“That’s fair,” she replied.

  “So, what do you need from us?” my dad asked. “Money?”

  “No,” I replied immediately, shaking my head. “I’m not here for funding.”

  “Okay, Ms. Moneybags,” my mom said, smiling. “I don’t even want to know where you got that much money—”

  “I saved and invested in that shit Tommy was talking about all last year. I got in right before it went crazy and got out before it started dropping. I made a shit ton.”

  “Knew I shoulda listened to his crazy ass,” my dad mumbled, shooting my mom a disgruntled look.

  “Yeah, yeah,” she said to my dad before looking at me. “So you don’t need anything from us?” she asked, sounding almost disappointed.

  “I’m sure I will at some point,” I joked. “But right at this moment, no.” I shrugged. “I guess I just wanted your opinion.”

  “Our opinion?” my dad asked in mock confusion. He looked at mom. “Our youngest is asking for our opinion.”

  “Will wonders never cease?” my mom replied, raising her hands and staring at the ceiling.

  “You two are hilarious,” I replied, deadpan.

  “I say, do it,” my dad said, reaching across the table to give my hand a squeeze.

  “Yeah?”

  “Hell yeah,” my mom said. “If your numbers are right—and I don’t doubt they are, it’s a fantastic idea.”

  “Yeah?” I asked again, happily.

  “You knew that before you ever came in here,” my dad said proudly.

  “I just—” I shook my head. “I mean, I just wanted to make sure that you thought it was feasible. You’re the money guy.”

  Dad laughed.

  “Well, you are. You know more about this shit than anyone else I know.”

  “I think it’s a good plan, Charlie,” he said, nodding. “You bring me over any paperwork before you sign it though. I’ll take a look.”

  “Absolutely,” I replied.

  “Well, this was a relief,” my mom said cheerfully. “When you said you wanted to talk to us I figured you were pregnant or something.”

  “Mother!”

  “Sorry,” she said, laughing. “When one of my children ask to talk to me and dad together, it always sounds ominous.”

  “I’m not pregnant,” I replied, rolling my eyes. “And I won’t be at any point in the near future.”

  My dad reached out to knock on a piece of wood, but all they had inside was fake paneling. “Eh, it’ll do,” he said, knocking anyway.

  I laughed.

  “I gotta get over to the garage,” my dad said, getting to his feet.

  “I’m gonna go, too,” I announced. “I need to do a bunch of laundry and take a nap.”

  “A nap?” my mom asked, frowning.

  “I know,” I groaned. “Today is full of surprises.”

  “You haven’t napped since you were two years old. Are you getting sick?”

  “No,” I replied, standing. I reached my arms over my head and stretched. “I’m having a hard time sleeping at the new place still.”

  “Do you want to take a nap here?” she asked. “I need to grocery shop and stop by Callie’s, so you’ll have the place to yourself.”

  “That’s okay,” I said with a smile. “Laundry, remember? Plus, I doubt I’d be able to sleep with that racket.”

  We were quiet for a minute, listening to the sound of power tools and hammering going on outside.

  “I’ll walk you out,” my dad said, gesturing for me to go out ahead of him. He leaned down and kissed my mom goodbye, murmuring something quietly in her ear before he followed me.

  “Bye ma,” I called, waving over my shoulder.

  “You’re about due for an oil change,” my dad reminded me as we walked toward my car.

  “I know,” I said with a sigh. “I’ll come in as soon as I have some time.”

  “Don’t wait too long.”

  “I won’t.”

  “I’ll have Cam do it,” he said. “Since he was conveniently out of town when we moved you guys into the new place. He owes me one.”

  “So lazy,” I joked. “The worst.”

  We paused by the driver’s door.

  “This coffee cart thing is a good plan,” he said, nodding. “I’m proud of you.”

  “Be proud after I actually execute the plan,” I replied with a laugh. “I’m scared shitless.”

  “Nothin’ is worth havin’ unless it scares you a bit,” he said, grinning.

