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“It’s not bad,” I laughed lightly, feeling momentarily relieved by the warmth she radiated. “But yeah, I guess this place is authentic to the town.”
She smiled. “I got you a beer. Well, actually, I got us a bucket of beers. It’ssomuch cheaper that way. I hope you like Coors. I feel like everyone likes Coors, but I can get you something else.”
“Thanks, but this works,” I said, taking one of the bottles from the bucket of ice in the center of our table. “Idolike Coors, so this is perfect.” I popped the top off, and took a sip, trying not to people watch. However, I couldn’t help myself. My eyes scanned the room, looking for any familiar faces—just like I had done in the parking lot...
But much to my surprise, I didn’t see a single person I once knew.
“So, you said you’re not staying here long?” Sarah’s voice grabbed my attention. “Are you due back in, um...” Her eyes diverted to her lit-up phone sitting on the table beside her beer. She hit the lock button, looking up at me with a smile. “Chicago, right?”
I nodded. “Yeah, that’s where I worked at the firm with my ex-husband, but I actually quit about six months ago.I don’t really have anything planned right now. I figured I’d take the down time to figure out where I want to go from here.”
“You know Greg is retiring soon.” She perked up, leaning against her hand. “I know that Lucas was using him for some of his stuff goin’ on with the county.”
“Oh?” I couldn’t hide my surprise. “I never really pegged him as the type to get in trouble.”
“Well, you know...” her voice trailed off as her gaze dropped to her hands, and then back up at me. “There’s only so much to do in a small town. People get bored, and when people get bored, they sometimes end up mixed in stuff they wouldn’t have otherwise.”
“Yeah, that’s one way to put it,” I said carefully, sipping on the beer. I had no intention of having more than one, but that was just because I had no idea what my limit was. Ineverdrank anymore.
“Have you started dating again?” The question wasn’t surprising, especially coming from Sarah. “I bet all the guys around here would be dying for a chance to take you out.”
“I doubt they even remember who I am,” I laughed. “But no, I haven’t. I don’t really think that I’m going to focus on that right now. I spent way too long caught up in a relationship with someone who, at the end of the day, didn’t care about me.”
Her smile faded, her blue eyes laced with understanding. “I get it, sort of. Lucas and I weren’t really like that, I guess. We just... Well, he started getting involved in stuff that I wasn’t okay with, so I finally set some boundaries.” She let out a heavy, pained sigh. “And those boundaries led to divorce—from him.Can you believe that? Took the cops three weeks to find him for court on a drug charge, but he made sure the papers were servedto me.”
I nodded, not knowing what else to say to her. “That really sucks.”
“Oh, you know, it is what it is…. But I’m dating now,” her demeanor quickly brightened. “I was always told the best way to move on was to find someone else.”
Classy advice.
I kept my voice even. “And so I take it that you’ve found a rebound then?”
“More likerebounds,” she beamed, giving me a sly look. “You’d beamazedat how much attention I got from all the men in this town after the divorce. It was justwild.Grammy Lin told me they were all just waiting for their chance.”
“I can only imagine.” My tone was light and nonchalant, but in all truth, a felt a little hint of jealousy deep in my chest. When I got divorced,no onecared about it.
“Yeah, girl, I have hadsomany suitors. Like, men have come out of the woodwork professing their undying love for me.” She downed the rest of her beer and then giggled, “It’s so much fun.”
“I think everyone had a crush on you in high school.” My gaze slipped toward the bar, where a guy in a cowboy hat was serving up drinks. He glanced our way, and I quickly dropped my eyes to my beer.
“Oh my gosh, no,” she played it off, but the way she flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder gave her away. “You had a fair share of crushes yourself, being the tough cowgirl, and all that. But let’s see... Who would you know that I’ve dated...” Sarah was in deep thought, her mouth in a flat line as her eyes shifted around the bar.
Take your time.
I pulled out my phone, glancing down at the empty screen,devoid of any notifications. Meanwhile, Sarah’s was lighting up constantly. I was too old to be envious, but the ache of loneliness this town brought made it hard not to feel some amount of jealousy.
“Oh,I’ve gone out a few times with Blaze Harris—he’s the ranch manager over at your parents’ place. He wassuper-hot andsocharming, but he’s totally emotionally unavailable.”
I sat my phone down. “He’s something, that’s for sure,” I managed to say, shifting uncomfortably in my chair. “I don’t really know him though. I could see him being emotionally unavailable.”And full of himself.
“Yeah, I’m waiting on his call, but he’s busy likeallthe time.” Sarah sounded annoyed just as her phone started vibrating against the tabletop again. “Ugh,I swear...” Her eyes were on the phone again, but only for a split second. She silenced it and flipped it over, screen down.
“You’re popular,” I teased, noticing that her smile had faded. “Just like always.”
“Something like that. But anyway, I’ve seen Ty Miller, Jack Carson, and um...” Sarah’s hands went to her lap, and she leaned a little, looking right past me. “Garrett Myers has also been around quite a bit, but not like that.”
Ifrozeat the name, feeling as though all the oxygen had been sucked right out of the room. “Oh?” was all I could manage to choke out as my stomach tightened, and I was reminded once again why Inevercame home.
