“He’s been gone a long time now, but there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about him. He loved the army with his whole heart. Loved his career something fierce. The only thing he loved more than either of them was us.” She lifted her hand to cup my cheek and patted it lightly. “He’d be honored that you wanted to pay tribute to him this way, but I’m gonna tell you what I think he probably would’ve said himself if he were still here to do so.”
I leaned forward, actually holding my breath as I waited for whatever wisdom my mom was about to bestow on me. Something to hopefully get me unstuck from this island of uncertainty I’d stranded myself on.
“Don’t be a dumbass.”
I barked out a surprised laugh, and then tossed my head back and laughed without restraint. It was times like these that made me wish desperately that I’d known my dad as an adult instead of just as a kid who saw him as my hero and not the flawed human he actually was.
“That’s…well, that’s…”
“The truth,” she said. “He was very wise.”
“What’re y’all laughin’ about in here?” Lilah asked, strolling into the kitchen as if nothing was amiss. Someone should probably tell her that her shirt buttons were done up askew and that Caleb’s shirt was on inside out.
I narrowed my eyes. Yep, I was definitely going to be having that chat with my friend.
“We were just talkin’ about your daddy, actually, and how he’d tell Hudson not to be a dumbass.”
“Smart man,” Caleb said, taking the seat next to Lilah and across from me.
I simply held my friend’s gaze and then very pointedly glanced to Lilah’s shirt while lifting an eyebrow. I could be an intimidating guy, and though Caleb was tall, I was taller and had about twenty pounds on him. Caleb coughed into his fist, but he didn’t back down. Didn’t shy away from my questioning stare. He met it head on. I admired the hell out of that.
Now I just had to figure out how to approach my own issues the same way.
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
MAC
The last placeI wanted to be right now was The Sweet Spot, but my sisters hadn’t given me much choice. Hudson wasn’t the only one leaving today—Nat had a plane to catch, too. And since the four of us hadn’t been able to spend much time together since she’d gotten home, we were taking advantage of a post-school drop-off breakfast date.
Nat felt okay leaving town since Daddy had been released from the hospital and was on the mend with strict orders from Dr. Harris to lie low, start a modest exercise program, and cut out unhealthy eating and stresses. All of which he absolutely hated.
He also hated the fact that the doctor suggested he take at least six weeks off. But Momma wasn’t even satisfied with that number and was pushing for more. A lot more. Like…retirement-more. Nothing like near-death to scare one into action—or inaction, as the case may be.
I didn’t know what that meant for Havenbrook or my place as acting mayor, but I’d fill in for as long as they needed me to. And they did. It was something I kept repeating to myself, shoving down my negative self-talk. Trying not to let myself dwell on my deepest insecurities.
“You’re mopey as all get-out today,” Rory said, practically shoving me through the door. “I know Hud’s leavin’, but surely y’all’ve already planned the next time you’ll see each other.”
No, we hadn’t. We hadn’t so much as spoken since last night before I’d been pulled away. Which meant I’d never gotten a chance to talk to him about his proposal. Which was probably a good thing, because Istilldidn’t know what I’d say.
Last night, I’d had to practically drag Edna out by the hair with Gran assisting. And after I’d gotten Gran to promise to keep tabs on Edna and not let her out of her sight, I had had to go back in and smooth things over with Earl as well as Henry, the manager at the VFW where we’d had the party.
Luckily, the place had been mostly empty when the yelling match had started. Although, to be fair, even if it hadn’t, it wouldn’t have scared away the patrons. If anything, word of the fight had brought them in.
By the time I’d gotten it all settled, Hudson had been gone. And he hadn’t reached out since.
I loved him with a ferocity I barely knew what to do with, but I didn’t know how to make it work. I didn’t know how to be in love with someone, how to give them all of myself, while still giving more than I had to the town and my family. Trying to prove myself once and for all.
I turned around and glared at my bossy, overbearing older sister. “Quit pushin’ me around like I’m one of your minions.”
Rory just rolled her eyes and swept a flyaway strand of hair back from her face. “Not sure how else to get you movin’. You’re draggin’ your feet more than Ella did this mornin’ before school.”
“Speakin’ of Ella,” Will cut in. “Has she had any more trouble with that boy she punched?”
Nat hooted and clapped her hands together, as if this were the first time she’d heard the story and it hadn’t been recounted a dozen times since she’d been home. “God bless that girl.”
Rory heaved a sigh. “Not as far as I know. That girl’s lips are sealed tighter than a tick on a dog’s ear. I have to resort to gettin’ most of my info from her best friend’s momma.”
Since the remodel, The Sweet Spot had been hopping, especially with the addition of the tables they’d put in to encourage customers to sit and stay awhile. With the line to order nearly at the door, the four of us grabbed a table and decided to wait until it died down a bit.