  I spent most of the day doing laundry in the quiet house. It was kind of a pain in the ass lugging piles of clothes up and down the stairs, but I didn’t really mind it. I’d been so busy lately that I hadn’t had a chance to work out and I was starting to feel the effects. A few runs up and down the staircase at least made me feel like I was moving my body. As soon as the last piece of clothing was folded and put in my dresser, I stripped, leaving a trail of clothing on the floor to my bed. Even with the afternoon light shining into my windows, as soon as I’d crawled into the blankets, I passed right out.

  When I woke up it was dark outside and I had no idea what time it was. Hell, for a minute I wasn’t even sure what day it was. I stumbled out of bed and threw on a t-shirt and some old running shorts and made my way downstairs.

  I was still so groggy from the nap that I didn’t think to check who was home as I zombie walked to the kitchen for a glass of water.

  “Good evening, sunshine,” Draco greeted from the kitchen table. “Nice of you to join us.”

  “Water,” I croaked, waving lazily at him, Bishop and Kara.

  “We got Chinese food for dinner,” Kara said as I shuffled toward the sink. “If you want some.”

  It wasn’t until after I’d grabbed a glass, filled it at the sink, and drank the entire thing that it finally clicked that I’d just come downstairs in my rattiest pajamas, with my hair doing God knows what, drool probably dried onto my face, and Bishop was sitting at our kitchen table.

  “I could eat,” I said, deciding in a split second to just brazen it out. I mean, he’d already seen me. The damage was done.

  “Have a good nap?” he asked as I sat down.

  “It was glorious,” I replied, reaching for the plate Kara had set out for me. “As soon as I’m done eating, I’m going right back.” I looked at him. “What are you doing here?”

  Bishop laughed. “You’re so nice when you’re tired.”

  “I just mean—” I waved the serving spoon in my hand around. “Are you moving in tonight or just hanging out?”

  “I brought a load of stuff,” he replied. “But I don’t have a bed yet, so I’ll probably head back tonight and start stayin’ here tomorrow or Sunday.”

  “You’re goin’ back to the cabbage house?” I asked, wrinkling my nose.

  “It’s got a bed.”

  “You should just stay here,” I said confidently, filling my plate. “You can sleep on a couch.”

  “We don’t have a couch yet, Charles,” Kara reminded me. “It’s not being delivered until Monday.”

  “Oh, right,” I said with a sigh. I stuffed a piece of sweet and sour chicken in my mouth. “You can sleep on the couch in my room if you want.”

  The table was silent.

  “What?” I asked, glancing around.

  “You sure?” Bishop asked. “I don’t want to put you out.”

  “Eh,” I said, taking another bite. “I don’t mind. I’m seriously going to crash as soon as I get back up there. You’re free to use it.”

  “Thanks,” he said, watching me closely.

  “If there’s anything in your way, just throw it on the floor,” I said easily. “You can sleep there but I’m not cleaning up for you.”

  “Fair enough,” he said with a laugh.

  “I am truly impressed by you sometimes,” Kara said dryly, sitting back in her chair while she stared at me. “You just held an entire conversation with food in your mouth—”

  “I’m hungry and tired, give me a break.”

  “And you were both welcoming and kind of an ass at the same time—”

  “I’m welcoming as hell.”

  “And somehow, you look like shit but you don’t really because you’re so gorgeous that even your shit looks better than half the population.”

  “Good genes,” I replied, my mouth full of food. I was pretty much shoveling it in at that point. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was. I hadn’t had anything but coffee all day because I’d been so focused on getting shit done so I could sleep for a while.

  The conversation went on, but I didn’t contribute. I was still so exhausted that I focused on eating so I could go back to bed. The early morning shift at the coffee cart loomed large just hours away. Plus, I was hoping that if I didn’t completely wake myself up and could keep the hazy feeling, I would actually be able to sleep through the night in my new room.

  “You’re the best,” I said to Draco as soon as I’d finished. “Good idea on the Chinese food.”

  “Hey, maybe it was my idea,” Kara joked.

  “It wasn’t,” I replied as I brought my plate to the sink. “Draco always chooses Chinese. You always choose diner food or tacos. I’m going back to bed. Love you.”

