AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Which brings us back to, why the hell are you planning to open a place in some godforsaken town that you admit is too small to sustain more than three bars?”
“First of all, there are more than three bars in the area, but two are on Main Street and one is new. I like the idea of foot traffic and want to stay in that area. Second of all, because of a woman.”
Ben didn’t know anything about Zoe. No time like the present. A confirmed bachelor himself, this was going to be a new concept for him, the idea of moving to a place because of a woman.
“You’ve been home for like a month. How do things get serious enough with a woman that quickly to move to her town?”
And people called me a born skeptic. “We met a few months ago. Lucas sent a package to me when I was injured, and a friend of his girlfriend included a note. We exchanged numbers and have been talking since then.”
“Talking. Like texting?”
“Mostly.”
“So you’re moving to a town because of a woman you’ve been texting?”
“I’ve been with her for these last three weeks. She lives in the same town as Lucas.”
“Kitchi Falls.”
“Yes.”
“Seems fishy to me.”
“Of course it does. Everything seems fishy to you.”
“I dunno. Upending your life for a woman you’ve known for three weeks?”
“I’ve known her longer than that, Ben. Maybe you weren’t listening. . .”
“You’ve been texting. Yeah, yeah. I heard you.”
“As for upending my life,” I reminded him, “that pretty much happened before I decided to move to Kitchi Falls, if you’ll remember.”
“Listen, Nate, I’m not trying to bust your chops—”
“Could’ve fooled me.”
“I just don’t see it, that’s all. I think you’re looking at the restaurant business by default and not because it’s something you really want. And you’re making a huge decision to move to a town where it’ll be hard to get a new business up and running for a woman you haven’t known that long. What if things don’t work out? Is that really where you want to live? Starting a business is a big deal. Once the ball is rolling, you’ll basically be stuck there. Maybe work for someone else first.”
The thing I hated most about Ben’s speech was that some of it was on point. Except one major detail. “I’m in love with her.”
Ben couldn’t possibly have looked more surprised.
“Shut the fuck up. You’re not the lovely-dovey type, Nate.”
“Yeah, well, things change.”
“Shit. Are you serious, Brother?”
“I am.” I hadn’t said it to her yet. Actually, that was the first time I’d said it out loud. But there was no doubt in my mind I loved Zoe and had for a long time. Well before we met in person.
“So what’s the problem? Why do you look like your cat just died?” he asked me.
“I don’t have a cat.”
“I’m aware of that.”
I sighed. “Maybe you’re not completely wrong,” I admitted, though it killed me to do so. “I can’t say this restaurant feels like a calling. I just don’t know what else I want to do.”
