“Put yourself in his position and actually try.”
He stands in the cold with my hand between both of his and when the answer comes, his jaw tightens slightly.
“Yes,” he says. “It would hurt me.”
“Then you know what to do.”
He releases my hand and straightens. He turns toward Aiden and bows his head.
“You are my friend, Aiden,” he says. “I am sorry.”
Aiden holds his gaze. Then he nods, once.
The tension between them doesn’t dissolve all the way, but it loosens, and that’s enough.
“Come here, sweetheart.” Andrew steps forward and takes Aiden’s arm, guiding him back toward the open door. “Let me get you some water.”
Aiden frowns at the pet name but lets himself be steered back into the seat, lets Andrew reach past him for the water bottle in the door pocket with a tenderness that Aiden is clearly not comfortable with and not stopping either.
Kojo looks at me and something in his face has gone soft.
“My Bouda is proud that we could honor you.” His voice carries warmth I have not heard before.
“That’s great and all,” I say, “but I really have to pee.”
He blinks once, then says “I will escort you,” and puts his palm against my lower back, warm even through my coat, and walks me toward the truck stop entrance.