Chapter 6

“I’m so sorry,” I said, but he was saying the same words at the same time, so we ended up smiling briefly at each other.

After an interminable minute, I sighed and opened the car door. As I fumbled around for my bag, a hand caught mine. When I looked up, he was shaking his head and smiling. He closed up the phone, shutting Merry off in mid-cackle.

“Don’t get out. I’m Mike, Merry’s ex. She explained the whole thing to me. I’m sorry about your father. You’ve just come all this way from Hawaii. Did you eat on the plane? Do you want to get something to eat?”

“No,” I said. “I mean, yes. I mean I’m starving. I’m Russell. I called Mike because that’s my brother’s name. I’ve been so stupid. But then, my brother always makes me feel that way.”

I thought I heard Mike say, I have a brother, too, but we were pulling back onto the highway by then.

We were quiet. I finally asked about what he was driving.