  “Love you, too,” Kara and Draco said at the same time.

  I patted Bishop on the back as I passed him. “I’ll throw a pillow and a blanket on the couch for you. Just come in whenever.”

  “Thanks, honey,” he said quietly.

  Within minutes I was back in my little bedding cocoon and completely dead to the world. Unfortunately, it didn’t last.

  “Motherfucker,” I whispered, checking the time on my phone.

  It was one in the morning and I was wide awake, the wind blowing outside was making the house creak and groan yet again. Turning over in bed I stared into the darkness, finding Bishop’s sleeping shape on my couch.

  Maybe if I could hear him or something, the noise of the house wouldn’t bother me so bad—but the man breathed so quiet I was tempted to go check if he was alive. Normal people snored, okay? Like, maybe they didn’t snore loudly, or maybe they only made intermittent noises, but I’d slept around tons of people and all of them made noises in their sleep. Not Bishop, though. What a freak.

  “You alright?” he asked, making me nearly crap myself.

  “Holy shit,” I gasped. “You’re awake?”

  “You’ve been thrashin’ for the past half an hour and woke up swearin’,” he said with a smile in his voice. “Yeah, I’m awake.”

  “Well, you could’ve said something,” I replied, pressing my hand to my heart. It was beating so fast it felt like it was going to escape my chest.

  “I did,” he said with a quiet chuckle.

  “Sorry, I woke you,” I said, curling onto my side.

  “It’s alright,” he replied. “If you hadn’t, I would’ve woken up anyway. I don’t sleep real well.”

  “Because of prison?” I asked without thinking. “Shit, sorry. None of my business.”

  Bishop laughed and rolled onto his side so he was facing me. “I’ve never been a good sleeper,” he said, his voice low. “I can’t remember, even when I was a kid, falling asleep and staying asleep for the whole night.”

  “That would drive me nuts,” I replied. “I’ve always been the person who can sleep anywhere. Well, except here apparently.”

  “Why is here a problem, you think?”

  “I don’t know,” I said with a sigh. “Maybe just because it’s a new place? I’m not used to all the noises.”

  “This house settles a lot,” he agreed. “Everything squeaks.”

  “I’m also not used to sleeping alone,” I confessed.

  He coughed.

  “Okay, yes, I sleep alone most of the time,” I continued. “But I’m used to there being someone just down the hall. Having Kara and Draco downstairs and me the only one up here is weird.”

  “Problem solved,” he said simply. “I’m here now.”

  Chapter 4

  Bishop

  “Go to sleep,” I murmured. “I’m not goin’ anywhere.”

  Charlie sighed and shifted, pulling the bedding up over her shoulder. After a few moments she shifted again, rolling to her back. Then again, back onto her side facing me.

  “I think that nap may have fucked me,” she said ruefully. “I’m wide awake now.”

  “Maybe if you close your eyes,” I replied dryly.

  “How do you know they’re not already closed?”

  “Because I can feel you looking at me,” I answered.

  “Oh yeah?” she asked, her words quiet. “What does it feel like?”

  For a moment, my mind went blank. At first I thought she was flirting with me, but then I realized she was really asking.

  “It feels like someone’s watchin’ me,” I replied jokingly.

  Charlie scoffed.

  “It feels like electricity,” I said seriously, my voice as quiet as hers. “Like you just reached out and shocked me.”

  She was silent.

  “But it also feels warm and kind of relaxing,” I continued. “Like a heavy blanket or that night you slept with me and I could feel your breath on my neck all night.”

  “Oh,” she whispered.

  We were quiet for a while and I waited to hear the sound of the little huff of breath she let out every few seconds after she’d fallen asleep, but it never came.

  “You’re still awake,” I said finally.

  “Why do you call me honey?” she asked.

  “What?”

  “You call me honey.”

  “Okay,” I said, confused. “You want me to stop?”

  “No,” she replied. “I like it, actually.” She let out a quiet laugh. “It’s just not something you hear people our age say very often.”

  “Really?” I hadn’t really thought about it.

