Chapter 14
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
WYATT
“You won’t believe what happened,” my mother says when I enter my parents’ house after just finishing my four-day shift.
Thankfully, work wasn’t too crazy busy, yet I’m still exhausted. Maybe it’s the nonstop speed I’ve been going, never getting a break. The last easygoing day I had was when I went out on the boat with Dottie, and that was almost two weeks ago.
Can’t stop thinking about running into Rachel working the ice cream counter at Mitchell’s.
Talk about a complete shock—she was the last person I expected to see there.
What happened between us that night in the parking lot of the Snowline was supposed to be only one night.
I never expected to see her again—that’s why I thought it was a good idea to fuck around with her in the back seat of the car anyway.
I didn’t think we’d take it as far as we did, but I almost turned into an irresponsible jackass who had sex without a condom.
At least Rachel had some common sense and had me look for one.
Pulling out at the last second doesn’t guarantee shit.
I know this. I’ve experienced this in the past, and that moment resulted in Dottie.
Couldn’t deny the tension between us, though. The chemistry. The need I felt to touch her bare skin, kiss her mouth. Get her off. Get myself off . . .
And now here she is, living in my town. Working at Mitchell’s Landing. Dottie and I go in there all the time. How can I avoid her? Do I want to? Maybe.
Maybe not.
Can’t deny Rachel was cute with the shocked look on her face when she spotted me and the frazzled vibe she had going on.
Working the counter at Mitchell’s is no joke.
I remember all the girls I knew complaining about it back in the day when I worked there.
My sister, Serena, worked that counter too when she was in high school . . .
I couldn’t help but notice how Rachel’s black T-shirt was smeared with ice cream and chocolate, and she even had a smudge of chocolate on her cheek.
What in the world is a rich woman like her doing working at Mitchell’s?
It makes no sense, and I had about a hundred questions I wanted to ask her, but really?
It’s none of my business. I can’t get caught up in the fact that the woman I had sex with in the back seat of her car is now . . . what? Living here in Foxglove Bay? Is this a temporary thing? Or is she a permanent resident now?
It means absolutely nothing to me, but I am curious why she’s sticking around and why she had to get a job. Did her parents cut her off? If so, that sucks, but maybe this newfound independence could be good for her?
Wait until the Fourth of July comes around.
That’s when the tourist influx really ramps up in our area.
She’ll be working extra hard from that point on and through the rest of the summer—if she stays that long.
Somehow, I’m not scheduled to work on the Fourth this year, but I do the next day, and I’m grateful for the small reprieve.
I realize my mom is standing in front of me with an expectant look on her face, and her words slowly register in my brain, filling me with faint panic. Shit, did something bad happen?
“Is Dottie okay?”
“She’s great.” Mom waves a hand toward the living room, where I spot Dottie sitting on my dad’s lap in his recliner as they watch a baseball game together. “I have good news.”
I withhold the weary exhale that wants to leave me. All I want is to collect my kid and go home, but I know Mom isn’t going to let me leave until she tells me what happened. “What is it?”
“Your dad won a giveaway!” She clasps her hands together, resting them under her chin.
“Okay . . .”
“It’s a trip,” Dad calls from his chair. “Forgot to tell your mom about it.”
“Uh-huh.” I’m frowning, wondering what any of this has to do with me. “Where did you win this trip to?”
“It’s a four-day cruise to Mexico! Your dad won it at the beginning of the year at work and then promptly forgot to tell me until recently. Like yesterday. We have to redeem the giveaway right now or we lose out.”
“I don’t care if we lose out,” Dad says.
“I am going on this cruise,” Mom says, her voice firm. “With or without you.”
Dad sighs. “Fine.”
“Sounds kind of scammy, don’t you think?
That there’s a time limit on this prize?
” I rub my hand across the back of my neck, worried we might be at the point where one of us has to monitor Mom and Dad on the internet.
I don’t want them to get taken advantage of and lose the family fortune, not that they have one.
Though this house’s proximity to the lake has made it more valuable over the years.
