Go Away, Darling - Alexis Anne Page 0,54
want.” Then he smiled. “Thank you, Chris.”
“No problem. I think we better start the lesson or we’re going to lose Julian.”
Isaac jogged over to the line of buckets and began his lecture on the different types of shells that made our beaches so inviting to tourists. I was in charge of the jellyfish, horseshoe crab, and sea urchin.
“The horseshoe crab has very special blue blood because it contains copper,” I recited from the article I read earlier today. The kids all made various noises of wonder and disgust. I turned the large creature over to show off the hard, protective outer layer, and then flipped it back over to point out the body parts. “Scientists use this very special blood to test medicines and vaccines. They’ve been around for 450 million years, so they’re like our local dinosaurs.”
Linc’s arm shot up. “We have a lot of living fossils here Chris. Alligators, starfish, orange roughy—”
Isaac held up a shell. “Nautilus shells.”
“Okay, okay. We live in the Bermuda Triangle and time has no meaning here.”
Rosie gasped.
Isaac waved his hand at her. ‘We don’t actually live in the Bermuda Triangle. He was just joking.” Then he shot me a warning look.
I shrugged. What could I say? I was still learning this parenting gig.
We walked home from club since it was only a mile down the beach from our houses. Linc kept stopping to pick up shells he thought Olivia would like.
“Hey Linc.”
“Yeah?”
I debated whether this was a good idea or not. But in the end I decided that Linc was an integral part of this and he should be consulted. “I’m in love with your mom.”
He slowly turned my way, his little eyes narrowed into slits. For a split second I worried I ruined our friendship. Especially when he fisted his hands on his hips.
“What do you mean?”
The blood drained out of my head. I think I was more afraid of Linc than I was of my team manager. “I love her. I want to marry her and spend the rest of my life with her...and you.”
He didn’t move or say anything. Then his chin lifted a little. “What took you so long?”
What took me so long? “Uh, I didn’t want to rush things. You know, go too fast and mess things up.”
His hands fell to his sides and he threw his head back groaning. “Oh my god. You two are the worst. Just kiss her already.”
I had to laugh at his obvious exasperation with the adults in his life. “I have kissed her. And I liked it. I’d like to kiss her all the time.”
“Gross.” He waved his hands like he was erasing me. “Don’t kiss in front of me. That’s adult stuff and I’m too young to see it. You really blew it last year.”
I blinked at this kid. He went from mad to exasperated and back to mad. “How so?”
He rolled his eyes. “Uh, you won a World Series and didn’t pick my mom up and kiss her on the field like they do in that movie. She would have fallen in love with you right then and we’d be a family already.”
Like they do in that movie? I racked my brain trying to figure out what he was talking about when I landed on the end of Major League when Tom Berenger lifts Rene Russo out of the stands and kisses her.
“Your mom let you watch Major League?”
He rolled his eyes again. “I know not to repeat all the bad words. Besides, if I’m not exposed to these things I’ll never learn how to navigate them.”
I heard Olivia coming out of his mouth. Word for word.
“I kissed her in the locker room after the game.”
He shook his head. “Not good enough. That was secret—even though Aunt Summer and Dad both knew what was up. Love can’t be secret, Chris.”
He was far too smart for his age. “We didn’t want to hurt you.”
He sighed again and walked up to me, taking my hand in his much smaller one. “Chris. You’re my best friend. You’ll never hurt me.”
His conviction and confidence in me choked me up. This empty ache in my chest? Only Linc could fill it. I knew right then I’d find the same courage as Isaac and do whatever it took to give Linc a good life.
Linc tugged on my hand until I went down on my knee. He leaned closer and whispered in my ear. “If I help you win Mom over...can I have a little brother or