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They all groan, but as I once did, they listen and scatter in different directions.
I watch Clayton for a moment, and surprisingly, he looks over his shoulder at me. He’s definitely not my biggest fan. That was clear from his cold demeanor. Who can blame the kid? I’d hate the guy who broke my mom’s heart too. Then again, if I hadn’t, he wouldn’t be here.
“Excuse me?” A small voice pulls me away from my thoughts.
A boy around six stands in front of me with a small football in his hands.
“Hey.” I sit back down.
He hands me the football, and I continue signing autographs as if it’s a publicity event my agent organized.
My hand cramps on the last signature, and my dad comes to sit on the corner of the table. “Ready now?”
I put the cap on the marker. “I was ready when I landed, but you planned this damn thing.”
A guy from The Farm Fresh comes over to take down the table, and my dad and I both thank him before walking to his truck. A few lingering residents come over to give me a handshake and say a few words to my dad.
When we reach the truck, it’s empty.
“Where’re Jude and Emmett?” I ask.
“Jude got a ride back with Sadie, and who knows what happened to Emmett. Probably eight inches into some blonde by now.” Dad climbs into the driver’s seat, and I see a giant white cake box in the back seat.
I guess the welcome-home party isn’t over yet. But a party at the ranch, I’m always down for.
“You’re aware of where Emmett gets his ways, right?”
My dad’s face crinkles as if I asked him to solve a calculus problem.
“You.”
“Me?” He starts the truck and backs out, still looking confused.
“How many times did we wake up to a different woman at our kitchen table wearing your shirt?”
He laughs. “Hardly ever. I usually made sure they were gone before you kids woke up.” He winks at me.
I shake my head. “When I came home last year, you brought home some woman you’d met at The Hidden Cave.”
“She was an old friend.”
“You say they’re all old friends.”
“They are.” He shrugs. “Plus, I don’t see you with someone steady on your arm.” He turns out of town, waving to a few more people before we’re on the country roads.
“I haven’t found anyone. I thought there was one woman, but…”
“Xavier Greene’s girl?”
I shouldn’t be surprised that my dad knows everything. It was years and years ago that I tried to date my quarterback’s best friend. Looking back, I think she just reminded me of Gillian. Small-town girl, sweet. The opposite of the jersey chasers. Looked the opposite of Gill, since I mostly go for blondes now instead of brunettes. Something about seeing dark hair strewn across my pillow makes my heart ache. Anyway, Xavier won the girl, as he should have.
“It was over before it started,” I say.
“They seem happy. Just saw a piece on them enjoying his retirement years up in Alaska.”
I nod, not wanting to get into relationship stuff with my dad, even though I started it. Based on his next words, he doesn’t feel the same.
“Speaking of girls from small towns, I saw Gillian today.”