“It’s not a scam. Your dad got it through his work, and we have to take the trip right away or else we’ll have to pay additional fees. The cruises all went up in price. Inflation, you know.” She nods, her tone cryptic.
“Right. Inflation.” I let the sigh fly this time, not holding back. “When are you going on this cruise?”
“Well, that’s where I have a bit of an issue—for you.” She presses her lips together. “We have to take the cruise that’s running next week.”
I frown. “Next week? You mean on the Fourth of July?”
“Well, not exactly, but the ship leaves the port on the first day of your next shift.” She grimaces. “I already talked to Serena, and she said she could help out with taking care of Dot while I’m gone.”
“Great. I appreciate you confirming that. It’s just—I don’t have any way of taking vacation time right now, Mom.
You know this.” But I can’t complain. I refuse to complain.
My parents, in particular my mother, have been saints when it comes to helping me take care of Dottie.
I need her help. I can’t do any of this without her, and while I know Serena will step in, she probably can’t take care of Dottie for the entirety of my shift, and yeah . . . what am I going to do?
“Oh, I know, and I had a thought. Maybe Nate can help you!” Mom suggests, her tone overly positive because she knows this is a terrible idea. “He’s off right now. Won’t be back at the high school for football until at least mid-July.”
“The slob can barely take care of himself. He’d probably feed her pizza and hot dogs every night for dinner. And breakfast.” Lunch too. He eats like a garbage can and is still cut with more muscle than I am, the asshole.
“She’d probably love it. An adventure with her uncle.” Mom is way too enthusiastic about this. Probably because she knows it will never work.
Sounds like more trouble than I need, if you ask me, and would Nate really want to be responsible for Dottie for a few days? Doubtful. He loves her, but he knows his limits, and so do I.
“I wanna stay with you, Daddy.” Dottie hops off my dad’s lap and joins us in the kitchen, a petulant expression on her sweet little face. “I don’t wanna stay with Uncle Nate. He’d probably forget to feed me.”
Mom and I share a look. What I said probably didn’t help with her feeling that way.
Kneeling down, I get on my daughter’s level and rest my hands on her slender shoulders. “It would only be for one night.”
Dottie slowly shakes her head, that lower lip sticking out in the world’s best pout. The girl is an expert. “I wanna stay with Grandma. Or you.”
“You could stay one night with Aunt Serena, one night with Uncle Nate, and—”
“No!” Dot shakes her head, her hair flapping against her face. “Can’t you quit work and stay with me while Grandma is gone?”
Grandma and I share a look, guilt eating me alive. I may not want Cheryl in our lives, but if we had her around, our daughter could have a mother who would take care of her and love her. Instead, it’s all on me.
And sometimes it gets pretty fucking rough.
“Look, why don’t you stay the night with me and Grandpa, okay? We can stay up late, watch a movie, and eat hot fudge sundaes.”
I open my mouth to protest the hot fudge sundae part, but then snap my lips shut when I see the pure joy light up my daughter’s face.
“Can we get pizza too?”
“We’ll get whatever you want.” Mom sends me a meaningful look, and now I remember why Nate eats like a garbage can.
He picked up his bad habits from Mom. “We’ll let your daddy have a little break tonight so he can figure out what he needs to do with his schedule.
Now give your dad a hug and go back and sit with your grandpa. ”
“Bye, Daddy, I love you.” She wraps her arms around my neck and chokes me out a little before she takes off. I rise to my feet, staring down at my mom while she blows out a loud breath.
“I’m sorry. I hate putting you in this predicament—” she starts, but I cut her off.
“It’s not your fault. You should be able to live your life and go on cruises instead of being saddled with my kid all the time.”
“Hey, it’s never a bother. I love that child and I love you.” Mom pats my arm, her hand lingering. “You look tired.”
“I’m exhausted.”
“Then go home and go to bed. I’ve got this. And I’ll talk to your sister and Nathaniel. We’ll figure this all out before we leave.”
“Thanks, Mom.” I give her a brief hug and hightail it out of there before Dottie changes her mind.
