I hadn’t seen Alex Santangelo in a couple of years. The last time I’d seen him, Carter and I had helped him get out of a jam that involved Zip and I never expected to see him again. He and Liz weren’t close and he’d spent most of his adult life in the drug world. She’d cut him off and didn’t even know that I’d helped him out. So to see him walk up the sand to me was more than just a little surprising. It was a shock.
“Hey, Noah,” he said. He held out his hand and pushed the sunglasses from his eyes to the top of his head.
We shook. “Alex.”
“You look surprised.”
I nodded. “Yeah.”
He looked from me to Bella. “Hi. I’m Alex.”
“Bella.” They shook hands. “That was my son who almost took you out down there. Jackson.”
“Ah, yes. I told him I thought he was a sea creature.”
“He’s a creature alright.”
Alex smiled at her. “He’s cute.”
“Thanks.”
Alex looked at me. “So.”
“So.”
He waited, his expression clear.
“I haven’t seen you since…in a couple years,” I said. “Running into you here is a little weird.”
Confusion spread across his face and we stood there awkwardly for a moment.
Bella stood. “I’m gonna go check on Jackson.”
She trotted down the sand toward her son.
“Look, if you’re in trouble with Zip again, I’ve got nothing for you,” I said when she was out of earshot. “I’m knee-deep in my own shit and I don’t have time…”
“Hey,” Alex said. “Whoa.”
I closed my mouth.
He ran a hand over his forehead, wiping away the perspiration. “I got out, Noah. Totally.”
I didn’t say anything because I found that hard to believe. For years, I hadn’t even known Liz had a brother. When we ran into him one day, she gave me the story and it wasn’t pretty. Got into dealing at an early age and it spiraled out of control. She’d cut ties with him because he’d let her down so many times. She’d finally had enough. And the only reason I’d helped him was because I wanted to do something for Liz, whether or not she knew about it. So I was skeptical.
“The day you and Carter saved my ass, I started pulling out,” he said. “I was tired. Tired of looking to score, tired of not knowing who was on the other side of the door, tired of disappointing everyone. So it took me awhile, but I cut out.”
“What are you doing now then?” I asked.
“Working construction,” he said. “And I’m back in school. Getting my degree.”
“No drugs?”
“None,” he said, looking me square in the eye. “Free and clear.”
His eyes drifted away from me, toward the water. “When Liz was killed, that’s when I decided on school. I was out, but just spinning my wheels, no direction. But after all that, I decided I wasn’t going to waste any more time. Day after the funeral I went over to Mesa, enrolled and made a plan.”
I winced at the mention of her funeral. I hadn’t gone. And it wasn’t that I wished that I’d gone. It was just something I didn’t like to think about.
“So I’m good,” he said, turning back to me. “I think that I always thought I’d have time with her, you know? Eventually, I figured I’d get my act together and I’d fix all of the damage I’d done. Same kind of lies every loser tells himself to justify what he’s doing. I was no different. But I always meant it, at least in my head I did. Then she was gone.” He paused. “I may have missed out on having a relationship with her while she was alive, but I can make sure she’d be proud of me now. It’s all I have.”
I nodded and was envious for a moment. At least he had something to tie himself to her. I felt like I had nothing.
“So what the hell are you doing here?” I asked.
A crooked smile spread across his face. “Carter sent me.”