AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Magruder nodded. “Better get going ASAP. They’re in the final stages at Provo Canyon. And once they open, you won’t have much time to find a place.”
“Right. I’ll get on that. Thanks for the information.” Liam gave him a smile that was more like a lip flex. “I’ll call the management in Park City.”
“Yeah, do that.” Magruder gave him a terse nod, then turned back to his computer.
Liam walked back to the street in a sort of daze. He’d already known about the salary, and the housing shortage was no surprise. The money was good. And there was nothing here for him right now. Bec didn’t need him. She hadn’t for a while. She had Wyatt, and she could pick up some part-time help. Liam could keep up with her by phone and text. Maybe when the brewery business expanded, he’d come back.
Even if it took a couple of years. Or longer.
He gazed around Main Street, down the vista to Black Mountain, with its cap of cumulus clouds. It was his hometown. He liked it here. Or he had in the past.
Will you like it if you’re camping out at the brewery because you can’t afford your rent? Not so much. And he was tired of dead-end jobs.
It’s what you wanted. Or what you wanted once. A new start. Doing something that doesn’t feel like spinning your wheels. You were excited about it once. But he hadn’t been that excited for a while. Not for the past couple of weeks, anyway.
A day’s drive away from Ruth. And that was the crux of it. The thing that was causing that ache around his heart. If he left, he’d probably never be able to get her back.
Maybe she didn’t want him back. Their fight could be a sign that they weren’t such a perfect couple. If that were true, going to Park City wasn’t the worst thing that could happen.
Maybe the worst thing had already happened. If he’d already begun to lose Ruth for good.
…
Ruth managed to make a lot of cheese the next day. Partly because she was hiding in the cheese room, trying to keep a low profile.
Brett was sympathetic when he brought the milk around. “Want me to punch him for you? Actually, Ginger’s got a better punch than I do, and she’d probably be glad to do it if you asked.”
Ruth sighed. “Thanks, but no. I’ll save violence for later.” And she’d probably administer it herself, given how much she’d like to slap David right now.
She was afraid he’d be late picking up Carol. She’d started playing her new Xbox games at five thirty, and kept surreptitiously checking the clock. Ruth swore that if David didn’t show up at six sharp, she’d lock the door and pull down the shades.
But for once, he was on time. After she’d let him in, he glanced at her, then centered his attention on Carol. “Ready to go?”
“Sure.” She pushed herself to her feet. “Where are we going?”
“There’s a burger place in Barrington I thought we could try.”
Ruth bit her lip. Barrington was a thirty-minute drive. “Carol needs to be home by eight. She’s got to work tomorrow.”
“Work?” David raised his eyebrows. “Since when does a twelve-year-old have a job?”
“I work at the deli,” Carol cut in. “I run the counter at least three days a week. Mom pays me.” She glanced back and forth between her parents, trying to figure out what the problem was. “I like it. I was saving my money for a new PlayStation.”
David narrowed his eyes, as if he was trying to decide just how much he objected to this new information. Ruth tried to examine the whole thing from his perspective, but for the life of her she couldn’t see how it was any kind of problem. Kids worked in their family restaurants all the time. She knew at least three places in Antero besides the Salty Goat where that was going on.
“All right,” he said finally. “We’ll grab some food here. I hear there’s a Greek place.”
Ruth nodded. “Selig’s. Carol knows it. She can show you the way.”
“Come on,” Carol said, heading for the door. “If there’s enough time when we get back, we can play some games.” She cast a slightly wary glance at her mother, and then she was through the door. “Oh, wow,” Ruth heard her say. “Is that your car?”
