Chapter 23 #2
Cottonwood Cove fair was clearly Lila’s favorite thing in the world, but it sure as fuck wasn’t mine.
Everyone in town was here. Kids were all sugared up and shouting, and I’d witnessed one epic meltdown from Donny Welby’s five-year-old son when he didn’t give him the buck to go let him try to win a goldfish.
I was glad the kid made a scene because Donny had stiffed one of my servers last week, and it wasn’t the first time.
The cheap bastard could stand to eat a little humble fucking pie.
We’d been hustling for the last few hours, trying to keep up with the rapid food orders coming in.
Kline and three of our employees were running our booth and getting out plates of the best ribs in town to as many people as possible.
Danielle and Brandy were holding down the fort at the restaurant, but with almost everyone in town here, we wouldn’t get much traffic there.
“Go,” Kline said, as he elbowed me in the side. “Things have slowed down enough. We’ve got this.”
I gave him a questioning gaze and cleared my throat. “Not sure what you’re talking about.”
“Dude, you don’t always have to be such a cool cat. You’re dying to go see how it’s going over there for Lila. We’re good.”
I glanced around to see that things had drastically slowed, and our line was under control, as everyone had their food now, and they were playing games and standing in line to go on rides.
I nodded. “Thanks.”
On my way to see Lila, I found my mother standing with little Gracie, laughing her ass off at my father, who was shooting basketball after basketball from the furthest distance, and he didn’t seem to be getting even close to the net.
I came up behind them and scooped up my niece and kissed her on the cheek.
I’d already seen them at my booth several times, but Gracie always got excited no matter how often she saw me.
She reached for the bill of my baseball cap and tipped it up before rubbing her nose against mine.
I’d worn a hat today because it was hot as hell out, and at least it kept my face shaded.
“Hey, sweet girl. I see the old man’s a little rusty. ”
“I’m trying to win the damn giraffe for Gracie.” My father turned to me and handed me a ball. “For the love of God, please just get one in so we can go get some ice cream.”
I set Gracie down, took the ball, and bounced it twice before pulling back and taking my shot.
It swooshed in the net, and Gracie squealed.
My dad fist-bumped me. “I owe you one.”
“Where’s Cage?”
“On a date,” my mother whispered with a raised brow.
Cage didn’t go out often, and I highly doubted that this was more than a hookup because he didn’t want to complicate Gracie’s life, even though we’d all told him repeatedly that he still deserved to have a life of his own.
But every once in a while, he asked my mom to watch her and claimed he was going on a date, which I guessed was more of a booty call.
“Good for him.”
“We saw Lila. Everyone was gathered around listening to her talk about her journey. Those kids are all in awe of her. They want her to come out and run with them. She really should think about coaching. She’s such a natural with the kids,” my mother said, and my father agreed.
“She’s got a huge job she’s leaving for soon. I don’t see coaching in her future.” I watched as Mandy Slater handed Gracie the gigantic stuffed animal and then batted her lashes at me.
“Hey, Hugh,” she purred, and it was hard not to laugh. The girl was maybe fifteen years old, but every time she came to the restaurant with her parents, she went out of her way to say hi to me.
“Hello, Mandy,” I said, my voice firm, making it clear I wasn’t interested in a fucking teenager.
It only made her giggle more before she waved and ran off to the next customer.
“Growling at them doesn’t seem to make them like you any less,” my mother said with a laugh.
“He’s always been a lady magnet,” my father chirped, and I rolled my eyes.
“What’s a lady magnet?” Gracie asked, and I shook my head as I started walking backward toward the cross-country booth.
“Good luck explaining that one to Cage. I’m going to check on Lila.” I held my hand over my head before turning and jogging off to find her.
Like I couldn’t wait another fucking minute.
When I approached the booth that Coach Lewis had reserved for his team, I saw Lila standing beside him in front of the group as kids fired off questions for her.
Travis was standing there, leaning against a white wooden fence beside their booth.
There were probably a good forty people there, sitting at the tables and eating cake while most of the kids were sitting on the grass in front of Lila and their coach.
Del, Sloane, and Rina were sitting at a table sipping on their red Solo cups and watching their best friend.
