Chapter 5

Once I’m inside my truck, I reply to Beckett.

Cash

Where ya wanna meet?

His text bubble appears.

Beckett

the deli around 11.

Cash

Sounds good.

I havethirty minutes to prepare myself for his lousy attitude now that I know I’ll get it, considering he contacted Remi early this morning. After the alcohol wore off, I’m sure he had a moment of clarity and a shitty hangover.

The warning is appreciated.

Needing to waste time, I drive to Main Street Books, which Hayden Shaw”s family owns. We”ve been friends almost as long as Beckett and I have been. He's engaged to Kinsley, and now they’re living their second chance.

Lucky bastard.

As I walk into the building, sweet scents of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies float through the space. He comes from the storage room carrying a large stack of novels and sets them on the counter. I snag a cookie and smile.

”How”s shit been?” he asks.

”Okay. Been working a lot. How ”bout you?”

He shrugs. ”I’m doing the same, especially now that my dad retired. Running the store and writing as much as possible.”

Hayden has a book releasing early next year.

“You seem happy,” I tell him. It’s obvious how in love he is with Kinsley. They dated in high school and afterward Hayden moved away. Last year, he returned and rekindled their relationship.

“I”ve never been happier. Oh, we decided on our wedding date—September twenty-eighth. Invitations are going out next week. Are you busy?”

I chuckle. ”Go ahead and ask.”

A smile meets his lips. ”Will you be available to officiate?”

”Absolutely,” I say, shaking his hand, and he pulls me into a brotherly hug. ”I”d be honored.”

”Thank you! I think you might become a Valentine tradition,” he says. ”Might put Pastor Mike out of business.”

A laugh escapes me. ”Only for the heathens.”

Hayden smiles and places the books on the rolling cart and pushes it forward. I follow him to where he sets up a display. “Kins will be happy when I tell her. You going to be at Beckett’s tonight?”

”You think I have a choice?”

”Fuck no,” he says. ”So, you and Christine?”

I shake my head. ”No. We”re just friends.”

”Ah.” He meets my eyes, and I can tell he wants to say more. “It makes me wonder who you’re seeing.”

”I’m married to my job,” I admit, not wanting to talk about this.

He smirks. ”Right. You’re transparent, Cash. See right through you.”

My expression doesn’t change. ”Why don’t you come out and say what you mean?”

Maybe I’m being too direct.

”I don’t have to,” he tells me. ”But, how about you don’t fuck it up?”

”What are we talking about exactly?” I ask.

He slides the last book into place and turns to me. ”You’re not as sneaky as you think, my man. Also, I don’t care who you date. Let me make that clear. No lines in the sand here, okay? Do what makes you happy and forget about everyone else.”

I nod, and my phone buzzes. ”I gotta go. Beckett is close.”

”Doesn’t he have a party to get ready for?” Hayden checks his watch.

I hadn’t thought about that. ”Actually, yeah.”

”Mmm.” Hayden shakes his head. ”They seem scary, but they get over it. I got shit, too, but at some point, you don’t care anymore. Eventually, you’ll be willing to fight for it, for her.”

”Thanks,” I tell him, holding out my hand. She has to fight for it, too, and I know she’s not there yet.

He takes my hand with a firm grip and a warm smile. ”I’m rooting for you.”

I check the time. ”Let’s get together soon. Gotta go.”

Hayden kept me in check when we both lived in Houston. I told him truths I know he hasn’t forgotten, but I trust him.

Instead of driving to the deli, I walk the five blocks. When I enter, Beckett and Remi sit at a table in the corner, and he laughs at something. Seeing her here is a pleasant surprise.

Her gaze meets mine, and my world gently spins when a small smile touches her lips. Those blue eyes peer straight through me.

She gets up and sits next to Beckett as I slide into the booth. I glance between them.

“Hey Cash.”

”Remington. I didn’t realize you were gonna be here,” I say, keeping my tone flat and my face expressionless.

Her brow quirks up, and I know why she decided to sit before me instead of beside me. It’s easier to steal glances.

”Oh, I invited her,” Beckett says, picking up his mug and drinking.

”I can leave,” she slaps back. She's so damn good at this.

”It doesn’t matter to me,” I say.

”We already ordered,” Beckett tells me. ”I was starving.”

The server smiles. ”Need a menu?”

“Nah, I want black coffee, scrambled eggs with cheese, extra crispy bacon, hashbrowns, and toast.”

”Got it, sugar,” she says, winking. Less than a minute later, she sets the mug on the table's edge before walking away. Nothing has changed in the deli, not the tables or the wood panel walls.

”So, what were you saying?” Beckett asks Remi. ”You mentioned getting back together with Eric? That douche?”

”He wasn’t a douche,” she says, sipping some water.

Beckett shakes his head. ”Whatever. You were destroyed the last time you dated him. I don’t support this.”

This conversation doesn’t sit well with me, knowing she was hurt by me. I have no idea what happened after I left because she wouldn’t speak to me.

My brows furrow as I stare at her.

”I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she tells him.

Beckett turns his body toward her. ”You want to discuss this right now?”

She sighs. ”You’re annoying.”

”I don’t like him,” Beckett says. ”I’m glad he never came around. I”d have fucked him up.”

”That goes for anyone I”ve ever tried to date. I turn twenty-eight in three weeks. When are you going to stop?” She’s seething.

He glances at me. ”Never.”

”What happened with this Eric guy?” I ask, blowing on my coffee.

”He broke up with her after one summer, and it took Remi years to get over it.”

