“How are you, son?”
“I thought you’d left.” Just like everyone else.
Harold gives me a smile, waving a hand at the bartender and ordering a beer. He wraps his hand around the glass, sighing. “Not before this weekend. Couldn’t miss the party. You and Sarah were like children to us. Louise would want me to stay.”
Pain pierces through my chest as a lump grows in my throat. Even Harold—who has every right to leave and has always been straight about his intention to retire on the road—stayed. When he puts his hand on my shoulder and squeezes, I know he understands how important this weekend is to me.
He delayed his cross-country trip for me. Stayed in town for me. Realized that it was important to me.
Why can’t Rae see that?
I take a deep breath, trying to chase the demons out of my head. Harold takes a gulp of beer, then lets out a sigh.
“Four years since Louise died,” he says. “And I miss her every day.”
I grunt. “So do I. She was more of a mother to me than anyone else.”
Why is it that everyone who cares about me leaves? Everyone who gives a damn just drifts out of my life, and I’m left standing on my own?
“It’s lonely without a good woman,” Harold says slowly. He glances at me, his eyes digging into mine.
I take a sip of my drink, not knowing what to answer.
“You don’t seem like yourself,” he continues, his voice low.
“Don’t I? I feel more like myself than I have in weeks. Maybe I forgot who I was. Maybe I forgot what people are like. How little you can trust them.”
“Is this about the Montgomery girl?”
I snort, shrugging. “I think it’s more about me. I can’t believe I let myself think she was a good one.”
“Don’t ruin a good thing if you don’t have to, Benji.”
“I’m not the one ruining anything,” I snap.
Harold grunts, and I regret my tone. It doesn’t change the fact that it’s true, though. My phone is silent, and a few chocolate chip cookies and a scribbled note isn’t going to fix the fact that Rae isn’t here. She left. Took off. Went to get her inheritance because she just couldn’t wait a couple of days.
How could I think she ever cared about me? How stupid could I be?
She never cared about me. She probably wanted to get on my good side so I’d run the garage for her. Wanted to use me to smooth over her relationship with Sawyer.
Or maybe she just wanted to get laid. How the hell should I know the inner workings of her mind?
All I know for sure is that Rae Montgomery never truly cared about me or what’s important to me. If she did, she’d be here this weekend.
Harold says a few more things, but I barely hear them. I know he’s trying to tell me to try harder. Not to break up with Rae. To look for a deeper connection and fight for it.
“I’d never seen you as happy as you were these past few weeks, Benji,” Harold says. “Everyone noticed.”
“Yeah, well, I was an idiot.” I drain my beer.
“Are you still being a grumpy asshole?” a voice calls out behind me. Finn is striding toward me, his arm slung around Esme’s shoulders. “You nearly scared away all our customers today.”
“He’s doing his best,” Harold replies, nudging me with his shoulder.
“Nothing wrong with that.” Esme grins, her black lipstick curving up at the edge. “Being grumpy is a skill.”
“Don’t encourage him.” Finn laughs. “And Benji, you’d better wipe that scowl off your face before this weekend, because I was promised a party. I don’t want you moping around the corner on Saturday.”
“I have to go.” I throw some bills on the bar and jerk my chin at the three of them, ignoring the drawn eyebrows and concerned stares.
I don’t need their worry. I don’t need their pity.
I definitely don’t need their jokes and their fucking happiness. The last thing I want right now is to be surrounded by people who are in love and looking forward to the next stage of their lives.
They’ll probably just leave me, too.
Rae is gone. She made her choice. Good riddance. I won’t miss her.
But hey, at least I’ll have a party to go to on Saturday.
26
Rae
As the plane touches down in Houston, my stomach drops.
This feels like a mistake.
I know Benji’s mad at me, but what choice do I have? This is my last chance to talk to my parents before they leave the country. The last time I get to beg them to come meet their grandson.
It’s my last chance at bringing my family back together—at least for now.
Once they leave, I don’t know when they’ll be back. It’ll be harder to get them to come back.
But the passengers on the plane start disembarking, and I feel like I’m going to be sick. I check my phone for the thousandth time, but there’s still no message from Benji.
He should have gotten the cookies and the note by now. I was hoping a small gesture would let him know I’m thinking about him.
Apparently not.
I get off the plane and walk in a daze toward the exit. My parents’ chauffeur is waiting for me, and all of a sudden, I feel like I’m in a different universe.
I’m no longer in a small town, surrounded by kindness and friendship.
Now, I’m surrounded by money.
I nod to the driver. “Hi, Cliff.”
“Miss Montgomery,” he says, dipping his chin. He reaches for my carry-on suitcase and gestures toward the sliding glass doors.
My gut twists.
The chauffeur treats me like royalty and I should be flattered, but mostly I just feel uncomfortable. It’s only when I’m back here that I realize how pleasant it was to be in Woodvale. I wasn’t Miss Montgomery there. I wasn’t my father’s
