Chapter 29
Chapter Twenty-Nine
SAM
It feels like every set of eyes is on me. I shouldn’t have come here. But with a long break between guests, I needed a change of scenery.
I couldn’t go to the main lodge because I’d run into Joey. The last thing I want is to make anything harder on her.
Fuck.
I keep replaying that day in my head. What we could have done to maybe make this blow land differently.
Greg was never going to be happy that I was dating Joey. I don’t know if he’ll ever speak to me again considering the way he found out about us.
Just like everyone here in town. I’m probably just being paranoid, because I doubt Greg would go spreading the news around town, even though he hates me now. It feels like it’s written all over my face.
Heartbroken because Greg found out about me and Joey and now we can’t be together.
It fucking sucks.
“There you are.”
I glance up to find Lennox sliding into the booth across from me.
“Were you looking for me?”
“Yes.”
A jean jacket covers her Dusty Spur T-shirt, and her hair is pulled up into a high ponytail.
“Are you off to work?”
“I swung by to check on you at home and the ranch, and since I didn’t see you, I thought you might be somewhere in town.” She nods.
“Where all have you looked?” I ask, playing with the coffee stirrer in front of me.
I gave her a very brief rundown of what happened with Joey, but I couldn’t get into it. I was too upset. Thankfully she recognized that and didn’t push.
“The Pancake Emporium was my first stop and when you weren’t there, I figured the Hash ’N Hop was the next likely spot.”
“Do you want something to eat?” I ask.
“Are you buying?” She laughs.
“What parent doesn’t?”
Betty walks over, smile on her face as she refills my coffee. “How are you two?”
“I’ve been better.”
“Can I get the burger and cheese fries with a strawberry shake, please?” Lennox asks.
She smiles at her. “Such good manners, Lennox. We could have used you here.”
“I didn’t know you were hiring,” she says.
“Ever since Kade stole Presley away to work at the ranch, I’m down an employee. I see Chase snapped you up. Arlene would be so disappointed in me.”
“Sorry.” Lennox grins at her.
“It’s a good thing we like you.”
I sit back in the booth as the two of them chat. Even coming here doesn’t help quell my racing thoughts.
I’m not only worried about Joey, but her dad too. There’s no way we can be together after he reacted the way that he did.
I should cut my losses while I can. If I didn’t love my job so much, I’d probably leave town. But then I’d also be leaving my daughter.
Fuck.
A broken heart really fucking sucks.
“Oh, hi, Serena.”
I glance up at the woman Lennox greets, hopping out of the booth to hug her.
“Lennox. It’s nice to see you back in town. But I knew you’d be here.” She winks one eye behind her thick glasses.
“Got time for a reading?” Lennox asks.
Jesus. This is the last thing I want. All I wanted was to get away from the ranch and the pressing fear that I would run into Joey. I don’t think I could stand to see her right now. To see the pain that I’ve caused her.
Because she can’t lose her family. I know that. It’s the most important thing we have. Even if I love her more than anything.
“Slide over, Dad.”
Lennox pushes me farther into the booth as Serena takes her seat.
“Would you like a reading?” Serena asks me.
“I—”
“Don’t be mean,” Lennox hisses.
I groan, rubbing a hand over my neck. “Okay. Why not?” I acquiesce.
Nothing else seems to be going well in my life, so I doubt this could do any more harm. She shuffles the cards in her hands before starting to lay them out.
“Oh. Ohh.” Her ethereal voice takes on an urgent tone.
“That doesn’t sound good,” I say.
“The Three of Swords,” Serena says with an air of distress. “It means emotional pain. Maybe even heartbreak.”
I snort. No fucking shit.
Lennox elbows me in the side.
“What can he do about it?” Lennox asks.
“I’m afraid the only path is to keep moving forward,” she says. “By doing that, the pain will lessen and you’ll be able to move on with your life.”
“And what if I don’t want to move on?”
“Dad.” Lennox whacks me in the side.
“What? What if I’m not ready to move on?”
I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready to move on from Joey. She’s the first real relationship I’ve had since my wife died. I don’t know what that says about me.
Clearly I’m not the poster child of being able to move on.
“Do you have a plan?” Lennox asks.
“Well, no.”
“If you don’t have a plan, how do you know what you want to do? You can’t just wallow about what happened.”
“I know that, but—”
“Do you really think you’d be happy not being with Joey?”
“Would you be happy that I’m dating someone so close in age to you?”
She shrugs a shoulder. “I’m not going to lie; it was weird when you first told me.”
“But?”
“But seeing you now? I know it’s real.”
Serena’s eyes pinball back and forth between me and my daughter.
“Got any advice over there on how to deal with a friend who doesn’t want you to date his daughter?”
“Who are you dating?” Serena asks.
This causes Lennox to laugh. Of course Serena wouldn’t know.
“Joey Andrews.”
“Oh.” Her eyes grow wide. “Yes, well, I can see that being a problem. Have you tried talking to her father?”
“Thanks for the advice, Serena.”
Betty comes back, dropping off Lennox’s lunch order, and Serena wanders off, stopping at a table that flags her down.
I steal a fry off the plate.
“You know, you could try talking to Joey’s dad,” Lennox states.
“That is probably off the table,” I say.
“Have you tried?”
The look she gives me is so much like her mother that my heart clangs around in my chest. I don’t know if I can handle losing a second person I love.
“I’ll worry about myself and the heartbreak that Serena predicted, and you just worry about making a good impression at your job.”
“Someone has to worry about you.” She rolls her eyes at me. “I love you, Dad, and you deserve to be happy too.”
I kiss her head. “Thanks, Lenny. But I’m the parent. I’ll do the worrying.”
She pushes her plate closer to me. “At least let me worry now. You need to eat something before you go back to work.”
“Fine,” I grumble. “In the meantime, tell me how your job is so I can have a distraction.”
As far as afternoons go, hearing about my daughter’s new job is pretty damn good. It takes my attention off Joey and what happened between us. Even if it’s just for a little while.
I drop a twenty on the table and head out with her.
“Why don’t you come over for dinner next week if you’re not working?”
“Only if you let me make it,” she says, buttoning up her coat.
“I told you, I’m fine.”
“Doesn’t mean I can’t bring you dinner.” She smiles.
“Fine. Have a good night at work.”
“I will.” She hugs me. “Love you, Dad.”
“Love you too.”
I watch as she walks toward the corner and runs across the street before heading into the bar. Leaving me, once again, all alone, as I leave for the ranch.
I should be used to being alone by now. But a small glimpse at a life with Joey was too much.
Because it’s all I want now.
If only I knew how to have it…