AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What are you going to do with her? Think she’ll make it back to New York?”
“How do you think Trish and Ella would feel about a honeymoon drive across country?” I glanced at Andrew and grinned.
“She’d be down, but I’m not.”
“You’re no fun.” I reached around Dad and slapped Andrew in the back of the head.
“You haven’t been a picnic since Baker didn’t show for Sunday dinner last weekend.”
I smacked him in the head again.
“When’s she coming out?” Dad moved my arm back to the wheel. I’d been staying with him for the last three days, but hadn’t elaborated on why I wasn’t going home.
“Wouldn’t know.” I gripped the worn leather of the steering wheel. If I was going to get through this, I had to stop thinking of the apartment I'd shared with Baker as home.
You purposely excluded me from something important in your life. That’s happened to me before . . .
She’d made it clear where she stood, and I didn't blame her. When she spent Sunday afternoon with Trish, I should’ve known they’d talk about Wyoming. Looking back, I was surprised it hadn’t come up sooner.
It was stupid. I didn’t know why I hadn’t told her about the trip. She and Trish were best friends. It wasn’t like I could avoid the subject forever.
But I had.
Because I didn’t want her near my past.
I needed her separate from this. The minute she stepped into this part of my world, she’d see everything I didn’t want her to. I wasn’t ready for that, even though I wouldn’t get another chance with her.
“Trish says she can’t make it until Friday night. Something about work.”
I had treated her poorly. Maybe she hadn’t said the words out loud, but her actions had told me she thought she deserved more. And she was right.
It was going to be a long weekend seeing her here with Trish, supporting Trish, but nowhere near my arms.
“Marlow will be here on Friday too.”
I stifled my groan as Andrew stiffened. We both wanted her here and didn’t at the same time. The three of us weren’t in a good place, but I gave her credit for trying to set that aside for our brother’s wedding. I’d yet to speak to her, and Andrew said his conversation to invite her had been awkward at best.
A black Yukon blasted the horn as it passed. Trish rolled down the window and waved. I honked twice. The three of us waved back. We’d put Trish, Mrs. Quinn, and Ella in the hotel’s car service.
I followed the SUV to the Four Seasons and dropped Dad and Andrew off.
“We have reservations at seven.” Dad leaned against my door.
“I’ll see you then.”
Fifteen minutes later,I pulled up to the cabin I’d once called home. I used to take solace in the solitude. Now, it felt lonely.
I put the truck in park and sat there for a long time, tempted to go back to the hotel. Stay with my family instead of here. But I needed to pack up. Close this chapter of my life.
With heavy footsteps, I trudged to the front door with my bag over my shoulder. I pushed inside. It was dark and cold, that scent a house got when it had been closed up a while invading my nose.
I dropped my bag and flicked on the light. The only thing different from the day I left was a layer of dust and a cobweb in the corner between the kitchen and den.
It was insane to think I could get this all packed up in a few days. What was I going to do with the furniture? It would cost more to ship it than it was worth.
I wandered to the fridge and opened it. “Ugh.”
Moldy lettuce and cheese greeted me. Past that was half a gallon of what used to be milk. I shoved it to the side and snatched a beer from the six pack I hadn’t gotten around to polishing off before I left.
