I smiled, but deep inside, my heart ached. At one time in my life, all I could think about was having a life with Krista. We’d planned to run away together and start over, but when it came time to leave, she decided to stay. I was going to college, and she had no desire to follow me, not even to stay together.
Maybe that was just another instance of wishful thinking on my part. And up until last week, I assumed all had worked outfor the best. I had Bianca, and that was proof Krista and I were never meant to be.
Now, I wasn’t sure. Not that it mattered. She was married now.
“We should grab some food,” I said, turning away from the happy couples. But when I walked inside, my stomach somersaulted at the faces smiling at me. Fuck, did everyone in this town always have to know everything that was going on?
“Just move quickly to Jeff’s booth,” Michael hissed. “And don’t make eye contact. They’ll only think you want to talk.”
I quickly ducked my head and practically ran to the booth, sliding in and picking up a menu to cover my face. What I wasn’t counting on was how squished I would be by everyone else joining us.
“Here, can you hold her?” Blake asked, handing her baby off to me as she got unbuckled from the contraption around her chest.
I held the child out in front of me, staring at her big blue eyes, hoping she didn’t vomit on me. Fuck, I was not good at this. Over time, I had developed a certain distance I kept between me and things like babies. Bianca hadn’t wanted them, and I was on the fence, wanting to please.
Now…holding one was completely different. I didn’t feel anything besides absolute terror.
“She’s not a grenade,” Blake chuckled. “She won’t explode if you move.”
“Never held a grenade before.”
“Well, trust me. They’re much scarier.”
I handed the child back to Blake, not touching the fact that she knew what a grenade was like.
“So, now that you’re back, we need to find you a woman,” Jeff said, studying the people in the diner like he was picking out his favorite gumball.
“No thanks.”
“No, seriously, if you don’t, they’ll just find someone for you.”
“Guys, I just ended things with someone and?—”
I stopped talking the moment I noticed all eyes on me. They were all listening intently. My gaze tracked every single person in the room, and when I got to the booth beside us, a woman was actually leaning on the top of the divider between the booths, staring directly at me.
“You just ended things with someone,” Blake said encouragingly.
“What the hell is wrong with everyone?” I asked, keeping my voice low. “Why are they all staring?”
Bailey glanced around the room, then back at me. “Because you’re the bad boy, returned from the big city. They want all the details. Honestly, as much as it sucks, it’s probably better that you just spill the beans now. Otherwise, they’ll just keep talking about you behind your back and spreading gossip.”
“It’s none of their fucking business,” I muttered.
She snorted, waving down the waitress. “Since when has that ever mattered?”
“Hey, sugar,” the woman said, winking at me.
“Uh…hello?”
God, this place was so weird.
“You don’t remember me, do you?”
“Should I?”
“Well, I only served you every Saturday morning with your dad when you came in after checking on the cattle.”
A younger face flashed in my mind. It hadn’t been that long ago, but after high school, I sort of blocked things out. Including anything I did with the old man.
