"That reaction didn't say that, and if you couldn't see it..." She lets that hang between us, her matching blue eyes locked with mine as I implore her without words to let this go.
She gives me a small nod of understanding. "You're right, Charlie," she says gently. "But remember, sometimes the past has a way of catchin’ up to us when we least expect it."
"And sometimes you miss your chance and you have to accept that. If I have, then so be it."
"I told you back then that?—"
A sigh escapes me. "I know, Ma. I'm the one who didn't listen and that's on me. But Austin’s shocked to see me and maybeheneeds time to process that I’m back. If the best I can hope for is to be friends with him, I’ll be happy," I lie. From Mom's skeptical gaze I can tell she doesn't believe what I’m saying any more than I do.
Thankfully, because she's awesome and she loves me, she drops the subject. "You want to stay for lunch or are you goin’ to go see your dad since he got back this mornin'?"
Thatmakes me grin, earning a chuckle from her grinning lips. "Don't answer that, because that smile just did." She gives me ahug, following it up with a gentle shove. "Shoo. Let me feed my people. See you at home for supper?"
"You sure will. I'll cook."
"Sounds good, Charlie-Bear. We can go over what to do with the apartment. It definitely needs a good paint at the very least. Bathroom too.” She grins. "Leave it to me, my girl. I'll take care of everythin'. You can stay in the house with me till it's done."
"Thanks, Ma." I grab my purse and turn toward the diner's front door.
"Let me just say one more thing and then I'll let sleepin’ dogs lie, yeah?" she adds, and I wait for whatever thought-provoking wisdom she's about to share. My mom's own love life might've been a bit of a disaster, but she has always given good advice.
"Sometimes the past has a way of catchin' up to us when we least expect it, but it's not always a bad thing.Sometimesit's because a door you thought was shut was always open.”
And you best believe it, those are the words that bounce around my head for a long while after I leave.
4
AUSTIN
"Don't ask 'cause I ain't tellin'," I say as soon as Toby opens the door and hoists himself up into the passenger seat.
"OK..."
"I'm serious, Tobes,” I growl.
His brows lift as he stares at my hands which are white-knuckling the steering wheel. “I said OK, brother. Just sayin’, whateverthatwas back there, Mags isnotdumb.”
He sighs. “No, she’s not. She wasn’t back then either.”
“Sounds like there's some gossip there. Did you break Charlie’s heart?" he teases. More like I broke my own, I don't say. "You goin’ to tell me about it even though you said you wouldn't?"
"Don't. Ask," I repeat. My mind is still reeling after seeing Char for the first time in years,andafter I’d just been thinking about her.What are the chances?
Toby’s lips twitch. “But if youtellme, then that’s not me askin.”
“Smartass,” I reply, my scowl cracking. Only Toby could achieve that given my current mood. “Wanna skip goin’ home and go to the Cow?”
“Thought you’d never ask. Let’s go. I’ll even foot the bill if it means you get liquored up enough to spill the beans.”
“Not goin’ to happen, Tobes.”
He holds his hands up. “OK. I’ll let it go for now. But this conversation isn’t over, Tin Man.”
I snort, shaking my head at him as I direct my truck toward the Secret Cow Saloon. “That’s a new one but I’ll bite, why am I the Tin Man?”
“Many reasons,” he replies quizzically.
“Forget I asked,” I groan. “Don’t think I want to know.”
