Page 108 of Indescribable
The grown-ups chat for a while longer, and I’m sure Boone is dragging it out, not only because Paisley has caught his attention but also to annoy Cody. He sends me a pleading look and I take pity on him, telling Boone that Cody and I are going to grab something to eat.
Giving Naomi a kiss that I wish I could stretch out for much longer, I whisper against her ear, “Any chance you can give Corbin a little time so you and I can have a little time?”
“I see right through you, you know.”
“Wasn’t trying to be sneaky about it.”
“I’ll make it happen.”
“Good. I’ll catch up with you later, yeah?”
“Definitely.”
Ruffling Cody’s hair, which I know will irritate him because he just discovered hair products and is constantly trying new hairstyles, I lead him to his friends under the guise of finding food.
He bats my hand away. “Uncle Brock! I had it just right.”
I grin. “Shouldn’t you be thanking me? I just busted you out of there.”
“You mean we’re not going to get food?”
“Did you not pick up on it when I winked at you?”
“I figured you had something in your eye.”
I bark out a laugh. “Boy, we’ve got a lot to teach you yet.”
“I am kind of hungry, though,” he admits. “Can we go get a burger?”
“Sure.”
Ten minutes later, we’ve both filled our stomachs with a juicy cheeseburger and found a different truck that was selling fried cheese, which Cody calls squeaky cheese. It’s not fried like the mozzarella sticks we get at restaurants. It looks like it’s fried in a pan without oil. Or something. I don’t know what they did but it’s freaking amazing.
“Your dad give you enough cash?”
He gives me an ornery look. “No?”
“You’re a terrible liar. We’ll have to work on that, too. Go on, get. See your boys. Don’t let any girls try to kiss you or steal your clothes.”
“That does seem to be a problem I get myself into.”
Cody races off to be with his friends and I take a seat at a picnic table, keeping an eye on him from a distance since I’m not allowed to be seen.
It reminds me of the times when we were kids and we’d get freedom to run around the festivals and get all hyped up on sugar and fried foods. We’d crash at night, exhausted from running around all day only to wake up the next morning and do it all over again.
And always right there with me, was Naomi.
It was always us.
I take a sip of my Coke and continue to watch Cody. Three girls walk up to their group of friends and I wonder if it’s the same three who got into a fight over his sweatshirt, of all things. One of them keeps trying to get Cody’s attention, but he’s too busy with a balloon/dart game to notice. Her eyes are only for him, though. With every throw of the dart, she watches closely and when he wins a prize, she moves even closer.
She’s hoping he gives it to her.
I can see it all the way from here.
But he’s oblivious. When he gets to choose his prize, he picks a foam sword and I know this girl is about to be a bit heartbroken because there’s no way he’s giving it up. Not when his friend is trying to win the same thing at this very moment.
We probably should have had better prizes to give out than koozies and Frisbees with the Lake Electrical name all over it. I glance over at the dunk booth and see a line building so it looks like it’s a hit even though the prizes kind of suck.