Sidecar Crush

But he’d kept it.

I didn’t understand what that meant. He’d been so angry at me, I’d been a bit afraid he’d smack me for it. Dad had never laid a finger on us, but he’d yelled loud enough, it had felt like being hit. Had to me, at least.

Why had he kept this all these years? Had he known it was in here, or had my mama rescued it and put it away? Somehow, I didn’t think so. Mama hadn’t been home when I’d shown him. I didn’t think she’d ever known about it. By the time I’d gone looking for the sculpture, it had been gone. I’d always figured Dad had thrown it away.

While I was upstairs, cowering in my bedroom, had he gone outside and picked it up? Dusted it off and tucked it away in his closet?

I’d never really understood my father, and I didn’t understand him now. But suddenly, I saw things a little differently. Maybe he hadn’t hated me like I’d thought. A terrible feeling, to think your daddy hates you. I’d thought it many times. The times he’d been nice, and even affectionate, had only confused me more. But maybe those times had been more true than I’d known.

Maybe my dad had been proud of me.

That was enough to get my chest worked up tight and my throat feelin’ thick. I swallowed hard and put the sculpture away. Maybe I’d get it out again and put it somewhere in the shop—a nice reminder of how far I’d come. But for now, I couldn’t bear to look at it any longer.

I finished tidying the workshop around the time the sun came up. I had a long drive ahead of me, so I got cleaned up, made some coffee, and packed my bags for my trip. Checked my phone, thinking maybe Leah Mae would have texted. Wondered if I should text her.

In the end, I didn’t. I put the spare tire on my truck and drove into town to get it fixed. Then without allowing myself to think too much about her, I got on the highway and headed out of Bootleg. It was probably better this way. I’d just disappear. Fade into the background and let her move on. I was pretty good at that—had a lot of practice over the years. Lord knew I had no idea what to do to fix things between us, or if they could be fixed at all.

Or whether I was worth the trouble.

34

JAMESON

T he humid air made my shirt cling to my back. It was warm for October, but I reckoned that was just Charlotte for you. The fact that I couldn’t seem to stop pacing didn’t help much, either.

I was outside in a staging area near the central courtyard where we’d installed my piece this morning. She’d arrived safely from Bootleg Springs—not a scratch on her. They’d unloaded her fine, and I’d put on the finishing touches, securing her to the metal base where she’d live out her days.

I didn’t think I’d ever been more proud of a piece of art than I was of my angel. She looked magnificent—perfectly proportioned. Soft, organic lines. She looked like she ought to be breathing.

My client, a man by the name of Everett Davis, had come to see her around the time I’d finished up her installation. At first, I hadn’t been sure what to make of his reaction. He’d stood stock still, just looking at her. His mouth had parted, and after standing a while, he’d walked slow circles around her. When he’d finally spoken to me, he’d seemed to have trouble deciding what to say. All he’d managed was, it’s beautiful.

I took that to mean he was pleased. Hoped so, at least.

“Jameson!” Deanna power-walked her way past security, wearing a flowing black shirt and wide-legged slacks. Her dark hair had streaks of silver, and it was pulled back in sleek ponytail. She took off her sunglasses. “Oh my god, Bodine. Mr. Davis is basically in love with you right now.”

“How’s that?” I asked.

“He loves the piece so much, you left him speechless.”

“I reckon he didn’t say much.”

She laughed. “You have outdone yourself. Even after seeing pictures, she absolutely blew me away. I knew you were good, but this… Jameson, the piece is stunning.”

I gave her a polite nod. Would have tipped my hat, had I been wearing one. “Thank you, Dee.”

“I hope you’re ready to get back to work,” she said. “Hits to your website are up by a thousand percent. I’m not kidding. I’ve had inquiries from all over the country. You’re about to be more in demand than you thought possible.”