Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
Olivia
Glancing down at my cut-off shorts and yet another oversized t-shirt, I groan, “I look ridiculous, huh? I didn’t know what to wear for Ladies’ Night. I’m not sure how casual the bar is, but I don’t own any going-out clothes. In San Francisco, most of the outfits I’d wear in public were work clothes, and that just didn’t seem like the vibe for the Long Neck.”
She sticks her tongue out and makes a disgusted face. “No, it most certainly is not ! We can take a cruise through my closet to find something for you to wear tonight if you want.”
She marches down the hallway just off the living room, and I follow, realizing I could feel embarrassed about not having anything to wear, but Callie is just so warm. It’s impossible to feel bad about myself in her presence.
I reach the doorway to Callie’s room and stop, awkwardly lingering. Maverick catches up to me and walks right past me, sniffing all over the room. He must smell Callie’s cat, who is currently hiding in the other bedroom. I told her I could just leave Maverick with Rhett today, that he’d enjoy going to the ranch this morning, but she insisted she wanted to see the little guy again.
“You can come in, you know. You don’t have to stay outside.”
I slip through her doorway and find her room is just as vibrant as she is. The walls are coated in a beautiful sage color, and the bedding is a mix of blues, purples, and greens. It’s oddly the perfect mix of juvenile and mature. Even though I’ve only known her for a couple of weeks, the whole room strikes me as perfectly fitting for Callie.
A signed Shania Twain poster hangs on the wall, and a slew of picture frames cover her dresser and nightstand. I pick one up and take in an image of teenage Callie with a girl who looks exactly like her, just a couple of years older. They have their arms thrown around each other, and they’re laughing.
“This is a cute photo. Who is this?”
She peers out from her closet, her grin whooshing off her face as if she’s seen a ghost. “Oh, that’s my sister.”
“I didn’t know you have a sister. Does she live in Roots?”
She steps out of the closet, a pair of brown cowgirl boots in one hand and a silky red tank top in the other. “Try these on. They’ll look great with your shorts.”
I nod and follow her orders, waiting patiently for her to answer my question.
She sits down on the edge of her bed next to me as I slip the boots on. “Her name was Isabel. She was my older sister. She left Roots to go to college in New York, but she wanted to come back here someday.”
“Was?”
“Yeah, she passed away a few years ago.”
It feels like all the air has been sucked out of the room. I don’t know how to react. I don’t know what to say. I’ve had my share of challenges in life, but I still don’t know the right thing to say in a situation like this.
“What happened?” I nudge gently, reaching out for her hand. It’s comforting when Rhett or my mom does it for me, so hopefully it helps her too.
“She was out at a party with friends one night, and her Uber was t-boned on the drive home.”
“Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry!” I remove my hand, reaching out to wrap her in a hug. “I’m sorry I asked. We don’t have to talk about this. You hardly know me.”
“It’s okay. I don’t mind talking about it. It’s been several years. I wouldn’t say I’m over it, but it’s gotten easier with time.” She winces. “Stop looking at me like that. See, I liked it when you were new and clueless.”
“Is that why you wanted to hang out with me?”
“Duh! It definitely couldn’t be anything to do with your great personality.” She nudges my shoulder with a wide grin.
“I’m still really sorry. I can’t even imagine what that must’ve been like. How old were you?”
“I was twenty. It was sort of weird because I was away at school when it happened. I just got this phone call, and that was it. It didn’t feel real.”
“That must’ve been so…”
“It was hard. That’s why I came home from school.”
“I didn’t know you did that.”
“Yeah. Roots was always my home. I needed the support of the people I cared about, and all of those people were in Roots. My parents were here, but so many other people got me through that hard time. Ms. Easton, my next-door neighbor, used to babysit me when I was too little to talk. I used to go over to her house to pet her cat and do puzzles with her, and now we go out for Sangria together. She was there for me when Isabel was gone. She checked in on me to make sure I was eating and showering every day because my parents were too distraught to do it. She was amazing. Then there’s Benny. He owns this little taco truck in town that I went to all the time in high school. He gave me a job when I came back to town and taught me everything he knew about running a small business. I don’t think I’d have had the courage to open the café without him.”