”Beckett,” she growls. ”It’s none of his business.”

I smirk. ”Sure it is. Anyway, continue.”

”I don’t want to see my sister like that ever again. After that vacation they took to Florida, I was worried her heart would never recover. She became a shell of herself.”

I had no idea, and the scowl on my face is evident. Beckett has the same expression.

”Shut up and stop talking about me like I’m not sitting here,” she snaps. ”And if you don’t, I’ll go home. My past relationships aren’t either of your concerns.”

”Don’t let any man change you,” I firmly state.

Me included.

This conversation is fucking torture. The happiness I felt when I walked in is gone.

Beckett doesn’t respond to her and focuses on me. ”Now that you’ll be roommates, you can keep a lookout. Help me watch her since she's so elusive. And if Eric shows up at your condo, you have my permission to fuck him up,” he says.

Rage settles behind his gaze, and Remi and I will discuss this the next time we”re alone because Beckett wouldn’t exaggerate.

”You do realize we won’t see one another much,” I say as my food slides in front of me.

”Forget this conversation,” Remi says to me. ”Please.”

”Yeah, I don’t think I can do that,” I admit, wishing I could. Remi not sharing this hurts.

Moving in with her will allow me to have the hard conversations we”ve avoided. Ninety days, it’s the time we”re given, and it’s now or never.

I clear my throat, glancing at his hand and noticing his wedding ring. I’m still getting used to this. After Hayden gets married, my guy friend group will be gone. I missed a lot, and for what? Money?

”When are you moving in?” Beckett asks.

”Tomorrow,” I say as the server refills my coffee.

Silence lingers. ”So, tell me about Christine. Kinsley said she was great.”

I smile, knowing what he's doing, trying to see where I stand in the relationship department without asking.

”Oh, she's a nice woman. Smart. She's only here until September, though, because she's working on a special project at the Permian basin.”

It’s the area”s oil and natural gas fields. Since I returned in January, the number of outsiders who”ve moved to Valentine and the Fort Davis area has tripled.

”Well, that’s a shame,” Beckett says. ”You two looked great together.”

”Totally,” Remi adds, and I glance at her.

”Yeah, she's cute, but we’re just having fun.” I grin.

It’s not a lie, but the statement is so general he’ll fill in the gaps. It could mean drinking coffee together or having sex.

Over the years, I”ve mastered avoiding Beckett’s questions about my love life, even if he’s just checking on me. He knows I’m married to my job, even if it runs much deeper than that.

However, I still choose my words wisely.

Once Remi realizes we”re meant to be together, I’ll tell him myself. She has to be the one to initiate this, though. For once, she has to choose me.

”What about you and Samantha?” he asks.

Remi tilts her head. ”Oh, who”s that?”

”Someone I dated in Houston,” I tell her, and her eyes narrow.

We both have secrets.

”You were into her. Honestly, I thought she was the one.”

He has no idea what he's talking about, but I see jealousy spread across Remi”s face as her cheeks heat.

”Yeah, it was too bad,” I say, wanting her to understand that she could’ve lost me for good. ”I asked Samantha to move here and work at the clinic, but she said she couldn’t live in the middle of nowhere.”

Remi coughs, and Beckett turns to her as she clears her throat. I’m two seconds from performing the Heimlich.

She chugs water. ”Sorry, it went down wrong.”

We chat about the weather and how busy they are at the training facility with lessons.

”Oh, did you hear about Sterling? He's becoming a farrier,” Beckett proudly says. Sterling is the youngest Valentine brother and graduated high school a year ago. He’s worked with Beckett and Harrison at the training barn since.

A wide grin fills my face. ”Really? That’s incredible.”

”I didn’t know that,” Remi says.

”Last week, he said he’d been accepted into the program. With all the wedding stuff, it slipped my mind. He's leaving at the beginning of September and will be gone for two months. Dad is proud.”

”Wow, yeah, this is great. I’ll have to congratulate him. Sterling will be so good at this,” Remi says.

”Right? Now I’ll have a farrier and a vet on call.” Beckett laughs. ”It’s good to be me.”

“Sure is,” I say.

We finish eating, and Beckett pays for everyone. I ask for a coffee to go.

When we’re outside, Beckett turns to us. ”This was fun. We should do this again.”

”Thanks. I”d like that,” I say.

Remi hugs him.

As Beckett walks to his truck, he hollers over his shoulder. ”I’ll see you both tonight at seven. Don’t be late. Summer might lose her shit. Her patience level has been in the negatives lately.”

”I’ll be on time,” I confirm and wave to him. He drives off, and I turn to Remi.

”Did you walk?”

“Yep,” she says.

”Great. I parked at the bookstore.”

Remi falls in line beside me. We say nothing as we stroll to the end of the block and then cross the street.

“About what Beckett said?—”

“We have a lot to discuss.” I glance over at her.

She nods. “We do.”

“But not right now,” I tell her. “Tomorrow.”

“Okay,” she says. “Tonight, I’m riding with Haley to Summer’s shindig.”

I smile at her. “Sure.”

I’ve always allowed her to call the shots, lead the way, and do whatever makes her comfortable.

“I don’t like this awkwardness,” she says.

“I don’t either. We need to discuss a lot, and we will again, but I want to talk to you without interruptions.”

The sun hangs high in the sky, and warm, dry air surrounds us. Soon, it will be summer, and it will be too hot to be outside midday without sweating.

Her brows furrow. “Even Samantha?”

“If you want,” I confirm. ”No questions are off-limits to you, Rem. You know that.”