Chapter 18LARK
LARK
The doorbell rings just as I’m folding the last of Hudson’s shirts.
I glance toward the stairs, listening for any signs of life or movement from above. Nothing. He’s probably still in his room, wrapped up in whatever game he’s playing.
With a sigh, I toss the folded shirt onto the growing pile beside me, push myself off the couch, and head for the door.
I pull it open and find Dawn, standing on my porch with three Tupperware containers stacked in her arms and a cigarette dangling between her lips.
Before I can say anything, she flicks the cigarette onto the pavement, grinds it out with the toe of her boot, and gives me a once-over. “Goddamn, Blue. You look exhausted.”
I laugh, crossing my arms. Dawn’s been calling me Blue since I was a kid, ever since the first time she met me at the Bluebell and took one look at my eyes. Said they were the kind of blue that could stop someone in their tracks. But mostly, I think she just liked the way it sounded.
I tilt my head. “Flattery will get you nowhere, Dawn.”
She just smirks, shoving the Tupperware into my hands. “Had extra from last night. Figured you could use a decent meal.”
I glance down at the stack, the warmth from the containers seeping through the plastic. Dawn and Opal have been bringing me food three, four times a week since the Bluebell shut down—almost like they don’t trust me to function without a steady stream of home-cooked meals.
I raise an eyebrow. “You do realize I can still cook for myself, right?”
Dawn scoffs, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation. “Yeah, yeah, sure. Next, you’ll tell me you’re getting plenty of sleep and drinking enough water and we both know that’s a lie if I ever heard one.”
I roll my eyes, nudging the door shut behind her.
She moves past me, heading for the kitchen, her cherry red hair pulled back in a blue bandanna, her makeup immaculate, as always—thick black eyeliner, bright red lipstick, cheekbones so sharp they could cut glass.
She’s in her usual denim jacket, worn-in jeans, and cowboy boots that have seen better days.
I trail after her, setting the containers down on the counter as she leans a hip against the fridge, watching me.
“Where’s Opal?” I ask, peeling back one of the lids. The scent of slow-cooked beef and roasted vegetables fills the kitchen, my stomach grumbling in response.
Dawn waves a dismissive hand. “She’s out playing bingo with her girlfriend.”
I blink. “Opal plays bingo?”
Dawn chuckles, crossing her arms. “Every Saturday night. Oh, don’t let her fool you. That woman runs the table like a damn shark. Walks away with cash more often than not.”
I shake my head, grinning. “That’s honestly impressive.”
Dawn smirks. “I keep telling her we should take a weekend trip to Vegas. Put those skills to good use.”
I laugh, grabbing a fork from the drawer and stealing a bite straight from the container. It’s rich, tender, still warm despite however long it’s been sitting in her truck.
Dawn watches me for a beat, then tilts her head slightly. “So, how are you really doing, Blue? And no bullshit.”
The humor in her voice is softer now, edged with something else .
I pause, fork halfway to my mouth, and let out a slow breath.
“Honestly? I don’t even know. One second I think I’ve got a handle on things, and the next it feels like everything is slipping through my fingers.
” I shake my head, stabbing another bite like it personally offended me.
“I still don’t even understand how the hell this whole health inspection thing happened.
One day we were fine, and then suddenly we weren’t.
It’s like someone flipped a switch, and now I’m supposed to just… deal with it.”
Dawn leans a hip against the counter, watching me like she’s weighing her words. “Sounds like you have been dealing with it.”
I let out a humorless laugh. “Not very well.”
She waves a hand. “No one deals with this kind of shit well, Blue. But you’re fighting for that place, and that’s what matters.”
I shake my head, rubbing a hand over my face. “It’s just…I don’t know. I feel like I’m constantly holding my breath, waiting for the next thing to go wrong.”
Dawn lets out a long breath, reaching for a cigarette before thinking better of it and stuffing the pack back in her pocket. “Yeah, well. Life’s good at throwing punches. But you? You’ve always been good at taking ‘em.”
I glance up at her, at the way she’s watching me, like she’s seeing something I don’t.
Dawn nudges me lightly with her elbow. “So. How’s everything with that Wilding boy?”
A smile tugs at my lips before I can stop it. “It’s…really good.”
Dawn quirks a brow and smirks. “Well, would you look at that. That boy’s been sweet on you since he was barely tall enough to reach your shoulder.”
