CHAPTER 16
CLAYTON
“Well Duke, you’ve gone and done it this time,” Clayton muttered, scratching his dog’s head. Just when it seemed like he and Jamie were getting somewhere she’d gone and poof —vanished. The girls had taken a real shine to her, and now he had to break the news that another woman had up and gone.
“Knock, knock,” Nolan said, strolling in like he lived there.
Clayton huffed. He wasn’t in the mood for company, especially not from Nolan, who was the reason his damn dog still had all his parts.
“Where are the girls?” Clayton asked, settling into the couch.
“They rode their bikes over to Momma and Daddy’s to tell them about the puppies.”
Clayton pinched the bridge of his nose. “You going to fix Duke now that he got Poppy knocked up?”
Nolan smirked. “First thing in the morning.”
Clayton shot him a glare. “If you’d done it earlier we wouldn’t be in this mess.”
“Hey, at least he’ll be less nuts after this. ”
Clayton let out a flat laugh, secretly annoyed Nolan got the joke in first.
“Where’s Jamie?” Nolan asked, sitting on the couch next to Duke.
Clayton let out a long breath, elbows resting on his knees. “She went back to town.”
“For good?”
Clayton stood and headed into the kitchen. “Looks like it.” He yanked a bottle of Jack Daniel’s from the counter. “I need a drink.”
“A little early, isn’t it?”
Clayton twisted the cap. “What’s it matter?” He stretched his left elbow over his head, working out some tension. “Damn shame, too. I made some progress with Jamie this morning, that’s the real kicker.” He poured himself a glass and wandered back into the living room.
“How so?”
“She rode with me to drop the girls at school. Held their hands, took selfies with their friends, even smiled through it.” He shook his head, still not quite believing it himself. “Hell, she acted more like a momma to them than Tammy ever did.”
Nolan whistled. “That’s real sweet.”
“Sweetest damn thing I ever saw.”
Nolan leaned forward. “So what’s the plan now?”
Clayton rolled the glass between his fingers, staring at the amber liquid. “That was the plan. Keep her here until she liked me.” He let out a dry laugh, shaking his head. “Almost worked too.”
“Almost,” Nolan echoed. “Real admirable effort.”
Clayton scowled. “Thought I had her.”
“Yeah well, it turns out that women don’t fall in love with men who annoy them.”
Clayton snorted. “Tell that to every damn country song ever written. ”
Nolan smirked but didn’t argue. “You’ll still see her at the studio, won’t you?”
Clayton let out a sharp exhale. “Finished my record early just to mess with her. Thought I was being clever. Turns out I only screwed myself.” He took a sip of whiskey, shaking his head. “Guess I’ll see her at the ACMs in Vegas . . . assuming she doesn’t fake a family emergency to dodge me.”
Nolan snorted. “That’s in April.”
“Yup.”
“So your big swoon-worthy romantic gesture is waiting two months and hoping she shows up?”
Clayton groaned. “You’re the worst.”
“And yet here you are, drinking whiskey and taking my advice. I should start charging for this.”