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Tim is already at the pub when I get there. He’s standing at the bar talking to the bartender, who was also in our graduating high school class. I join them and say, “Hey, Dwayne. I see you’ll serve just about anyone, huh?”
Dwayne laughs as Tim turns around and teases, “Clearly, if you’re here.”
Dwayne pours me a beer and slides it across the bar. “First one’s on me for helping Maisy do so well in math this year. She loves your class, which is astounding as she’s always claimed to hate numbers.”
I take the beer gratefully. “Well, I love your daughter almost as much as I love math, so we’re a good fit.”
Tim leads the way across the room to a bar table near the dart boards. After we sit down, he says, “That’s the kind of thing I missed the most when I lived in L.A.”
“What, math?” I joke. “Free beer?”
“No. The bond between people you’ve known your whole life. I haven’t been here since I moved home, and Dwayne just smiled at me, and told me I was a slacker for not visiting sooner.”
“I get that some people feel the need to move away from their hometown after school, but I’m glad I wasn’t one of them. I’ve loved every minute of living here.” Even though my childhood wasn’t the easiest—I cite the dreaded back brace—I’ve always loved the energy of the town itself. Not to mention, I’d love for my kids to grow up in the same place their grandparents live—at least for half the year, anyway.
His expression becomes thoughtful. “But you’d be willing to leave if you found the right guy?”
“If I fell in love and my partner couldn’t work in a small town, then I’d have to consider relocating.”
He doesn’t mention Fielden or Chicago. Instead, he asks, “If your guy got a job in Alaska, would you go?”
“Would you?” I counter.
“If I fell in love with a guy who lived in Alaska, there would be bigger questions at play than where we lived.”
I love our easy banter. After taking a sip of my beer, I screw up my courage, and tell him, “I’d like to fall in love with someone who wants to spend the rest of his days in Elk Lake, but so far that doesn’t seem to be an option.” I stare at him intently like I’m trying to psychically inquire if he could be that guy.
When he doesn’t say anything, I ask, “If things work out for you and Cami, would you move to Chicago?”
“I can’t see why I’d have to,” he says. “I mean, if we wind up together, she could be the catering manager at the country club.”
“Isn’t that job already taken?”Who cares if it’s taken?The point is he’s already thinking about the logistics of a future with another woman.
“Mavis Hinkle has the job, but she’s ready to turn snowbird and spend half of the year in Florida.”
“Cami’s a lucky girl then,” I say gloomily. “But what if she doesn’t want to leave Chicago?”
He shrugs. “I don’t know. I guess those are things we’ll have to decide if matters progress. What about you and Fielden? Are you prepared to live in the Windy City?”
“I like Chicago…” I answer, sounding less than thrilled.But that pizza …
“It’s not Elk Lake.”
“Nope. It’s not.”
“Maybe…” he starts to say but stops.
“Maybe what?”
“Maybe if things don’t work out with Cami and Fielden, wecould get married and have some born-and-raised-in-Elk-Lake babies and live happily ever after.”
I gaze into his eyes, trying to decide if he’s serious. Because if he is, I’m going to suggest he dump Cami and give me a shot. But then he ruins my big moment by laughing.Shoot, he was just joking.
Standing up, Tim says, “Come on, show me what a hot shot dart player you are.”
I’m ready to beat the pants off him for getting my hopes up. “I say we place a wager.”
“What do you want if you win?” The look he gives me makes me shiver from the tips of my toes all the way to the hair follicles on top of my head.