Maybe it will do me good to have some alone time. I’ll probably shovel some food in my mouth and go straight to bed.
* * *
I can’t fall asleep. I’m lying in the middle of my bed and staring up at the ceiling fan, watching it whirl around and around.
It’s not even nine o’clock, and the last thing I want to do is fall asleep.
But what else am I going to do? Crawl out of bed and .
. . what? Watch TV? There’s nothing good on. Go out?
Fuck that. I have no one I want to go out with. Except . . .
Grabbing my phone, I tap out a quick text and send it.
What are you doing?
The reply comes back in seconds.
Waiting for your text.
Bullshit.
Mom told me she has Dottie for the night. She also told me you need my babysitting services.
Dottie’s worried about spending the night with you. Thinks you’ll forget to feed her.
I would never. I’m offended.
By a six-year-old?
That child could cut me with one look and you know it. She’s scary.
I roll my eyes. He’s so dramatic.
Also since you’re a free man, I figured you’d want to go out tonight.
He’s a mind reader.
Unless you have a lady friend there keeping you company.
How old are you? Eighty? Lady friend?
Just trying to keep things proper.
I have no lady friends.
Liar. I can think of a few.
Like who?
Paige.
She’s your lady friend.
There’s Suzi.
She’s my coworker and I’m her superior. Plus, she’s got a girlfriend.
Wait a minute. SUZI HAS A GIRLFRIEND???
He sends a bunch of mind-blown emojis.
Chuckling, I type out a response.
It’s not news. She’s been with Kayla for like two years.
Kayla Valdez? No fucking way.
Giving up, I call my brother. “I’m sick of texting.”
“I had no idea Suzi was with Kayla.”
“Where the hell have you been? They’ve been a couple for quite a while. They’re always together.”
“I thought they were just best friends, what do I know? Wow.” Nate sounds like he’s actually in shock. “I had a crush on Kayla back in the day.”
“Sounds like there’s a reason it never happened between you two.”
“Fuck you.” He says it good-naturedly.
“No, fuck you for bringing up Paige as my so-called lady friend. Isn’t she more yours?”
“She hates me.”
She probably does. “She’s in love with you.”
“Why? I don’t get it. I’m a dickhead. I’ll just break her heart.”
“I know, but somehow she sees the good in you anyway.” My brother is not a bad guy. He’s just bad at relationships, and I can’t figure out why. “Let’s go out.”
“In search of lady friends?”
“No, asswipe. Let’s go get a beer at the Snowline. It was fun, hanging out there.”
“It was more fun when we had the girls with us.” He pauses. “Paige and Rachel.”
“Then let’s invite them.” I snap my lips shut, startled by my suggestion. I don’t really want to see her again, do I? More like I’m curious. Why is she still here?
Yeah, that’s it. I’m just curious. I can get past the awkwardness of knowing what she looks like mostly naked and have a normal conversation with her, can’t I?
Maybe. Maybe not.
“No shit?” He sounds excited.
“No shit. Send Paige a text and ask her what she’s doing.”
“No fucking way. I don’t want to get her hopes up.” He sounds scared, the pussy. “You text her.”
“What, are we in middle school now?” I never told my brother what happened between me and Rachel that night.
And he’s never brought up anything that happened between him and Paige.
We’re on a “don’t ask, don’t tell” type of plan here because if I bring it up, that opens me up to questions I don’t want to answer.
He doesn’t even hesitate. “Yeah, I guess we are. Text her. I can’t be the one who does it.”
“Fine.” My ragged exhale is extra loud because I’m annoyed. But for whatever reason, I’m still gonna do it. “I’ll reach out. You owe me one, though.”
“No problem. I’ll buy your drinks tonight. And I’ll be your designated driver.”
“Seriously?”
“Definitely. It’s not every day my big brother asks me to go out with him, so I’m going to make sure he’s taken care of.”
“That’s the sweetest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
“Well, don’t get used to it,” he tells me. “This is merely a special occasion.”