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Which made sense given his boy was rambunctious at times.
They showed up forty minutes after that, a midsize sedan coming to a stop right out front. I spotted them through the window and stepped out onto the porch to greet them.
Doyle took inventory as Pierce unloaded a bag from the back. I chuckled, which stole my friend’s attention from his inspection.
“PAXI!” He ran to me, his squeal echoing around us. I braced for impact, then spun him when he jumped into the hug, a move he always loved.
When he pulled away, I found him with a big smile. "Okay. I see it now."
"Do you?" I was curious to know what that meant exactly.
"Yep. This place is perfect for you. Like your personality came to life."
Pierce put a hand between Doyle's shoulder blades before holding out his other to me. I took it, and he pulled me in briefly. "Good to see you," he said.
"It’s good to see y’all too." I held up a hand when I saw Doyle wiggle like he wanted to point out the word use. “Don’t get in trouble first thing, D. Your Daddy isn’t the only one who can say no sweets on this trip.”
Doyle gasped, affronted at the claim. Pierce and I laughed. We weren’t bothered by his dramatics.
Pierce hummed, his gaze raking over me in a clinical way. "You look well."
"So everyone keeps telling me."
Inside, Pops made them coffee and asked about the flight. After being told it was no big deal, the conversation switched to what Doyle had been up to, which turned into a forty-minute ordeal I mostly listened to from the kitchen doorway, watching as my father entertained my friends like he always seemed to do.
Doyle had his hands around a mug and a twinkle in his eye. "It's really cozy. I like it."
After coffee, Doyle demanded a tour of the space. It didn’t take long to walk him and Pierce through it all. In each area, they took a minute to truly appreciate what we’d put together here.
We wound up on the back porch at the end. Doyle stood at the railing and looked at the yard. I could tell he wasn’t focused on it though.
"It's quiet here too." He glanced over at me. “Nothing like back home. Even the busy areas aren’t all that busy. We saw some of it on the drive.”
"There’s bad quiet and good quiet, though."
"And this is good?”
“Without a doubt,” I agreed.
Doyle huffed, rubbing his arms like he’d gotten a chill or something. “I’d be bored out of my mind here. But I’m glad you’ve found a place that fits you better. Even if it does mean I have to get on a plane to get one of my Paxi hugs.”
I thought about the mornings I sat on the porch with my coffee. The way Pops had found his footing here faster than I'd expected. The way Bellport had this quality to it that made strangers feel like family.
“You’re welcome to come for a hug anytime you need or want one. And I’ll reach out to you anytime I’m up that way. You can’t get rid of me so easily, D.”
Doyle nodded with a smirk. “Enough sappy feelings. I don’t want to cry. Daddy wants to try all the baked goodies he can while we’re here. Do you know a place or two?"
From inside the house, Pierce yelled out, "Don’t put that all on me, boy. You want some too!"
Some things never change.
Pierce and Doyle had a field day hopping from place to place. We visited every single location that my traveling app showed had any type of dessert.
Seven restaurants in total.
Not once did either man complain. Pops was over the moon, greeting people left and right, some by name and others he grew to know well by the time we left each stop.
I stayed back, watching it all unfold. The two parts of my life coming together in a way I couldn't have expected.
