CHAPTERFIFTEEN
Bayleigh
Chase leadsthe way out of the hotel and down the street.I suggest waiting for a taxi, but he insists that the restaurant he wants to take me is within walking distance.I glance back and see Max following a few paces behind us.
The air is chilly out tonight, and I’m grateful for my jumper keeping me warm.
“Where are you taking me?”I ask as we stroll along the empty road.
“You’ll see,” he says with a grin.“Please tell me you didn’t go vegan living in Nashville.”
I chuckle.“I tried to for a time but missed red meat too much.”
“Good,” he says and stops to open a door, waving me inside.
I look up to read the sign.“Barbeque?Really?”
“I bet it’s even better than anything you’ve tried in Nashville.”
I laugh.“That’s a pretty high bar to beat.But I’m game.You know I love my barbeque.”
“Oh, I remember,” he whispers as I move past him.
The restaurant smells of cooking meat and sauce, and my mouth waters.
We grab a booth at the back of the nearly empty restaurant and order iced tea.
“You can have a beer if you like,” I say to him, but he shakes his head.
“Tea is fine.”
“Does your mom still do Sunday barbeque?”I ask.
“Once a month after church.They just keep getting bigger and bigger.Everyone knows they’re welcome to come join us.”
“That’s so generous of her.It must cost a fortune.”
He shrugs.“Most people bring sides.There’s always a lot of corn, macaroni and cheese, and coleslaw.There are so many people who come not just for the food, which is probably the best meal they have all month because of the drought, but also for the community and fellowship.”
“How is the ranch going?”I spent a lot of my days at his family’s property when I was young, riding horses and helping out.Our house was in town, but I grew up as a cowgirl because of my time spent at Chase’s ranch.
He rests his elbows on the table and speaks softly.“Since my dad passed, it’s been up to me to keep it running.”
Guilt hits me at the mention of Chase’s father passing away.“Oh Chase, I’m so sorry.I didn’t know at the time about your dad.”
He gives a small nod.“It was a few years ago now.Heart attack.It was sudden.”
“That must have been so hard,” I say softly.“Your dad was always so kind to me.”
Chase nods, a sad smile crossing his face.“He thought the world of you, Bay.Always said you were going places.”Chase looks down at the table.“He was disappointed when you left town.We all were.”
The use of my old nickname sends a shiver down my spine.No one has called me “Bay” in years.It feels both familiar and strange at the same time.
“I should have known.I should have come back for the funeral,” I say quietly, guilt washing over me.“I should have been there for you and your family.”
Chase shakes his head.“It’s okay.I understand now more about why you stayed away.Things were ...complicated.”
An awkward silence falls between us.There’s so much left unsaid, so many years of distance and pain.
