While I Was Away(47)

“I don't know, there's so much here, Adele. You know it better than me. The hills? Or maybe even farther up north – there's a big lake up there, right? And it's cooler weather. Probably perfect for fishing, or great for camping.”

Clarity ripped through her brain with such ferocity, she almost shouted. She dropped her phone and pressed her hands against her face.

“We used to come here when I was young. Fishing. I was a horrible fisherman, but my dad brought me anyway, year after year,” Jones had said. “... this cabin was the best I could do.”

“River,” she breathed, peeking between her fingers. “You're a genius. Fishing. Camping. He's at the cabin.”

“What cabin?” River asked, his mouth full of Reuben sandwich. She shook her head, then leaned close and kissed him on the cheek.

“You're the best. Thanks for the ride,” she said as she yanked some cash out of her wallet. She dropped the gas money on her seat just as she hopped out the passenger door.

“You gonna be okay?” he called out, almost choking on some fries.

“I think so,” she said, then she waved goodbye and shut the truck door. She turned to head inside and realized she was grinning like an idiot.

“I really, really think so.”





24




Ocean Reins stared out the window. It was raining again. A light drizzle, nothing compared to the harsh winters they got in Philadelphia. So it should've been funny to see all the Angelinos scurrying about, acting as if they were in a hurricane. But he wasn't laughing. Wasn't even smiling.

He was at loose ends. August had flown back to the east coast for a couple games. River had a full time job there in L.A. and had even found an apartment for himself – it looked like the move to Los Angeles would be permanent for him. Their parents were packing everything up to make the move back to Philadelphia.

And then there was Ocean, not doing anything at all.

It was time to shit or get off the pot. His department in Philadelphia was regularly sending him emails, asking when he was planning on coming home. He couldn't stay on leave forever, especially not now that Adele was out of the hospital.

Going home was the logical choice. He had a life in Philly. An apartment, a job, a lofty title. Detective Reins.

Though when he stopped to really think about it, what kind of life was he going back to? An apartment he'd sublet – he'd have to kick out the renter. A job that had become somewhat stagnant, and a title that really didn't seem so important anymore. All he did was work, go home, eat, and sleep. Rinse and repeat, every day. Did he really want to return to that?

But do you really want to stay in Los Angeles, of all places?

“Looks like it hurts.”

Ocean snapped his head up and was surprised to see Zoey Blanke heading towards him. She didn't wait for an invitation, just pulled out the chair across from him and plopped down on it.

“What hurts?” he asked, watching as she dropped a huge purse at her feet before shrugging out of her jacket.

“You. Thinking hard. Looked painful,” she explained. He rolled his eyes.

“Always a pleasure being around you, Blanke.”

“Shut up. I'm the most stimulating part of your boring-as-fuck day,” she informed him. He chuckled and looked back down at his coffee.

She was right. He wasn't sure what was going on between them, but ever since their mini-make-out session, there'd been a tension between them. Usually, it bubbled over into nit picking and arguing. Other times, though, he'd catch her staring at his arms and hands. Or he'd find himself getting lost in thought as he watched her lips move.

It seemed fate was determined to help them along, too, because he kept bumping into her. L.A. was a huge city, there were millions of people living in it. The amount of times they ran into each other was ridiculous.

Or a sign.

“So what brings a ray of sunshine like you into Starbucks today?” he sighed, leaning back in his seat. She shrugged and pulled a pack of cigarettes out of her boot.

“I was walking by, saw you inside. Thought I'd say hi and see if I could wait out the rain,” she explained, nodding towards the window.

“You might be waiting a while,” he warned her. She continued nodding and drew a cigarette out before tucking the pack away.

“A real bummer. Have you seen Adele lately?” she asked, finally looking at him again. She obviously wanted to smoke, and he wondered why she didn't step outside and give into the craving.

“I drove her home from the hospital the other day, after she fainted.”

“Did you ever find out what that was about?”

“Anemia or malnutrition,” he shrugged. “But there was something else weird – she said some stuff about that nurse.”

“What nurse?”

“Lund.”

“Ah. Nurse Nordic Hottie.”

Ocean rolled his eyes.

“Sure, that guy. She wouldn't really talk about it with me, but she said something to her doctor that got the guy in trouble, had everyone all up in arms.”

“Really? What did she say?” Zoey asked.

“I don't know. Like I said, she wouldn't tell me. I've been trying to call her all day. I guess River took her to some diner earlier and she grilled the waitress there about Lund.”