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“I’ll bring some hand trucks and straps,” Jameson added.
Blake tipped his hat. “Thanks, guys. I’ll see you there.” He sprinted for the dining hall that connected to the check-in office. Once inside, he scanned the room for Ridge. He was hard to miss. He hadn’t lost much of that pro muscle mass in the five years since he’d played football, and he had about five inches on the average man.
Finally, he spotted Ridge talking to Vera at the end of the serving line and headed that way. He dodged guests, said a few quick hellos, and tipped his chin at a few folks. Some he recognized and some were new faces. He’d been a little out of touch these last few days.
Stepping up beside Ridge, Blake grabbed his friend’s arm and leaned in, keeping his voice low. “We need to go.”
“Everly?” Ridge asked.
“David came by.”
Ridge set down the plate he held. “Is he still there? What did he do?”
“I think he’s gone, but he didn’t give her much time to get out. She needs our help.”
Vera, the sweet older woman who ran the kitchen, picked up Ridge’s plate. “Should I wrap this for you to take with you?”
What Blake wouldn’t give for one of her secret extra snack bags right now.
Ridge grabbed the cornbread off the plate and held it up. “I’ll just take this. Thanks.”
Vera turned to Blake. “Is there something you want to take? I didn’t see you at lunch.”
Blake grabbed a napkin and reached for the tongs by the ham. “This is good. Thanks.”
Vera waved. “Tell Everly we love her.”
It seemed everyone knew about Everly’s breakup.
“I will,” Blake said as he walked off with Ridge.
They strode straight for the truck. When Ridge backed out, he handed Blake a piece of cornbread while Blake opened the napkin full of ham for Ridge to share. The first few miles of the ride were quiet while they ate, but Ridge cleared his throat when they got closer to David’s place.
“So, I’ve been thinking–”
“I know,” Blake interrupted. He’d been anticipating the conversation, and he’d prepared himself as much as possible.
“You okay with it if I ask Everly to move in?” Ridge asked.
“Of course. She needs a place to stay, and we have plenty of guest rooms.” They had three, to be exact. It was way too much room for the two of them.
Ridge glanced at Blake. “Having a woman around changes some things. Everly will need privacy.”
“I get it.”
“Do you?” Ridge asked. “Just making sure because Everly is–”
“I know.” Blake knew exactly what Ridge was getting at. Everly wasn’t going to be living with someone she was dating. She wouldn’t want that, and neither did Blake. She needed a place to live and get back on her feet more than she needed a boyfriend in the bedroom across the hallway.
All of this was putting the cart before the horse, but it was good to have the ground rules laid. While Everly was living with them, there wouldn’t be any dating.
Blake had waited years for his chance, and now that it was here, he’d have to wait longer. He could wait, even if the thought of keeping his distance made him want to punch a tree with his bare fist.
“You still okay with that? We don’t know how long it’ll take her to find a place,” Ridge said.
“I’m sure. I’ve always respected her, and I’d never make her uncomfortable.”
Ridge pulled up at Everly’s place—or the place that used to be hers. “I know that. She might have found somewhere today, and this might be a moot point.”
