore.” He lets go of my hand and heads to the patio door.
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