Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
That conversation played over and over in his mind for days like a damn earworm he couldn’t shake. And other than it being incredibly frustrating, it also forced Slater to really think about his life.
The highs. The lows. All he achieved.
All that he missed.
Yeah, having his father come to the resort brought so many painful memories back; things from his childhood he’d thought were long forgotten, but now they were sitting front and center in his mind.
He remembered spending time at friends’ houses and seeing how…
normal everything was—they ate dinner as a family, went on vacations together, celebrated holidays at home.
These were all things he remembered desperately wanting for himself.
Unfortunately, instead of trying to capture that as an adult, he’d run from it.
Just like he ran from everything.
All because he gave Cal Slater Senior all the power.
And honestly? He was so ready to be done with that mindset.
Part of the reason he felt like it had plagued him for so long was mainly because it was his father, and that screwed-up dynamic messed with every aspect of his life growing up.
Losing his mother five years ago made him hold on to the rage with both fists because he fully blamed Cal for it.
But the reason it stayed was because he let himself spend so much time by himself.
Obviously, he had friends and had been in more than his fair share of casual relationships, but other than Walker, Axel, Milo, and Connor, he wasn’t close to anyone.
Until Evie.
She had brought something into his life that made him almost desperate to hold on to—like an elusive last piece of a puzzle he’d been searching for his entire life.
It was both comforting and terrifying at the same time.
She was leaving tomorrow; everything was planned and her flight was booked. Her work here with Milo was done and she had a life waiting for her back in Seattle.
A life he had no idea how to fit into.
What would it even look like? She was a corporate executive assistant. She worked regular hours, had weekends off, and scheduled vacations. He’d spent the last fifteen years practically living like a drifter. Sure, he’d stay at a job for a year or two, but when he got bored, he moved on.
He didn’t want to move on from Evie, but he just didn’t know how to stay.
The long breath he let out as he leaned back in his chair did little to help him find an answer. Sitting down in the shed office was peaceful and kind of what he felt he needed, but he clearly wasn’t figuring this out on his own. He needed to talk to someone.
Or several someones.
Reaching for his phone, he pulled up the group text with just the guys.
Slater: Anyone around that can meet me at the shed office?
Walker and Harlow weren’t leaving town until tomorrow, but he had no idea what they were doing today. He saw Connor up in the kitchen earlier, and Axel was heading up to the amphitheater site about an hour ago. And Milo was obviously at his office in town because that’s where Evie was.
Axel: I’m heading your way right now. Everything ok?
Slater: Yeah, just need to bounce some ideas off of people.
Connor: Why don’t you come up to the lodge and we’ll eat lunch? We can use the conference room.
“That seems a bit excessive,” he murmured, but it was preferable to talking in the middle of the restaurant.
Slater: Sure. Axel and I will head up there shortly.
Walker: Harlow and I are just pulling back up to the resort.
Walker: Is this a guys only thing or can she join us?
Connor: Dude, this is the no girls allowed text chain. What do you think?
That one made him laugh.
Slater: Yeah, sorry. I kind of need this one to be just us.
Walker: No problem. See you soon.
He stood and stretched just as Axel came through the door. “You ready?”
Nodding, he grabbed his phone and keys so he could lock up. “Yup.”
It wasn’t until they were out on the path that Axel spoke again. “Does this have anything to do with you finding your next gig?”
“I’m not sure yet.”
“Ah. So then it’s about Evie.”
His head snapped around so fast that it actually made him hiss. “Why do you say that?”
Chuckling, Axel continued walking along. “It’s kind of obvious. We’ve all been wondering what you were going to do when she leaves.”
“I’ve been wondering the same damn thing.”
“And?”
“And that’s what I need to talk about,” he said with a huff. “I don’t know what the right thing to do is. I’ve lived my whole life hating the fact that I’m like my father and not wanting to do to anyone what he did to them. Like what he did to my mother.”
They walked in companionable silence as they reached the parking lot.
“Maisie and I are having a baby.”
Slater stopped dead in his tracks. “What?!”
Turning, Axel’s smile was a mile wide. “Yup. Found out yesterday. We were going to tell everyone tonight at dinner, but I thought I’d tell you first.”
