Writing was always challenging work, it wasn’t like it was effortless and suddenly it got hard and I can’t handle it. But I sit down to write and there’s just… nothing.”
“Is that why you moved out here? To see if it would help you write?”
She hesitated for a moment. “Mostly, yes. But I’m afraid that maybe this is permanent.”
“It’s definitely not permanent.”
“How do you know?”
“Because it doesn’t make sense that it would be. You don’t just forget how to write books when you’ve already done it… how many times?”
“Twelve.”
“You’ve written twelve entire novels?”
She smiled again, and man, I really liked making her do that.
“Yes. But my last book didn’t sell as well as the publisher wanted, so they dropped me. I don’t even have anyone to publish another book if I actually manage to write one.”
“Is that why you’re blocked? Because your publisher dropped you?”
“You’d think so, but no. It started before that happened.”
“That sucks.”
“I know, that would at least be an answer.”
Our food came and the conversation turned to other things while we ate. I asked her about growing up in Spokane and where she’d gone to college. And I told her some stories about working with her dad. She was so easy to talk to, it felt like we’d known each other forever.
After we finished, I hopped my way outside, back to the mobility scooter. This thing sure had come in handy. It was kind of a pain to drive, but it was better than walking all over town on one leg.
I tried to turn it on, but nothing happened.
“Uh oh.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I think the battery died.”
Well this was inconvenient. We were all the way across town from Nature’s Basket. I couldn’t walk very far without my crutches, and I’d left those there.
“Do you want me to walk to my car and come get you? Or go get your crutches? Or go get help?”
“I don’t want to make you do that. I can call someone to pick us up.”
Evan had a truck. He could run into town, pick us up, and help me get the scooter back to the grocery store. I pulled up Evan’s number and hit send.
“What do you want, Gav?”
“Hey, how’s it going?”
“I’m working.”
“Cool, then you probably need a break.”
“No.”
“You sure about that? You work a lot.”
He didn’t reply.
“Look, I just need a ride.”
“No.”
“Come on, bro. The scooter I took from Nature’s Basket ran out of batteries and—”
“Do you have an actual problem, or a Gavin problem?”
“An actual Gavin problem.”
“I have to get back to work.”
“But Evan—”
He ended the call.
“Such a dick,” I muttered.
Logan was on duty, so he was no help. I didn’t know what Asher was doing today. Probably coaching. But Levi was off. I didn’t really want to call Levi. He’d give me a harder time than Evan. But I was kind of out of options, so angry twin it was.
“Yeah?” he answered.
“Hey, bro. I have an issue.”
“What?”
“So you know how I’m hanging out with Skylar and showing her around town?”
“No…”
“Yes you do, I told you. Anyway, I borrowed one of the scooter cart things from Nature’s Basket and it kind of ran out of batteries and I’m on the other side of town and can’t get it back to return it. And I really need to return it. I left a note saying I would.”
“Jesus, Gav.”
“Can you come get us?”
“Why the hell did you take a scooter from Nature’s Basket?”
“Because I have a broken leg.”
He was quiet for a long moment. “Where are you?”
“Caboose.”
“Fine.”
“Don’t hang up yet.”
“Why?”
“You should probably bring a ramp. To get the scooter in the back of your SUV.”
“Why do you always do shit like this?”
“Like what?”
He groaned. “Skylar is stuck with you?”
“Yeah.”
“Fine. But I’m only coming down there because of her.”
“Whatever works, bro.”
He ended the call and I slid my phone back in my pocket. “Problem solved. Levi’s on the way.”
We hung out in the Caboose parking lot waiting for Levi. It didn’t take long for him to get here. He parked next to me and shot me a glare when he got out of his blue SUV.
I introduced Skylar to Levi and he said a polite hello. I knew the only reason he wasn’t giving me more shit was because she was here. He opened the back and pulled out a piece of plywood to use as a ramp.
Levi ran inside and got Hank, the Caboose owner, to come help him push the scooter into the back of his SUV. They got it loaded up—it fit, but