Page 53 of Stealing Summer
He smiled and nodded his head. “You know I got him.”
Parker's hands were steady as he looped one of Boston's arms over his shoulders, guiding him toward the car.
"Come on, buddy," Parker urged gently, but with an underlying firmness.
"Parker, don't be like that!" a girl near Boston chimed in, her words stretching out in an almost childish moan.
"Sorry, ladies," he said, his tone light but leaving no room for negotiation. “Funs over.”
I trailed behind them, my arms crossed tightly over my chest. Any other night, I might have found myself rushing to help, but tonight... Tonight, I was too upset at Boston.
We didn’t say a word the entire car ride to the cabin, and I just wanted this night to be over.
"Chandler, can you grab the door?" Parker called back to me, his voice pulling me from my thoughts as he helped Boston to the porch.
"Sure," I sighed, pushing the door open wider as they approached. Still not a word exchanged between Boston and me—my silence was a heavy reminder of whatever was going on between us.
Inside, Parker navigated the path to the couch with practiced ease, lowering Boston down onto the cushions. "There we go," he sighed, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand.
"Thanks, man," Boston slurred, barely awake.
"Water. Drink," Parker instructed, pressing a water bottle into Boston's hands before giving me a look that said 'he'll be okay.'
"Let's get you some aspirin too," I heard Parker continue, his tone patient but insistent.
I lingered on the threshold, the night air still clinging to my skin. My feet felt rooted to the spot as Parker tended to Boston, and without thinking, I turned back towards the porch.
My breath hitched. It was as though time stuttered, and for a heartbeat, everything stilled. There, under the glow of the porch light, my eyes locked onto something impossible. Was I seeing things? I blinked hard, trying to dispel the illusion, but when my vision cleared, it was still there. How is it possible?
twenty-eight
"Chan?" I heard Parker yell out. "Everything alright out there?"
"Give me a second," I answered, my gaze transfixed. My heart raced, the revelation dawning on me, leaving me reeling.
"Is that...?" I whispered, my voice barely breaking the silence of the night.
The petals shimmered in a radiant shade of blue, rare and resplendent under the soft porch light. A few of my grandmas favorite flowers were in a white flower pot, its bloom a vibrant defiance against the dark. The sight of it transported me, as if my grandmother herself had brushed her fingers against the delicate petals. For the first time in seven years, I could feel her presence. It was overwhelming.
"Chandler, what is it?" Parker's voice came from behind me, but I could hardly move, let alone respond.
"Grandma used to grow these," I managed to say, my voice thick with emotion. "They're so rare..." I felt a tear trail down my cheek. It was beautiful—no, it was more than that; it was a visit from the past, a fleeting embrace from someone I'd lost who meant the world to me.
"Reese," I murmured, the realization hitting me like a gentle wave. Only Reese with his reckless determination could pull off something like this.
"Did you say Reese?" Parker asked, stepping up beside me, his gaze following mine.
I nodded, unable to take my eyes off the flower. "He remembered," I said, disbelief coloring my tone. "I told him once, about grandma's garden. About how much these flowers meant to her... to me."
“Wow,” Parker exhaled, the word hanging between us. "That's... That's some gesture."
I sensed he didn't fully grasp the gravity of the moment.
“It is,” I murmured, unable to tear my eyes away from it. It was stunning, overwhelming, and so intrinsically Reese.
“Definitely not your average apology,” Parker commented, a soft chuckle in his voice. “I mean, it’s kinda impressive.”
"Can I borrow your car?" I asked.