Chapter 34
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Town
“You take Poet to the house,” I said, handing Hadley the keys. “I’ll find Wyn and we’ll meet you there.”
“You sure?” Hadley asked.
“I’m sure.”
“Where do you think she went?” Poet asked.
“Not far. The town can fit on a pin head,” I remarked. “If I had to guess, she went to the Copper Mule.”
“They’re not open yet,” Hadley said. “It’s just past two.”
“I have a sixth sense about it,” I said. “She’s probably halfway into a Bloody Mary.”
Poet winced. “Yeah, good luck with that.”
“Maybe you should’ve waited to tell her,” Hadley said.
“Clobber her right before she gets back on a plane to New York?” I shook my head. “This way she can be pissed at me for a few days, we’ll have your bachelorette party, and then your wedding, and by the time she goes home, she’ll be mellowed. Or sedated.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” Hadley allowed. “I guess there wasn’t a good time to tell her.”
We waved goodbye to Gracie and headed out of Sweet Teeth which had started to get busy again.
Hadley and Poet headed for the truck on the other side of the street. “See you in a bit?” Hadley asked.
“Depends how long it takes to wrangle Wyn,” I quipped.
I walked down Silver Street toward the Copper Mule. The front door was unlocked and I went inside. The main lights were on, which illuminated the scarred wooden floor.
Wyn sat at the bar, leaning over her drink and sucking on a straw.
“I knew I’d find you here.” I took the stool next to her. “How’d you get Wade to serve you?”
“I told him I was best friends with you and Hadley. You are town royalty, after all.”
“Hmm. I think it has more to do with the fact that Wade and Hadley dated in high school. That has a certain cachet.”
She gestured to her drink. “Want a sip?”
“All good, thanks.”
The scent of tomato juice made me queasy, so I started to breathe through my mouth.
“I’ve actually never been in here during the day. It loses its appeal, I think,” I said as I looked around.
“What’s that smell?”
“Paprika,” I explained. “They make their own BBQ here.”
“I think I’ll like this place at night,” she said.
“Hey,” I said, patting her thigh. “Talk to me.”
“There’s something you’re not telling me.”
My heart tripped with nerves. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, there’s something going on with you.” Her eyes scanned me from the top of my head down to my boots. “I’ve never seen you this way.”
“What way?”
“Relaxed.”
“Relaxed?”
“Yeah. You’re chaos wrapped in frenetic energy. You’re the human equivalent of amphetamines. And here you are. Chill. That’s very unlike you.”
I laughed. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with that.”
Wade came out of the back, a box of liquor in his arms. “Hey, Salem.”
“Hi Wade. Thanks for serving Wyn.”
“No sweat. Get you something?”
“Nope. I’m good.”
“All right, well, I’ve got more stock to grab. Want to be prepared for tonight.” He ambled toward the back and disappeared, leaving me and Wyn alone.
“So really, what’s going on with you?” Wyn demanded.
She reached out and touched my tresses. “You have no product in your hair and not even a hint of lip gloss on. Hadley is distracted with her wedding, and Poet is constantly trying not to break down into tears, so that leaves me. And I notice things.”
“You think it makes sense to wear high heels and pencil skirts when I live on a ranch?”
“I think you’re deflecting.”
“Did I tell you I got into a fight here a couple of weeks ago?”
“Definitely deflecting.” She sighed. “And no. What happened?”
I breathed an internal sigh of relief that Wyn was just tipsy enough to take the bait even though she knew it was bait. I quickly explained about Amber.
“Oh man, I wish I’d been here to see that,” Wyn said, laughing. But then she sobered. “It just reminds me that I won’t ever get to see that.”
“See what? Me getting into a bar fight?”
She nodded. “You’ll be here and I’ll be back in New York.”
“Just a plane ride away.” I took her hand and gave it a squeeze. “I’ll have to come back to New York to pack up my stuff.”
“Poet and I could do that for you. Like we did for Hadley.”
“No, I’ll take care of it,” I insisted. “That reminds me that I have to talk to my boss.”