“Holy crap! I…congratulations!” They did a bro hug, but when Slater stepped back, he was a little confused. “Why me? Why tell me first?”
With a huff of his own, Axel stepped in front of him.
“I grew up in a super shitty situation and was abandoned by both of my parents. I lived through abusive situations in a few foster homes before I landed where I did.” He paused.
“I spent a lot of years telling myself I could never have what everyone else did because of where I came from, and you know what? That’s a load of crap. ”
“Axel…”
“No, you need to hear this. I thought it was okay to get involved with Maisie and even fall in love with her, but bringing a child into the world? I never would have considered it simply based on where I came from. And that’s a huge mistake.
It’s not like I’m not borderline terrified or anything, but I know I’m not like them.
I was just a damn kid and did a lot of dumb things in my life, but I was never like them.
Just like you’re not like your father. You never were.
Unfortunately, the only one who doesn’t see it is you. ”
“There have been plenty of things I’ve done that are like…”
Axel’s hand landed hard on his shoulder. “No, you haven’t. You’ve done plenty of things that make you human.”
Evie’s words came back to him again.
“Did you ever purposely hurt someone? Were you ever deliberately mean to them?”
“No.”
“Do you think your father was?”
“Yes.”
“Then see? You’re not like him.”
“But what if…”
“Come on,” Axel said, nodding toward the lodge. “I think you need a little more time.” And as they continued to walk, they spotted Milo’s car.
“Hey!” he said, walking over to join them. “I got your text and was getting ready for lunch and figured I’d head over.”
Slater looked around. “Where’s Evie?”
“Oh, she ordered lunch from the pub, and then she really wanted to spend some time at the bookstore and grab some things for the flight home.”
That made him laugh softly. She was mildly obsessed with books, and they had joked about her needing an extra suitcase to bring home all the ones she’d purchased over the last month.
“Does anyone know what’s on the menu for lunch?” Milo asked. “Did Connor mention anything?”
“No idea. This was all last minute,” Slater murmured.
“Everything okay?” Milo asked. “You don’t normally ask for a meeting. Did you finally find where you’re moving to next?”
He and Axel exchanged glances before he said, “I’m not sure. That’s what I wanted to talk to everyone about.”
“Oh.”
Slater stopped again, and it took his friends a moment to notice. When they did, he focused on Milo. “Look, before we go inside and see everyone, I need to know that we’re okay. Like…all this with Evie and me…?”
Milo didn’t respond right away. He just studied Slater with an intensity that seemed a bit much for the situation.
“I was mad as hell at you when I first found out,” he said lowly.
“And it wasn’t because I thought you weren’t good enough for her; I just knew that you weren’t looking for anything serious.
I’ve known Evie for a long time, and I’ve seen the way guys just treat her like she’s okay for now, you know?
And I saw you doing the same thing.” He shrugged.
“I felt like a protective older brother, and it pissed me off that one of my best friends was the one doing that to her.”
Well, shit. I walked right into that one.
Shifting slightly, Milo went on. “But the thing that made this different—other than her yelling at me that morning and basically telling me to mind my own business—was that I’ve never seen her this happy.
Ever. I mean, Evie’s an upbeat person. She’s everyone’s personal hype girl.
But I never saw her light up the way she does around you.
” He sighed. “And I’m not sure if it’s a good thing or a bad thing that I’m saying that, considering she’s leaving tomorrow and you guys are going your separate ways. ”
Slater went to talk, but Axel interrupted. “No offense, but we should take this inside. Connor and Walker are waiting, and I have a feeling we’re in for a long afternoon.”
“I need to be back at the office by three, so…” Milo quickly announced.
“Then we really need to get inside and talk this out. Let’s go.”
With little more than a nod, they all went inside and directly to the conference room. It felt weird to have literally no conversation, but it seemed like this sort of situation required everyone’s full attention.
They met Walker along the way, and when they reached the conference room, Connor was already putting platters of food on the table.
Without looking up, he said, “On such short notice, I just put together a couple of the barbecue platters minus the corn on the cob.” He moved around the table as one of the staff put out plates and silverware, and another brought in a variety of drinks.
Within minutes, it was down to the five of them.
“Everybody make your plates,” Axel told them. “Milo’s got to get back to the office.”