Page 52 of One Quick Obsession

“I was happy before.”

It was Frank’s turn to snort. “We both know that you weren’t. So you don’t have to lie. You out here doing this thing for us? For your people? That is what will bring happiness to others. So maybe do it for yourself. With whoever this woman is. She has you confused and stuttering over your words. I like her.”

“You don’t even know her.” I paused. “But I like her too. It’s probably why it won’t last.”

“Because you like her?”

“Because she’s fucking amazing. And it’s early yet. I’m not good at keeping women. You know that.”

Frank knew the story but not many others did. I had told Josh about Michelle and Jefferson, and the accident that had happened afterwards. Of course, Josh had only known part of it when he’d been alive. I had to tell his tombstone the rest. But in a moment of weakness, and far too much whiskey, I had told Frank.

And he hadn’t judged me for it. If anything, he had been disappointed I’d not been able to finish everything with my own hands.

Maybe that’s why I talked to Frank more than I talked to my brothers about certain things. And I talked to him a hell of a lot more than I ever talked to my father. Frank wasn’t a father figure, but he’d lost his son, and I’d lost my best friend.

We both stared off into the distance, and I had to wonder if Josh was on his mind, or the future that we were trying to make.

“When do you think you can be out here again?” I asked, clearing my throat.

“Give me a couple of weeks to finish our current project, and then we’ll be out here in force. We will take down whatever needs to be pulled away and start with zoning. You got all the permits that you need?”

I nodded. “I do. Thank you. Isabella helped there.”

“Your sister-in-law is good at the whole spreadsheet thing. I liked the email she sent.”

“Of course. She was good at it.” I paused “I might ask Scarlett to help with a few things. She’s a resort manager.”

“Scarlett is it? Fascinating.”

“Frank,” I warned, and the other man just laughed.

“Come on, let’s do one more round, and you can head out. I promised Mary that I would have lunch with her down at the diner. She’s shopping now with a woman named Ms. Patty.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Your wife’s been adopted by the town’s Mrs. Mayor.”

“Her last name is Mayor?” he asked, confused.

“No. Let me tell you a story about the small town of Cage Lake.”

Frank just shook his head, and I laughed for the first time in a long while in this man’s presence.

I mourned my friends, I mourned Michelle. But I didn’t wallow in it. At least I didn’t think so. Yet when it came to figuring out what would come next, sometimes I couldn’t help but be stuck in the past. That was why we were making this retreat. Or whatever the hell we were going to call it.

Taking something broken, used beyond measure, and trying make it for good.

By the time Frank and I finished, it was noon, and I was hungry. I put together a quick sandwich, and planned on heading back to the studio, figuring I’d get a few hours of work in. The art show had done tremendously well, surprising me. My agent hadn’t been surprised at all, and so I had more work to do. But I didn’t have a direction. I could go anywhere I wanted with it, and I couldn’t get Scarlett’s face out of my mind.

I wasn’t into portraits, but maybe it was time to start.

Before I could go out the back door, my front door opened.

“You should lock your door, twin.”

I rolled my eyes and got out all of my sandwich fixings again to make Flynn one of his own. Even though he might’ve already eaten for all I knew, he’d want a sandwich if he saw one in my hand.

Flynn grinned and handed me a bottle of Coke.

“I got the fancy bottles too, with real sugar. How did you know I wanted a sandwich?”