“Hey,” I said as I clapped him on the back. “How’s she doing?”
“Man, sometimes I forget that she’s a grown-up.
” He chuckled as he turned to give me one of those half-bro hugs.
“Listening to her talk about the work she put in to get where she did, the struggle while trying to balance her classwork, and most of all, the amount of pressure she dealt with leading up to nationals. She never complained, you know?”
“Yeah, that’s not really her shtick, right?
She’s tough. That’s what I keep telling you.
You don’t need to worry so much.” I watched as her head tipped back in laughter when one of the high school dudes asked if she was single.
He was looking at her like she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen—and he’d be fucking right.
Mine.
The possessiveness I felt over this woman startled me at times. I’d never been that guy. Never needed to claim anyone as my own.
Until now.
And I wanted to fucking claim her.
I needed to figure this shit out.
She glanced over just then, her gaze locking with mine before it moved to her brother and then back to the people sitting in front of her. “I’m just here for the summer before I head back to Chicago, so I’m single and plan to stay that way.”
Ouch. Why did that sting? We’d kept everything a secret, which had been my choice. What the fuck did I expect her to say?
And we hadn’t put a label on what we had.
Also, my choice.
“Did she tell you that the guy who hired her, Joseph Schneider, called her again? Dude, they’re building a whole team around her. Can you imagine that? Being that smart that a big company is making a department that you’re going to run? Fuck, I’m proud of her.”
I knew she had a big job. I didn’t know they were building a whole team around her, but it didn’t surprise me. She’d completely turned my business around in the few months she’d been home.
She’d completely turned my entire life around, too.
“That’s amazing. She’s fucking brilliant,” I said, my eyes not leaving her.
If you put me in the middle of Times Square on New Year’s Eve and told me that she was there, I swear to fucking God, I’d find her within seconds. I always found her. Like she was calling to me from wherever she was.
“Yeah. Aside from her being so invested in the rehab program.” He shook his head, and I pushed to stand and turned to him.
“She’s here for one more month. You should get your ass down there and support him,” I said, putting my hands up when his mouth gaped open to stop him from interrupting.
“It would mean a fucking lot to your sister. He’s doing well, dude.
I’ve been there. I’ve seen it. And Lila wants you to sit in on one of those family meetings.
How about you put your pride aside and do it for your fucking sister, because she puts everyone first, including you. ”
His eyes widened with surprise, but it needed to be said.
Instead of fighting me like I thought he would, he stared for a long minute before nodding.
“You’re right. I should do it for her. And, I’ve got to admit, I never thought he’d stay in there this long.
I imagined him sneaking away and her being devastated. ”
“Maybe you’ve underestimated both of them,” I said, turning back to watch her as someone inquired about her plans after she goes back to Chicago. Travis shifted to hear her answer, as well.
“I’m actually sad to be leaving if I’m being honest. It’s been really nice being home.
And for those of you who haven’t been to Reynolds’, which I’m sure is no one,” she said with a chuckle, and they all laughed.
“It’s the best food in town, and I’ve loved working there and spending time with family and friends. ”
Her three best friends howled from the back, and there was more laughter.
“So, we’ll see how it goes. I love the city, but it’s not really home.” She shrugged. “But work will keep me so busy that I won’t have time to get homesick.”
She left it at that, and I glanced over to see Travis listening intently, his eyes narrowed as he ran a hand down the back of his neck. Shay walked up just then with two giant churros, and she paused and gave me a hug.
“Look at you. You’re starting to show a little,” I said, reaching over for the churro she’d just handed her husband and tearing the top off and taking a bite. He didn’t even flinch.
“Yeah. I literally just woke up two days ago with a belly.” She smiled.
A hand clapped me hard on the shoulder, and I turned to see Brax standing there. “What’s up, boys? Oh, I see we’re watching the lovely Lila, aren’t we?”
“Put your eyes back in your head, dick licker,” Travis snarled before Shay’s sister walked over, and he and Shay turned to talk to her.
“Yeah. What he said.” I smirked as I continued watching Lila.
“Well, then… I guess it’s too late for you to put your eyes back in your head,” he said, leaning in close so no one could hear.
I didn’t fight him or have a witty comeback.
Because he was right.
It was too late for me.