we sleep at sunset | 18+

06 | Nice to meet you. Again.

I hear, rather than see, the Adio's son. Well, that's at first.

Let's play Spot The Distraction, shall we?

There's Michael unloading plastic buckets from that sea-green SUV. The bright blue of his shirt clings to him. Too nicely, in my humble opinion. I bite my lip, shifting on my feet, ready to smile or wave or maybe trip on my shoelaces to get his attention.

He doesn't look up. At all. As if my presence is just another part of a landscape he's seen more than enough of.

Damn.

Adio's face breaks into a wide as he meets us. "Bout time for some refreshments." His voice carries a melodic lilt, but I can't place the accent.

I pout for another second before squaring my shoulders.

I hand Adio a cup, feeling the heat try to melt the plastic. "We thought you might need a break," I say, aiming to keep the pitcher steady as I pour some lemonade into his cup. "Or at least an excuse for one."

He's a handsome man, no older than fifty. His bare chest and shoulders aren't overly defined, and his skin sags here and there, but he's clearly strong.

Pat claps Adio on the shoulder as if they're old friends. "Ember here made the lemonade herself."

Adio's chuckle is deep and hearty as he dips his chin to me. "Thank you, Ember. It's a cruel sun today."

"Ember's my niece," Pat says next.

"Yes, I believe we've met once," Adio says.

My brows furrow.

Huh?

Adio says, "You were just a little thing, then. We were here for a day at most."

Pat hands Adio one of the wrapped sandwiches. "My, my. Greyson's seventh birthday."

Adio laughs, a rich sound that fills the hot air. "That's right. I brought Michael along, hoping he'd make a friend or two in the family, however distant...." He pauses with a chuckle, "Anyway. Ember, you were running around the pool with arm floaties and goggles screaming about dragonflies and clouds."

My cheeks heat up. "I was a loud kid, yeah. Sorry about that."

"No, no, you were highly entertaining. You were going around, blowing kisses to everyone, threatening mermaid siege if they didn't catch your kisses. I think you even managed to scare my son," Adio says, laughing at my horrified face.

I did what?

Oh my god. Oh my god. No wonder he won't look at me.

Adio unwraps and takes a hearty bite, chewing with a nod. "Ah, well, we haven't seen much of you lot since then."

"I don't remember any of that," I mumble, trying to grasp the memory. There's...nothing. Dammit.

Pat nods to me, his face softening with nostalgia. "You were very young."

Greyson's seventh birthday would've made me five. That's the year I lost mom and dad. Is that why I don't remember? Like, a trauma thing?

I glance over to where Michael is working. He crouches to the ground with a toolbox, a wrench between his teeth and a pencil behind his ear as he looks for something.

I really, really wish I could remember.

That's when Pat decides that everyone—literally, everyone—need to know about my scholarship. He launches into a glowing report of my recent achievement for GoldwenU and my cheeks warm even more, staring wide-eyed at my running shoes.