24. Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Four

Indy — Now

O vernight, it was like I was seventeen again.

I was hustling tables, jotting down orders in between washing dishes and checking out customers. Dad was at the stovetop, humming the sweet, familiar tune of Johnny Cash and pretending he didn’t notice when I snuck in a bite of his famous chili. It was like a trip down memory lane, a glimpse into how life used to be. And just like when I was seventeen, I did it all with one thing on my mind.

One man on my mind.

I hadn’t heard from Nolan since last night, when he’d dropped me off at my parents’. Our drive home had been quiet, no mention of the speed dating or the things we’d admitted to one another. Had he meant what he said? Or was it another game to him?

Clearly, I didn’t want to think about him. He’d practically forced me to. Even when I’d stopped by the school earlier this morning to tell Lisa about the fundraiser and to see if she and her soccer team would like to help plan—her students practically screamed at the idea of meeting Calder Rohan—all I could do was think about Nolan. And it didn’t help that his sister-in-law, Shay, was sitting in the corner booth of the diner, watching me like a hawk .

To be fair, she’d tried to be sneaky about it. But after her fifth cup of hot cocoa and the way she kept opening her mouth like she had something important to say, only to hide behind her menu each time I walked by, I’d grown suspicious.

After confirming with Dad the woman with pink hair was her, I went to her table. “Did you want anything to eat? Another cup of hot cocoa?”

She glanced at her empty mug, fidgeting with the friendship bracelet on her wrist. She wore a white tee and jeans, a navy flannel tied around her waist. Her hair was cut in a bob, the pink strands falling below her chin. “I probably shouldn’t. I’ve already had five cups—that’s a lot of sugar.”

“I won’t tell anyone.”

She bit her lip, seeming to consider it. But then she blurted, “Do you want to come to my house for dinner?”

My lips twitched. Was that what she’d been doing the entire time she’d been here? Building up the nerve to ask me to dinner? I didn’t know her, but I wouldn’t have guessed her to steer on the hesitant side. She was married to Brooks, and her hair was literally bubblegum pink. “I don’t usually accept food from strangers.”

“Right,” Shay said in a rush, “except I’m not a stranger. I mean, we’re practically family.”

My mouth dried, her words a blow to the gut. We weren’t family. But there was something about Shay, the way she’d sat here for hours despite her nerves, that had me not telling her otherwise. “Dinner at your house?” I scratched my head. “Is Brooks okay with that?”

She scrunched her nose. “I told him I wanted you over, and that was that.” I raised my brows. That statement alone was enough to make me like her. “Look . . . I know the town hasn’t been the most welcoming, and I’m sorry for that. I know our situations are different, but your parents once took a shot on me, and I’d like to give you one. You deserve that.”

My throat swelled. “Did Nolan put you up to this?”

“Nope. He doesn’t even know I’m here. ”

I closed my mouth, searching for the words to turn her down. I appreciated her offer, but it felt like I was crossing too many lines. Even worse, putting down roots.

She must’ve sensed my hesitation. “Honestly, this invitation is entirely selfish. Besides my daughter, I’m surrounded by testosterone all the time. You don’t even have to talk. We can just sit in silence and absorb the ovary goodness. And I don’t know if Nolan told you this, but I’m the one who sent you those letters and blew up your guys’ lives, so I kind of owe you—”

“Dinner sounds good,” I agreed with a laugh, mostly to put her out of her misery. Nolan had told me Shay was the one who’d found and sent the letter Wayne addressed to me, but I didn’t care. Besides, I was curious to know her. If I was being honest, I’d like to catch up with Nolan’s family. I’d already missed out on too much, and if I was here, I wanted to be here .

After giving me a time, Shay ran out of the diner and hopped into a red truck parked out front. I huffed a laugh as the truck pulled away, realizing Brooks was driving. He’d been waiting for her the entire time. Shaking my head with a smile, I stepped through the back door and into the alley, just as Mom’s car pulled up. She and Dad were flying to Texas tonight, so she’d taken the day off to pack. I wished I’d gotten more time with them, but I was glad they’d get to see Auburn.

Assuming her frown had something to do with the flusters that came with traveling, I decided to give her a bit of good news. “Guess what?” I asked, not giving her a chance to respond. “Mr. Walsh came in today, and he only investigated his tomato sandwich once before eating it. Once! And he left me a tip—”

“Do you mind giving me a clue as to what’s going on?”

I furrowed my brows, taken off guard. “What do you mean?”

She set a hand on her hip. “I thought you were here to help with the diner?”

“I’ve been here all day . . .” I trailed off. Where was this coming from? “If you’re worried I’ll have to leave for New York again, I don’t. I’ll be here when you come home—”

“Look,” she began, impatience thick in her tone. “It’s great you wanted to help—I appreciate it. But while we’re gone, your dad and I don’ t need more stress. So if the real reason you came down was to run around with Nolan Graham for a month, I’d rather you go home now.”

I froze, dread building in my stomach. “I’m not running with Nolan, Mama.”

“No?” She cocked a brow. “Then what’s this about you two flying across the country and going to a baseball game? I had two friends call and let me know they saw you on television. And Suzie Mayfield told me she saw you two driving through town real late last night.”

I let out a heavy sigh, feeling like I was a teenager getting scolded by my mom. She might still be my mom, but I wasn’t a child anymore. Choosing my words carefully, I said, “There’s nothing going on with Nolan and me. We’re allowed to be . . . friends.” She let out a curt laugh, taking a bit of my composure with it. I hadn’t expected her to be thrilled we were spending time together, but I’d thought she’d accept it. I mean, Dad was the one who’d suggested it. “We might not have worked out as a couple, but Nolan is a good person—”

“He is a good person, Indy.” Then what was the problem? Before I could ask, or even remind her she’d always had something against him, she said, “Indy, I love you—you know I do. And I know you didn’t want to listen to me before, but I hope you’ll listen this time. You might think you can just pick up and move on after your mistakes, but that doesn’t undo the damage already done. You weren’t here to see it, but the rest of us saw the way Nolan struggled to pick himself up after you left him. You’re right, he is a good man. And I’d hate to see him lose that because you felt like revisiting the past.” Her voice was quiet. Could she hear my heart breaking? “You’ve already built a new life, Indy. It’s time to let him go. He’s lost enough already.”

I sucked in a breath, feeling like everything in me was caving in—the false hope I’d built, believing things could be different for Mom and me. But there was no way, not if she refused to see me. The real me, not the one I’d chipped away at for years, forming into what I thought she needed. When Nolan and I split, I’d never felt more alone in my life. I was desperate for someone to hold me and promise everything was going to be okay. I ached to come home, but I wouldn’t let myself. Not until I’d made something of myself .

I was only now realizing I’d never be able to come home.

Mom was never going to acknowledge how much I’d lost. How much Nolan and I had lost, not only separately, but as a couple. Nothing I’d ever done was enough. Not for her. Not for this town. And certainly not for Nolan.

So what had I done all this for?