“Sounds like you had a great support system.” I pick at a string on her bedding, unable to push my curiosity aside. What would it be like to not care about everyone else’s expectations of you and just do what you needed to do to let yourself be happy?
“Were your parents upset when you came home instead of finishing up school?”
“I think they were a little disappointed. I never quite fit the mold they had for me, but they were too busy grieving to give me a hard time about it. I think they just gave up on me. Isabel was always their favorite, and they moved to Florida shortly after her death. That’s why I love Roots. Even when my parents were gone, I still had a family here that loved and accepted me for me. They helped me realize I just had to do what was best for me at that time, and it turns out what was best for me was coming back to Roots and opening the café. Isabel and I dreamt of doing it since we were little.”
“That’s so sweet. You’re brave for chasing your dreams like that.”
I wish I could be more like her. I wish I didn’t need the stability of a sturdy job or that I had the bravery to chase a dream without letting fear hold me back. I wish I knew exactly what it was that I needed to fix the things that feel off in my life. The craziest part of it all is that she’s gone through so much and only come out stronger, always smiling and making an effort to make people feel loved. I want to be like that.
“You could chase your dreams too, you know. It just takes a little bit of courage, literally just a few seconds here and there to get started.”
“I don’t even know what my dreams are. I mean, yes, I have interests like marketing and dogs, but those aren’t the kinds of things you make a career out of.”
“Sure they are! Have you ever heard of an influencer? The world is full of more possibilities now than ever. Ninety percent of the journey is just knowing who you want to be and then wanting it badly enough to go after it.”
Starting to feel uncomfortable, I search for a way to change the subject. “How did Rhett get involved with the café? He’s kind of like a silent partner, right?”
“Yeah, he just happened to come to town at the right time.” She pauses, thinking for a bit. “I forced him to be my friend, kind of like I’m doing to you. He didn’t have any choice but to spend some time with me, and he understood the importance of what I was doing.”
“Aww, I love that for you.”
“Yeah, Rhett’s pretty great.” A mischievous look crosses her face. “Speaking of how great Rhett is, we should invite him to come out with us tonight. It could be fun. It’d be good for you two to get out of the house and hang out in a low-key environment. Let loose. Do a little dancing.” She shimmies her shoulders as she leans in toward me.
“No way! You and I are supposed to hang out.”
“I don’t mind third-wheeling for a good cause.”
“Callie!” My face must be as red as the top she gave me.
“I just want you two to get together already.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
“Why not?”
“I’m leaving in a couple months. I don’t want a relationship. I don’t think Rhett wants one either.”
“Trust me, he’s just saying that. That man is a sucker for love.”
“How do you know?”
“I mean it’s obvious if you know Rhett. He’s always doing kind things for people. It’s clear he just wants someone to see him for who he truly is and love him for that.”
“I hate to see the way he’s closed himself off so much. He’s helped push me to reconnect with my parents and to see a counselor for my anxiety. He’s even been there when I had a panic attack. I’m not saying I’m magically healed now. I still have a lot of work to do, but he helped me get started. I just wish I could do the same for him.”
“Then we should definitely invite him out. It’d be good for him to just hang out and have a good time. I promise I don’t mind. Now try the top on! I’m dying to see the full look on you.”
I slip my oversized t-shirt off and slide the tank top on. It fits nicely. It’s slightly cropped, so it sits just perfectly at the waist of my high-rise shorts, and the neck swoops just enough to be flattering without giving away anything. The boots Callie gave me make me look like I actually belong in Roots. I kind of like the sight.
“Damn, you look hot!”
I blush. “I’ve always wanted to have cuter clothes, but when all you do is work or sleep, there’s no sense in buying a top like this.”
“Why not? You could wear this to work!”
“No way! I have to look professional, not draw everyone’s attention to me.”
She purses her lips. “Well, I can assure you, there will be nothing professional about tonight, and everyone’s attention will be on you, especially Rhett’s.” She gives me a once over again before her eyes light up. “Oh, I have this eyeshadow that will make those beautiful eyes of yours pop ! Let me see if I can find it.”