Chapter 29 #2
“I’ll bring two bottles,” she volunteered. “I’ll talk to London about it after our next meeting. We’ll see you tonight.”
“See you tonight.” I hung up and stared at the landscape ahead as it changed from countryside to city outskirts, and then I was back downtown and driving into a parking garage that made me feel like I’d been hallucinating wide open spaces and countryside just thirty minutes ago.
That was just one more thing I was loving about Texas so far.
The diversity of not only the landscape, but the people, the cultures, the building styles, and just the city itself.
A sigh escaped me as I realized that already I didn’t quite feel like a New Yorker anymore—despite the fact that these last few days I’d been very intentionally dressing like I used to.
Thankfully, I had enough work to distract me from Charlie and from how much Texas was already changing me. I would also be a city girl at heart, but this whole country thing sure wasn’t bad either.
When I stopped at the grocery store on my way home to pick up what I needed for my charcuterie board, I kept an eye out for Ms. Burl, but she wasn’t there today, which was strangely disappointing.
After grabbing what I needed, I went home and changed into shorts and a tank top.
I’d only just finished putting together my platter when Lacey and London arrived.
My sister grinned when I opened the door and she held up two bottles of wine. “The food is in my car, but take these and pour us a glass, will you? It’s been a day.”
I chuckled and took the bottles from her. “You got it. Will you close up behind you once Lacey is inside?”
She nodded, glancing over her shoulder to watch our friend park behind her in my driveway. “As long as there’s wine waiting for me, I’ll do anything.”
Laughing, I wondered what Liam had done this time—because her day most definitely involved him— and I turned and went back to my kitchen to fulfill her request. Or maybe it’d been more of a demand.
Either way, I had cold wine ready for them when they joined me and the other bottles were already chilling in the fridge. Lacey smiled gratefully as I handed hers over, but before she’d even taken her first sip, she widened her eyes at me and insisted on getting her answers.
“Are you going to tell us what happened yet?” She waved her free hand in my general direction. “This relaxed, comfortable look is what you’ve had going on since we got here, but ever since the weekend, you’ve been all uptight and put together.”
I laughed. “Gee, thanks. Good to know I don’t look put together when I’m comfortable.”
She rolled her eyes at me. “Don’t be dramatic. You know exactly what I mean.”
“I do,” I admitted, carrying my wine to the living room with me. I’d already taken my charcuterie board there and we sat down with our asses on the floor around my coffee table, sipping our wine and snacking while we talked. “Okay, so what do you want to know?”
“All you’ve told us so far is that it was over with Charlie,” London said. “You haven’t told us why or what he did.”
Lacey swallowed a cracker she’d popped into her mouth and nodded. “Outside of telling us that you got with him, we also didn’t know there was anything going on between you that could be over, so I feel like we’ve got some catching up to do.”
I shook my head. “Not really. We weren’t officially together or anything like that, but it felt like things were moving in that direction.”
“Until?” my sister asked as she brought her wine closer to her lips. “Am I going to want to throw this in his face real soon?”
I shrugged. “You’re going to have to tell me, but I overheard him talking to Dallas after the rodeo last weekend. They didn’t know I was still there. I had to go back for my purse while they were loading up some of the animals.”
“What did he say?” Lacey’s eyes narrowed. “It must’ve been pretty bad.”
“I didn’t stay for the whole conversation, but what I heard was bad enough.
” I took a long sip of wine before I finally forced the words out of my mouth.
“Basically, he said that he had been clear about it with his dad from the beginning that he didn’t want to work with a woman and that it’d been a nightmare for him having me there. ”
“Whoa.” London frowned. “What else?”
“I don’t know. I left after that.”
“You left?” she asked, her head suddenly shaking back and forth. “Nope. I’m not buying that as the whole story. There has to be more to it. You need to go to him and demand an explanation.”
Lacey arched an eyebrow at her. “Why? If she already heard him being two-faced, why should she waste her time?”
I laughed. “Thanks, guys, so much help.”
“Well,” London said as she moved her gaze back to mine. “I think you should hear him out. In the meantime, just be happy that you can get some space while you feel like you need it. Liam never shuts up and he’s everywhere all the time. There’s no escaping him. I don’t get to have any space.”
“At least he keeps you on your toes.” I grinned at her. “You can’t deny that he’s been challenging you.”
“No, I can’t.” She sighed.
Lacey smiled a suspicious smile and I frowned. “What? Spit it out, Lace.”
“I think he likes you,” she said to London. “Seriously, you should see the way he looks at you when he doesn’t think anyone is watching.”
London scoffed. “No way. We could never look at each other like that. If he’s looking at me at all, it’s because he’s plotting my murder. He’s been around forever. We’ve known each other since we were kids.”
“I could totally see it,” I said, chuckling as I swiped my phone off the counter. “Let’s Facetime Abigail and see what she thinks. I miss her, and I’m pretty sure she’s going to take our side.”