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She scowls at me. “You think I’m worried about money, dear? With everything you’ve been doing for Cup O’ Joe over the years, I probably oweyoumoney.”
I laugh, shaking my head. “I couldn’t possibly—”
“Hush.” She pats my leg. “We’ll worry about that later. For now, I want you to help walk me through some of these contract terms and agreements. Time to put that fancy state degree to real use.”
I smile, wiping my eyes as I clear a space for us. There’s a lot to go over and so much to do. A rush of excitement floods me as we start to talk about the expansion and what that’ll mean for the business—and for me.
I can’t wait to tell Garrett.
I can support us with this. We can find a better place and get out of the trailer park. Out of living alongside all the sad memories and make a change.This could be exactly what he needs, I think to myself, giddy at the idea of reconciling with my brother and moving forward.
Then I think of what Butch said, that I need to be patient and wait for him to come around. A wave of emotion sweeps over me thinking about Butch and last night. And our date later this evening.
Everything is falling into place.
A simple saying pops into my head:Trust the timing of your life.
Seventeen.
Butch
I leave the parkinglot of the coffee shop with the taste of Cassidy on my lips and a tightness in my heart. I already can’t stand the fact I’m lying to her. Although, I suppose heading to pick up her brother and take him to rehabcouldbe considered an errand.
Since we woke up late, sleeping through several of Cassidy’s hundred-and-one alarms, she was in a bit of a rush this morning. Which worked out for me since I had some phone calls to make the second she was out the door.
I was able to find an opening at a rehab facility west of Billings that works with alcoholics—two and a half hours away, mind you. Making a five-hour round-trip drive wasn’t exactly a part of the plan for today, but I have no other option.
There are probably a million other things I could be doing with my Saturday morning, and instead, I’m on my way toCassidy’s old place—because that’s what it is now, heroldplace—in Whitetail Park.
I pull off on the side of the narrow street out front. Garrett’s shitty, beat-up ranger pick-up is parked exactly where it was last time I was here—the night I took Cass home with me. Hard to believe that was only two days ago. It feels like I’ve lived with her in my arms forever.
And I fully intend to keep it that way.
Starting with fixing her damn brother.
I leap up the short porch steps and pound a fist on the front door. It shakes under my heavy hand and I have to remind myself to keep my cool.I’m doing this for my Sunshine, not for him or anyone else.
The door finally opens and Garrett stands in front of me, disheveled and appearing worse off than when I left him Thursday night. “Hey,” he croaks, opening the door fully and stepping aside.
“You ready?” I ask, walking past him into the trailer. I glance around. It’s hard to say if he attempted to clean up or if he just kicked shit out of the way. Either way, the place is in shambles. “Would it have killed ya to clean up in here?”
He scoffs, shuffling to the couch and picking up a backpack in one hand and a guitar case in the other. “Honestly, yeah, it would’ve.”
When he turns back to me, I shut my mouth. If I had to guess, he hasn’t had a drink since after his big fight with Cass. Or, he drank everything and then decided to cold turkey it afterward. Again, hard to say, but it’s probably best I don’t ask.
I give a subtle nod for my own sake, dropping the subject. The guy looks like hell, but he’s making an effort to change things—that’s why I’m here—I need to cut him some slack. “That everything?” I ask, gesturing to his bag and case.
He nods.
“Let’s go, then,” I say and he follows me out, locking the door behind us.
When we get in the truck, I expect him to talk, maybe ask a few questions about where I’m taking him at the very least. But he doesn’t say a word. And we end up making the two-and-a-half-hour ride in silence—aside from the radio going in and out when we cut through the mountains.
When I pull into the long drive of the facility and bring us to the front door, I throw the truck in park and glance over at him for the first time in easily an hour. He’s pale. A fine sheen of sweat coating his brow and neck as he gazes out the window.
The building is newer, clean cut and painted a white-grey over the brick. The grounds are spacious and neat with pleasant to-the-eye landscaping. Looking around has a tension easing off my shoulders. I thought I felt good about this before… Now, I feel a hell of a lot better leaving him here for however long it takes to get his head on straight.
I hadn’t planned on going in, but the way he’s staring out and not moving, I might have to. “You need me to walk you in?” I ask, attempting to break his silent stare.
