“Yeah, well, we’re not anymore, no thanks to you.”
His dad held up his hands and shook his head. “All I did was tell her I’d be happy to help with anything around the house.”
“Nice cover, Pops, but you and I both know that was a bullshit excuse to get in her bed. She knows it too.”
He shrugged, not bothering to deny it. “She’s… Well, she’s…”
“You better watch whatever you say right now.”
His dad closed his mouth and studied Nash for a few tense, silent moments. Finally, he asked, “Aren’t you a little young for her?”
“Aren’tIa little young for her?” He blew out an incredulous laugh. “Aren’tyou? I’ve done more livin’, more growin’ in twenty-five years than you’ve done in double that because Ihadto. Because I had a mom who left me and a dad who checked out after that. I had no choice but to grow the fuck up. So, no, I don’t think I’m a little young for her.”
“Okay, all right. I’m—”
“Not that it’s any of your business, but Rory and I weregoodtogether. Really fucking good. And now you’ve fucked up everything between us.”
“I’m—I—”
“And in doing so, you’ve screwed me over with the only chance I had of buyin’ King Construction and keepin’ it in the family before the fucking Bozemans get their hands on it. But when the hell have you ever given a damn about family, right? When have you ever given a damn about anything but yourself and your next piece of ass?”
Nash shook his head, not allowing himself to read anything into the stricken look in his dad’s eyes. Every single word had needed to be said, and he wouldn’t feel bad for finally doing so. Regret wasn’t anywhere to be found.
“Just tell me when everything’s settled, and I’ll clean out my shit. But just so there’s no mistake, you and I?” Nash gestured between them. “We’re done. I’ve tried my whole life to get you to see me, to get your attention, and I’m over it. I should’ve walked away a long time ago. This little stunt just proved I’d have been better off without you.”
Nash didn’t wait for his dad to leave. This time, he was the one to walk away.
With absolutely nodestination in mind, Nash allowed his truck to guide him through the back roads surrounding Havenbrook. He couldn’t be in the warehouse—who knew how much longer it’d even be his—and he couldn’t go home. The idea of being in his tiny studio apartment—the one he’d rented for the sole purpose of stashing away as much money as possible to buy out his dad—ate at him. Everything he’d done—all the sacrifices and struggles he’d made for years—had been for nothing. His family business was going to get sold to the highest bidder, and Nash couldn’t do anything to stop it.
His headlights dipped and soared as he bounced down the dirt road, the full moon casting a glow over the barren fields on either side of him. While everything he’d said to his old man had been weighing on him for years, and every single word had needed to be spoken, his chest still ached over finally walking away.
His dad had never provided any sort of support, but Nash had still taken comfort knowing he wasn’t all alone in Havenbrook. And now? Nat was gone and never coming back. Asher was well on his way to stardom. Nash’d just told his old man to fuck off. And he’d lost the only woman he wanted to share his life with.
So, yeah. Things were just fucking great.
His phone rang and he glanced over, a photo of him and Nat that they’d taken when she’d been home illuminated on the screen. He hadn’t told Nat any of this. Hadn’t told Asher either. Maybe a small part of him hoped Rory would come to her senses and he wouldn’t have to say anything.
With a sigh, he answered the call and set it to speaker before tossing his phone on the seat. “Yeah.”
“Oh, good, you’re alive. I was just checkin’ to make sure Havenbrook hadn’t burned into oblivion after their devil spawn came and left.”
Nash grunted, the only response he could muster.
“Doin’ okay over there? You sound like you’re one step up from death. Rory finally zap your will to live?” Nat laughed like it was the funniest fucking thing in the world, and he gripped the steering wheel so hard it creaked.
While she’d been home, she hadn’t been supportive, exactly, of him and Rory, but she also hadn’t thrown a fit about it. She’d shrugged in her Natalie way, as if she didn’t care one way or another about the outcome. But she’d made little comments here and there…tiny digs at Rory that Nash had always shut down. But this was pushing it too far.
“Would you knock that shit off already?” he snapped. “You’ve made your stance on the situation crystal clear.”
Silence came over the line until finally, she said, “Okayyyyy… Is she right there or something?”
Nash breathed out a humorless laugh as he turned and headed back toward town. “Don’t have to worry about that anymore.”
“Not followin’.”
“She bailed. Things got tough, and she decided it wasn’t worth it.Iwasn’t worth it.”
Nat was quiet for a long moment. “Hey, I have an idea! Why don’t you meet me in Charlotte? I’m still in the States, and that’s Asher’s next stop. We can hit up a show, get you drunk, then get you laid. You’ll forget about her in no time.”
