For a while anyway. Not long enough.
He could see the truth of it on her face reflected back at him, but she only cupped his cheek and gave him one more soft kiss. “You’re here now,” she repeated, then took his hand and led him back around the house. After letting go with a gentle squeeze, she headed toward the group on the porch, the skirt of her dress swishing around her thighs.
With a lovesick sigh, Geo turned to climb the ladder and get to work cleaning out the rain gutters. Wrist deep in wet leaves and other trash, he was startled several minutes later when a frosty can of Coke landed on the roof not far from him. A tousled blond head popped up at the top of the ladder.
“Thought you might be thirsty,” Ari said.
“Um...” He craned his neck and desperately sought out Renae, who was watching them. She nodded imperceptibly at him from her seat on the porch.
“You want it or not?” Ari’s voice now held a note of belligerence, so he hastily stripped off his work gloves and extended her a helping hand.
“Of course I want it,” he said, hovering until she was safely seated on the sloping roof, her knees drawn up, arms wrapped around them.
He pried open the top of the can and got a spray of Coke in the face for his trouble, not even caring about the cold stickiness when he heard her give the faintest of giggles.
“No, really, thanks,” he said drily, taking a huge swallow as her shoulders shook with silent laughter.
When the Coke was gone, Geo crumpled up the can, tossed it to the ground below, and waited.
“Did you cry when my dad died?”
Her abrupt question startled him, and for a long moment he was at a loss for words.
Be honest. Just be honest. It’s what you wanted back then, remember?
“No,” he said softly. “I didn’t. Did you?”
She rested her forehead on her knees. “No.”
“Why, sweetie?”
Ari shrugged. “Dunno. How come you didn’t?”
Pursing his lips, he leaned back on his hands. “I think it’s because I was afraid if I started, I’d never stop. I really miss your dad a lot.”
“Yeah, me, too.” Her voice quavered a bit as she toyed with one frayed shoelace. “My mom and sister cry all the time, too, so I thought maybe—”
His heart ached. “You thought maybe you should try to be strong?”
“Mm-hmm. My dad used to tell me that when he left. ‘Be strong for Mom and Ava. I’m counting on you, Love Bug.’”
A sudden bolt of anger toward Cade made Geo clench his fists. How dare he put that burden on her shoulders and then check himself out?
You bastard. You left such a fucking mess behind, you know that?
Ari was looking at him anxiously, so he strove for calm. “It’s not a kid’s job to be strong,” he said evenly. “It’s a kid’s job to be sad if you want, to cry if you want, to scream into your pillow if you want, and know your mom’s gonna come hug you, take care of you.”
She didn’t reply, her lips still tight, and suddenly, Geo couldn’t help but chuckle. “You look so much like your dad right now, you don’t even know.”
Her eyes flew to his. “Really?”
“Yep. And you’re stubborn like him, smart like him. He also played soccer like a badass.” Before he knew it, Geo was telling her about a game that’d sprung up on their outpost one night, SEALs against the Army. “Your dad was goalie, and he made all these awesome saves.” He pantomimed diving and twisting as best he could in a seated position.
“Did he win?”
“Yep. The Army guys had to give him a box of homemade cookies this one dude’s wife had sent him. That was the bet.”
Bet.
A pang went through him, but it was softer, muted, more nostalgia than sorrow. The realization loosened the knots in his chest a little.
“You remind me a lot of him, in all the best ways,” he finished softly. “And, kiddo, he was so proud of you. So proud.”
Ari’s shoulders slumped and she sighed, like a balloon letting out all its air. He waited, until at last she looked over at him. “Will you come watch me play sometime?”
A huge lump in his throat, Geo reached out and tugged on her ponytail. “I’ll be there with bells on.”
After he’d helped her down the ladder, he leaned against the side of the house and watched her tuck her soccer ball under her arm and head for the porch. On the way, a couple of younger kids ran up and, with excited gestures and animated faces, asked if she wanted to play.
Ari shrugged. “Sure.”
Soon there was a small group of them kicking the ball about. She proved to be a patient and knowledgeable coach, and finally he turned away to climb to the roof once again, a cautious satisfaction swirling through him.
Of course she still had a lifetime of grief work ahead of her, but Geo would always remember that first pressure-valve release of emotion that came from simply talking about it with someone who understood, who cared.
And if what he’d gone through as a child would help her...
Helplessly, his eyes sought out Lani, who was sitting in the sun laughing with Devon and Renae. She’d learned to take the things that hurt the most and use them to light the way for others walking in her shoes. What an amazing tribute to Tyler.
He moved his gaze to Ari, who gave him a tiny smile when she saw him looking.
And you’ve helped me give some much-needed relief to a devastated little girl.
“How am I going to leave you, Lani?” he whispered.
How the fuck was he ever gonna leave?
* * *
“Hey, can I say something real quick?”
Someone turned the music down and all eyes settled on Renae, who’d stood and was nervously twisting her fingers together.
Geo slung his arm along the back of Lani’s chair and kicked his legs out in front of him before doing a quick scan of the assembled group on the deck. Night had fallen, and full of beer and steak—courtesy of some of the SEALs’ wives who’d showed up—everyone was mellow, chill and enjoying each other’s company.
Most of the kids were in the living room watching a movie, but since their talk on the roof, Ari had stuck close to Geo’s side. She’d been peppering him with questions about Bosch when Renae tapped her steak knife on a nearby beer bottle.
“I just wanted to thank you all for coming,” she said. “Of course the yard looks absolutely beautiful, but more than that, it’s been so nice to feel a part of things again.” She hesitated. “Did any of you know Cade?”