“But?”
He shakes his head. “I hate people talking about me, especially when they have no idea what’s really going on. After Mark’s accident, our private life was splattered all over social media.”
“I’m sorry that happened to you.”
“Half-truths and outright lies.” Kit looks at me, sadness written in his expression. “Mark and I had argued. It was stupid, really. I was being an asshole and Mark decided to give me some space. He met his best friend for dinner to give me time to cool down, you know? Chris was driving Mark home when the car was side-swiped, and he hit a pole. Mark died instantly. Chris was in a serious but stable condition for weeks. Somehow the gossip made it to social media, and it did the rounds, at least in the literary world. Some ridiculous story about Mark having an affair.”
“God, Kit. I don’t know what to say. I’m sorry to have treated it as if town gossip was just a minor thing to ignore.”
“I’m probably being overly sensitive.”
“No, I get it. You’ve been through hell, and at a time when you were grieving.”
Kit gives a wry chuckle. “For a while I started believing what I was reading online, even though I knew it wasn’t true. And then when I heard that old biddy saying I was too old for you… well… I guess it hit home just how old I am. God, Felix, what the fuck are you doing with me?”
“Having a good time.” I stand and hold out a hand. “Come on. We’ve got places to go and people to see.”
Kit laughs, a proper laugh this time, and allows me to haul him to his feet. “I can’t believe I’m letting you take me to a rodeo bar.”
“I like to think you’d follow me anywhere,” I say with a wink. “Now come on, cowboy.”
“Yee Haw!”
Wepushthroughtheheavy doors into the lively atmosphere of Randy’s. The lighting is dim, and the aroma of fried food fills the air combined with wood shavings and peanuts. I take a deep breath, savoring the familiar scent. It’s been ages since I’ve been here and it’s nice to be back. Kit glances around, taking in the rustic interior, and I try to visualize things through his eyes. The long bar, the wooden tables, the band set up at the side, and the crowded dance floor.
“Wow, Felix, this place is… incredible,” Kit says, still scanning the room. He doesn’t look like he wants to hightail it straight out of here, which is a win.
“Isn’t it?” I reply. “There’s nothing quite like a night out at Randy’s.”
Scanning the room, I spot Georgia at a table near the dance floor. She’s in the spirit of things, her long auburn hair covered by a cowboy hat. I assume the man sitting with her is the new guy she’s seeing, Trent.
“Come on.” I grab Kit’s hand and lead him across the room.
She sees us approach and gestures us over. “Hey, Felix! Kit! Over here!”
“Hey, Georgia!” I give her a kiss, then turn to the guy. “You must be Trent,” I say, shaking his hand. “Nice to meet you, man.”
“Likewise,” he replies with a friendly smile.
I introduce Kit, then we settle into our seats and pour beer from the pitcher on the table.
“Kit, how’s the writing going?”
“Slowly but surely,” he responds, then takes a sip of beer. “How are things at the store?”
She rolls her eyes to the ceiling. “Oh my God, it’s been crazy lately. It seems that vacations in mountain towns are all the rage.”
“Yellowstonefever,” I say. “Everyone’s watching that show and wanting to experience ranching life.”
Georgia laughs. “Maybe. Hey, Trent, what were you saying about tourism?”
Trent puts down his beer. “I work at the bank, so know a bit about local development. The new area of town is coming ahead in leaps and bounds and is really popular with tourists. Plus, there’s a new resort being built about twenty miles outside of town.”
“I wonder what that means for the cabin redevelopment,” I muse. I’m still working on the business plan and waiting for some market research, but I know our enquiries are increasing. In fact, the only reason I haven’t moved in with Uncle Shawn to free up my cabin is because of our renovation plans.
“The development in the area will flow along to local businesses,” Trent says. “I don’t think we have enough accommodation for the demand.”
Kit nods. “What you’ve got is special, Felix. A resort can’t match the seclusion and beauty of your location near the falls. Plus, what you want to do with the glamping is unique.”
