“Wait,” I said, setting down my mug on the end table next to the futon to scoot closer to the screen. “Jude calls you?”
“Since… Yes. Once per week, tells me how you’re doing since we all know you leave things out.” He arched a brow.
“Leave things out? I told you, I’m fine. I want to move on. A little smarter this time, but move on.”
“You know, I was held up at the Palace once.”
My eyes grew wide.
“You were? I didn’t know that.”
“Oh yes. Gun pointed at my head and everything. It was a night I closed alone too. So you weren’t the only one with a lesson to learn.”
I uttered a sad chuckle.
“Oh, Dad. Of all the things to have in common. I’m so sorry that happened to you.”
“I had just opened, like you. And I was so excited, I forgot the little things. You at least had an alarm and cameras. But I was able to keep it together, hand over the money, and stay calm until the guy left. I made sure I did all I could to make it back to your mother. And you did too. In the end, that’s all you can do. The best business owners miss things, and just because they do, that doesn’t mean you write it all off as a failure.”
I nodded, hating the image of my father with a gun to his head, trying to make it out of his restaurant alive.
“Jude was so devastated when he called me that morning. My heart broke for the poor guy.”
“Devastated? What do you mean?”
“Claudia,” he said on a heavy sigh. “He’s a known police sergeant in a small town. One would think your connection to him alone would give you some protection, but from what I gathered, it only egged this guy on. Jude’s job is to keep the town safe, but he couldn’t keepyousafe. Not in that moment. He told me he’d had a bad feeling and didn’t go to you as fast as he should have, and he couldn’t forgive himself for it. I know about the rock too.” He flattened his mouth as he nodded.
I swallowed the bile rising in the back of my throat, sickened because I was the worst person on the planet. I wouldn’t watch the video of the attack, as living through it once was enough, but Jude had. And although he never said it, he probably obsessed over what would have happened if they hadn’t gotten to me when they did.
I might’ve been ready to move on, but Jude and I weren’t on the same timeline. My heart broke for him too.
“I better get ready to head into the bar. I love you.”
“I love you too, ladybug. And so does that big guy. So give him a break.”
“I will.” I gave my father a watery smile as I ended the call and fell back on the futon.
There were worse things in life than having a man love you so much that he drove you both nuts.
In fact, there was nothing better.
* * *
“What areyou doing here so soon?” Cece asked as I stepped through the bar doors an hour early.
“Trying to keep my mind busy, and I thought I’d treat you guys to lunch.”
“Lunch sounds good to me, but Abby already went to the coffee shop with Ken.”
My jaw dropped. “Officer Ken? That is the sweetest thing. All that spying Jude made him do here all this time pushed them together.”
“I wouldn’t say pushed them together as she’s still a little reluctant, but they’re young. At least, younger than me.” She shrugged as she stacked the glasses under the counter.
“Oh, come on. Where’s your sense of small-town romance?” I clasped my hands under my chin.
“Small-town romance?” She pursed her lips at me.
“It’s Peyton’s fault. I sleep next to a bookcase of her romance novels when I’m there. But it’s a thing. I have personal experience now.” I winked and dug into my purse for my wallet.