I roll my eyes, swatting the air like I can wave her words away. “Please. We were kids. Dumb as hell and twice as reckless.”
“Mmhmm.” She crosses her arms, leaning back like she’s settling in to watch me squirm. “Kids who couldn’t go ten minutes without sneakin’ off somewhere just to be together every chance you got.”
I roll my eyes. “You make it sound a lot more romantic than it was. ”
Dawn hums, tapping a finger against the counter. “I’ve been around long enough to know real love when I see it, Blue. And trust me, that boy? He’s been looking at you like you hung the damn moon for as long as I can remember.”
I swallow, my fingers tightening around the fork. “Yeah, well. Wanting something and knowing how to make it work are two very different things.”
Dawn shrugs, reaching for a glass from my cabinet like she’s been doing it her whole life. “What’s there to work out?”
I let out a breath, setting my fork down with a quiet clink.
“Um, I don’t know…literally everything?” I lean against the counter, crossing my arms. “If we worked out, we’d have to live together eventually.
Where would we live? Boone’s not going to want to leave the ranch, but if we move out there, Hudson has to switch schools.
He’s already comfortable here, has his friends, his baseball team.
” I shake my head. “And the Bluebell is a lot farther from the ranch than it is from my house. I don’t even know if it’d be manageable with my hours. ”
Dawn nods, considering this as she pours herself a glass of water. “So don’t move right away.”
I blink. “What?”
She shrugs. “You don’t have to have all the answers right now, Blue. You can take your time. Let things settle. You and Boone don’t have to have it all figured out tomorrow.”
I sigh. “Yeah, but eventually, we will.”
Dawn nods, leaning back against the counter. “You will. And when that time comes, you’ll figure it out then.”
I shake my head, letting out a small laugh. “Just that easy, huh?”
She gives me a knowing look. “It’s not easy. But it’s also not as complicated as you’re making it.” She takes a slow sip of water, then sets the glass down with a soft clink. “Look, I get it. Life doesn’t always make room for the things we want. But you make room. You adjust.”
I watch her. “Sounds like you know a lot about this.”
Dawn sighs. “I got three daughters in California, six grandkids. I’d give just about anything to be close to them. But you know what California’s got?” She lifts a brow. “Rent prices higher than my blood pressure.”
I let out a quiet laugh, but she just shakes her head.
“It’s not always about what we want, Blue.
Sometimes it’s about what’s realistic. What makes sense for everyone involved.
” She lifts a shoulder. “You don’t have to have every detail planned out before you decide to be with someone.
You just have to decide you’re gonna make it work. ”
I lean a hip against the counter, tilting my head. “What about you? Are you gonna move to California when you retire? Be next to your daughters?”
Dawn snorts, shaking her head as she takes another sip of water. “Yeah, once I win the damn lottery.”
I laugh. “Fair enough.”
She waves a hand, dismissing the thought, then narrows her eyes at me. “What about you? You got any plans tonight? A girl as pretty as you shouldn’t be sitting around on a weekend.”
I roll my eyes, smiling. “Well, Hudson’s staying with Molly at the ranch tonight. He’s been begging to have a sleepover there and I finally caved. So Boone and I are going out to The Lucky Devil.”
Dawn lets out a low whistle, shaking her head like she approves. “Now that’s more like it. When I was your age, I was out every weekend, drinking whatever was cheapest, dancing to a terrible house band, making a few bad decisions.” She tilts her head. “Actually, most of them were bad decisions.”
I snort. “Sounds like a hell of a time.”
She shrugs. “It was. Not all of it was smart, but it was mine. That’s the point, Blue. Having a night that’s just yours.”
I exhale, nodding. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had one of those. Feels weird, like I’m forgetting something.”
She gives me a look, one eyebrow lifting. “You are forgetting something. That you’re still allowed to have fun.”
Before I can say anything, she squeezes my shoulder, then pulls back. “Do me a favor—have a good night for me. A real good night.”
I smirk. “Oh yeah? ”
She grins. “Hell, if I was thirty years younger, I’d be climbing Boone Wilding like a damn tree.”
Laughter bursts out of me, loud and unfiltered. “Jesus, Dawn.”
She just winks, grabbing her purse. “Go have fun, sweetheart. Don’t overthink it.”
I walk Dawn to the door, my arms crossed as I glance at her. “Try not to get into too much trouble now.”
She grins, slipping her sunglasses over her hair. “Diner’s closed, babe. I’ve got all the time in the world to cause trouble.”