  “Baby,” she said. “Babe. Nicknames. Whatever. You just don’t hear honey very often.”

  “Ah,” I said, finally seeing where she was going with her question. “I think I’ve called you baby.”

  “You use honey more often,” she replied stubbornly.

  “I had an uncle,” I began, scratching the side of my head as I got more comfortable on the couch. It was too small for me and if I straightened my legs they’d fall off the edge, but it smelled better than where I’d been sleeping for the past couple years, so I wasn’t about to complain. “I lived with him for a while. Draco tell you I grew up in foster care?”

  “Yeah, he told me,” she replied.

  “Well, I was in and out. My mom died when I was six—”

  “I’m sorry,” she said.

  “It’s alright. I mean, it shifted my entire world on its axis, obviously. But I’m good now.”

  “I can’t imagine losing my mom,” she said roughly. “I love both my parents, but my mom is it, you know? She’s my person.”

  “Yeah, honey,” I replied. “I get it.”

  “Sorry, keep going. You had an uncle?”

  “Yeah, he was my mom’s uncle, actually. So, when my mom died I went into the system. Spent a couple years bein’ shuffled around—nothin’ surprisin’ there. But I was one of the rare cases that had family come lookin’ for me. Can’t tell you how surprised I was when my caseworker showed up—his name was Mr. Dangle, by the way, no fuckin’ joke.”

  Charlie laughed.

  “Anyway, he showed up one day and said, ‘Let’s go, your uncle’s pickin’ you up.’ Drove me across town to his office with my bag of stuff and there’s this old man standin’ in the lobby. I mean, I swear to God, he looked older than dirt, but he’d really churched it up for the occasion, hair slicked down, flannel shirt tucked into his jeans, the whole deal.”

  “Aw,” Charlie said. “I like this story.”

  It was my turn to laugh.

  “Uncle Beau,” I said, still smiling. “He was a tough old dude. He looked me up and down, said, ‘You’re a hard man to find,’ grabbed my bag and my hand—I was almost ten and way too big for hand-holdin’ by then—and walked us straight out of the office to his beat-up old Bronco. Drove straight to McDonalds for lunch.”

  “So he was your favorite person, obviously.”

  “He was,” I replied with a laugh. “Beauregard Augustus Bishop. I was named after him. I guess he’d been looking for me for a while. He hadn’t found out about my mom’s death for more than a year after she was gone, but he started searching as soon as he knew. Gettin’ a kid out of foster care isn’t easy—even if you’re family—and he’d had to jump through a lot of hoops. Took a while.”

  “But he found you,” she said happily.

  “He did. Took me in and I lived with him in this little trailer park until I was fifteen. There was a lady next door that was always outside in her garden, I called her Dottie, but her name was Dorothy. She and my uncle had been together for more years than I’d been alive, but they never lived together. I never asked why.”

  “She was a strong independent woman,” Charlie said. Even in the dark I could tell she was smiling.

  “She was,” I confirmed, thinking back to the little old lady who’d patched up my scrapes and cooked me dinner and waved from her front porch every day when I stepped off the bus.

  “Uncle Beau called her honey,” I said finally.

  Charlie was quiet.

  “So, that’s probably where it comes from.”

  “Bishop,” Charlie said, leaning up on her elbow. “Why did you only live with him until you were fifteen?”

  I’d known when I started the story that the question would come but I hadn’t anticipated the way it would make my chest ache with memories. I thought about Uncle Beau a lot. Daily. He’d taught me everything he thought I’d need to know as a man. How to shave, change a tire, fix a leaky sink, dance with a woman, tie a tie, sew on a button, shoot a rifle, use any handheld tool ever made, drive, stand up for myself, the list was endless. But even though he popped into my head constantly throughout the day, I always cut the memories off before they got painful.

  “When I was fifteen he had a stroke,” I said, clearing my throat. “Went into the hospital and never came back out.”

  “Oh my god,” Charlie whispered. “I’m so sorry.”

  “Dottie took me in for a while, but she had her own health problems and since I was already in the system, they said I couldn’t live with her. Back to foster care I went.”