“You haven’t told him yet?”
I shook my head. “I’ve been avoiding it. Jack’s been good to me. Took a chance on me—feral, insane me, even though I don’t have a college degree.”
She stared at me. “You really do want to stay, don’t you?”
“Yeah, Wyn. I do.”
“I owe Poet twenty bucks,” she muttered. “She bet you’d decide to stay.”
“If it makes you feel any better, I’ll give you the twenty.”
She wrapped an arm around my shoulder and put her head against mine. “No, it doesn’t make me feel better. I’m going to miss the hell out of you.”
“You could move here,” I suggested.
“And do what?”
“What you do now. Be a nanny.”
“I can’t leave Poet in that city,” Wyn said. “She needs a Viking in shining armor. Her job is chewing her up and spitting her out right now . . . I couldn’t.”
“She’s like Hadley,” I said. “She doesn’t belong in that city. She’s got such a good heart and she’s so sensitive.”
“Yeah, she’s not street like us,” Wyn joked. She dropped her arm from around my shoulder. “Let me suck this drink down, and then I want to see the Ridge.”
“You forgive me?” I asked.
“For living your life and making the best decision for yourself?”
“Yes.”
“No.” She pinched my cheek. “But I’ll have to get over it, won’t I?”
“You know,” Poet said, raising her mug of tea to her lips, “you told us about the ranch. You showed us videos and pictures, you turned the camera around on FaceTime, but nothing, and I mean nothing, prepared me for seeing it in person.”
“Agreed, 110 percent,” Wyn added.
After dinner, the four of us sat around the lit fire circle. It was like old times. If felt like when the four of us were in New York, having random moments where we were all together.
“This is nice,” Hadley said. “I love having you guys here.”
“Me too,” I agreed. “Muddy does too. She was so happy she got to add an extra leaf to extend the dining room table. She loves a full house.”
“Muddy is everyone’s grandmother,” Wyn said.
“And just as nosy,” I warned. “So don’t say anything you don’t want her to pry into.”
“Duly noted,” Wyn said with a laugh.
“Your dad is looking better than I thought he would,” Poet admitted.
“He still tires pretty easily,” Hadley said. “But I’m hoping by the wedding he’ll be able to at least sit through the ceremony. I doubt he’ll be awake for the reception though.”
“You two should do the father-daughter dance first then,” I said.
Hadley smiled. “That’s a good idea.”
“So, Jane is nice,” Poet said.
“Yeah, she’s great,” Hadley added.
“How are you feeling about it all?” Poet looked at me when she asked the question.
“Jane and I had lunch the other day. We’re cool.”
Wyn and Poet stared at me like they didn’t believe me.
“It’s called growth. I’m capable of it.”
“Glad to hear it,” Poet said. “Family friction is the worst.”
“Heard from your parents?” Hadley asked gently.
Poet nodded, but didn’t elaborate.
“So how are you going to entertain us for the next few days?” Wyn asked, changing the subject.
“Well, we can do a trail ride,” Hadley said. “Show you the ranch.”
“But Salem won’t go,” Wyn said. “She hates horses.”
“I don’t hate horses. I love horses. Just don’t like being atop them. But I will suffer a trail ride for you girls.”
“You brought swimsuits, right?” Hadley asked.
“Yep,” Poet said.
“Good.” Hadley looked at me. “The hot spring.”
I nodded. “Yes, the hot spring.”
“There are hot springs nearby?” Wyn asked. “I love hot springs.”
“The spring is on our land,” Hadley explained.
“Well, that’s fucking cool,” Wyn said.
Hadley’s face brightened. “I have a better idea than a trail ride. Why don’t we do an overnight camping trip out there? We can pack the truck with sleeping bags and a tent. Food and marshmallows for a fire and such.”
“Oh, that sounds really fun!” Wyn said. “Get out in nature. Wait, does that mean I have to pee behind a tree?”
“Yes,” I said with a laugh. “You up to the challenge, city girl?”
“If you can do it, I can do it,” Wyn said.