Page 115 of Indigo Ridge (The Edens 1)

“Nothing. Yet. I’m not sure what to do. It’s soon.”

“Pfft. Soon is relative.”

“I lived with Skyler for years. Don’t you think I need to be on my own for a while?”

“Winnie, you might have lived with Skyler, but trust me when I say, you were on your own.”

I opened my mouth to argue but the words died on my tongue. Pops was right. I’d lived with Skyler, we’d been engaged, and I had most definitely been on my own.

“You two coexisted,” Pops said. “That’s not the same as companionship.”

“I don’t think I realized how lonely I was in Bozeman,” I admitted. “Since Mom and Dad.”

And then I’d come here, and from the very first night, I’d had Griffin. He’d chased away that loneliness with such ferocity, I hadn’t even realized how much I’d needed someone to burst into my life and shake it up.

“You went through an awful ordeal,” he said.

“So did you.”

He reached over and put his hand over mine. “It’s not the same.”

For the first time in weeks, I thought about the crash. It had been . . . how long had it been? The last nightmare I could remember had been after the Fourth. Weeks of peaceful sleep and Griffin was the cause.

“I made a decision yesterday.” Pops patted my knuckles. “Want you to be the first to know.”

“You’re retiring.”

He nodded. “It’s time. This little health blip put things in perspective.”

“A little blip?” I rolled my eyes. “You had a heart attack.”

“Minor.”

“A heart attack, minor or major, is not a blip.”

“Call it what you want, but it made me realize I’d rather spend the rest of my time without heartburn. I see these other old-timers sitting at Lyla’s shop each morning, talking about the weather and the gossip in town. I think that would suit me just fine.”

“You’re going to get bored.”

“Guaranteed. I’ll probably drive you crazy. Stopping by unannounced. Staying over uninvited.”

I laughed. “In that case, I fully support your retirement.”

“Good.”

“I’m proud of you, Pops. All you’ve done for Quincy.”

“You know, Winnie?” He sat a little straighter. “I’m proud of me too. It’s been a good run as mayor. A long, good run. But you have to promise me one thing.”

“Name it.”

He leaned in close. “The day you fire Tom Smith, you’ll tell me first.”

“Deal. Well, I’ll tell Tom Smith first. But you second.”

“Before Griff.”

“Before Griff.” I winked. “I hope whoever becomes my new boss is as great as you.”