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“That’s the part that surprises me most. He’s the one who claimed he was still in love with me, and now he keeps sending texts begging me not to leave him. He never wanted to separate, no matter how many times I suggested it. Why wouldn’t he have just let me go so we both could have moved on without having to humiliate me publicly? And what are the chances that all of this happened right when my dad had a stroke? When it rains, it pours, I guess.”
She set her glass down and wrapped an arm around my shoulder. “Maybe this is a sign that it’s time to make a change. You would have just stayed in an unhappy situation, and now he’s forced your hand.”
I nodded and drained the last of the liquid from my glass. My nose was numb, and my hands were tingling. “It’s all so complicated. My firm represents his company. I’m about to be named partner, which is what I’ve been working so hard for all these years. I just want to be completely free of him, you know? I love my job, and I want to bury myself in work when I get back home. But I am glad that I was able to leave when the story broke, to get out of New York and come here for a couple of weeks to be with my father.”
“Ahhh… Cottonwood Cove heals all.” She turned to face me. “So, go ahead and ask what you’re dying to ask.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“The man we never talk about.Cage Reynolds.No, I haven’t run into him since I’ve been back, but I saw his brother, Hugh, and his wife, Lila, the other day, and they are too freaking good-looking for their own good. Damn, that family is so beautiful. It’s just not fair.”
“This is helping me, how?” I fell back on the couch and groaned.
“I did some snooping when I had dinner with Madison and Felicia, and I tried to find out if Cage was in a relationship.” She hovered beside me, her cheeks all rosy from the booze. “But they said he’s so private that they don’t have any idea if or who he dates.”
“Why would I care if he’s in a relationship? I’m in a disaster of a marriage. I’m not looking for a new man.” I bellowed out in laughter. “That’s the last thing I need.Especially that man. He broke me once. I would never let that happen again. I’ve avoided this town for years because I can’t go there.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Time heals all wounds. And let’s be honest, he wasn’t the only one who messed up, bestie. You know I love you more than chocolate mousse and good sex, but you played a role in that breakup, too.”
I gasped. “Cage had a child with another woman. He’s the one who made things final.”
“You weren’t together, and you know it. And you married the man he was ridiculously jealous of so fast all our heads spun. I’d say youbothmade things final.”
We hadn’t been together for months when I found out Cage was having a child with another woman. Time had never been on our side. But I always thought, always believed, he’d be my end game. But he went and had a baby with someone else, and I knew in my heart we were done. So, I’d made things final for myself, as well.
Why wallow in my misery?
Even if that was exactly what ended up happening, I’d done what I needed to do to survive that time in my life.
I sprung forward and rubbed my temples. “I don’t want to talk about Cage Reynolds. First loves are never supposed to be the person you end up with. We both went our separate ways, and we’re the better for it.”
She pushed to her feet and laughed so loud it felt like the walls in this little cottage on my parents’ property were vibrating. My dad had built the guesthouse so I’d come home more, but sadly, this was the first time I’d been here in years. I’d always visited them in San Francisco, so I didn’t have to worry about running into anyone that mattered there. This house was a miniature version of their fancy, gigantic ranch house at the other end of the driveway.
They’d started spending a lot more time at the ranch over the last few years, though, so it was bound to happen that I’d end up visiting.
“This is you being better for it? You fled your home, filed for divorce, and came to take care of your sick father. You’ve got mascara under your eyes, you’re wearing a dirty T-shirt, and your socks don’t match.”
“What are you? The fashion police? I flew on a red-eye to get here and spent all day at the hospital, and then I was chastised by my mother, who stopped by for five minutes in between Zoom meetings and world domination. Did I tell you? She claims she has an important meeting in Barbados later this week. I don’t buy it. Everyone works remotely now, so I think she’s full of shit.And she’s leaving him to fend for himself.”
My mother ran one of the largest textile companies in the world. Her father had started it, and she’d become the CEO when I was young. She worked a lot and had a social life that most would consider a full-time job. She didn’t think I had an eye for fashion and decided that when I was at a very young age, so she insisted I become an attorney like my father.
“He’s coming home with a team of nurses tomorrow, and it will be better without her at the house, carrying on with her life while he’s struggling. Consider it a blessing.”
“Good point.” I ran a hand over my face. “I’m a mess, Lo.”
“You’re going to be just fine. There is no one in the world tougher than you, my bestie girl. It was time for you to break free. And now you’re free. You can work remotely. You can focus on your dad, and you can focus on yourself. It’s about damn time.”
A tear ran down my cheek, and I swiped it away. “I’ve been miserable since you moved. The daily FaceTime calls are not the same as happy hour downtown every week and lunches in the park.”
Her eyes were wet with emotion. “You were the only good thing in New York for me. I hated my job. Hated my boss. Hated every guy I went out with. I needed to figure out what would make me happy. But being away from you has been the only negative to this move. So, as much as I’m sad that your dad is going through all of this, selfishly, I’m so happy to have you here.”
“That’s pretty messed up, Lo,” I said with a straight face before we both fell back in a fit of laughter. “Let’s have another drink.”
“I have a better plan.” She held out her hand and reached for mine. “Let’s go to country night at Garrity’s. There’s live music and dancing there tonight. I’ve gone for the last two weeks, and it’s been so fun. Madison and Felicia are dying to see you, and there’s a big group of people going that you’ll know.”
“Cage’s family owns that place. What if he’s there?”
“I’ve never seen him there. Does Cage Reynolds strike you as a dude to go out line dancing in the middle of the week?” She chuckled, and a memory flashed through my mind of him and me dancing in that very bar when we were home from college one weekend. A heaviness always settled in my chest when I thought of Cage. My thumb stroked the tiny tattoo on my wrist absentmindedly. I’d grieved the loss of the relationship in a way. He was such an enormous part of my life, and then it was just all… over.
