Her statement hit like a bomb detonating in the space between us.
“You’re trying to shield her from what you already had the chance to learn, when maybe there are new adventures to be had, a new point of view if she was part of it.You’re not letting her learn her own lessons, not letting her be truly part of your world, just a portion of it.”
“Shit.”I hung my head as her words rung true.“I swear I wasn’t doing that intentionally.I want everything with her.”
“I believe that.”Goodie nodded solemnly and leaned across the counter to take my hand.“I don’t need to tell you that girl hasn’t had the life she deserves.Most of the time, I can’t believe my brother and I even share the same blood.They never loved her the way she deserved.Josh just continued the pattern.I’m proud as hell she’s breaking the mold.You just have to ask yourself if you’re here to help her build it up or tear it down.”
“To build it, of course.”
“Not me you have to convince.”She shrugged, squeezing my hand once before letting me go.
“How do I start?”Clearly, I had some serious making up to do.
“You’re a songwriter, an artist.You live in your head.Start sharing some of those thoughts out loud.”She tapped my temple.“And don’t make decisions without her, dummy.”
“Noted.Thanks, Goodie.”
She winked.“You can thank me by giving my girl the life she deserves.Just let her grasp it on her own terms.”
“I will.I promise.”Before I could say more, my phone chimed with a text.
Riley:Get your ass to Goodie’s.That asshole is here.
Chapter 18
I’d cooled down significantly after leaving the house.After a run with Katie, a shower at her place, and a much-needed sugar fix from Greta, I was in a marginally better mood by the time I arrived at Goodie’s.
At the end of the day, I knew Hudson was nothing like my parents—nothing like Josh.The real challenge was getting him to let me into his thoughts.He clearly wasn’t used to doing it.
Still, the fact that I was the first woman in his life he genuinely wanted to try for mattered.He’d been a commodity to so many of the women he’d met—something I could relate to—and that realization helped me summon patience for his learning curve once I’d cooled down.
I arrived at Goodie’s early for interviews, wanting to keep myself busy.Duffy, one of the bartenders, asked if I could pop behind the bar for a few minutes while she took a break, and I agreed easily.By Goodie’s standards, it was relatively slow, between the lunch and dinner rush, with half the circular bar full—including Riley, who slid onto a stool while he awaited his to-go order.
“What’s up, Riles?”I set a soda in front of him with a smile.
“Ram.”He grinned, clearly amused by his shortened version of my Rambo nickname.“Didn’t realize you were on bar today.”
I’d noticed that one of the Carter boys tended to post up whenever I was on shift.
“I’m not.”I shook my head.“I’m interviewing some new potential staff in a few.Duffy just needed me to spot her for a break.”
He nodded, his gaze scanning the bar as if he was now on some sort of protect-Lucy shift.
I left him to it and got back to work.Leaning down to grab a stack of clean glasses, I heard an unwelcome but familiar voice.
“Does Lucy Kincaid work here?”
Josh’s polished tone hit me like a punch to the gut.
“Never heard of her,” one of our locals replied dutifully.
If it weren’t for the fact I wanted to vomit, I might have smiled.
“Who’s askin’?”Riley demanded.
“Her fiancé.”Josh offered the word with effortless confidence.
I couldn’t help the audible snort that escaped me as I stood to face him.
