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We spent the next hour speaking to Louie, and then Baxter stopped by to let us know that he was getting his equipment brought over this afternoon, and they’d be starting physical therapy tomorrow to try to get my father up and walking again as soon as possible.
Dad already looked exhausted from the day, and it was barely lunchtime.
This man had always been my idol. My rock. He was strong and determined, and I hated seeing him like this.
Fragile and vulnerable.
Maybe it was because I felt that way at the moment, too.
My life was completely turned upside down.
We ate lunch together, but he didn’t say much outside of showing me some photos of a horse he was interested in. After we chatted for a bit, the dark circles under his eyes told me he needed rest. Lexi helped him get into bed, and she encouraged me to take off for a few hours. She reminded me that she’d be there until the night nurse arrived. I thought of moving my things over to the main house, but my father asked me not to do that, and I knew he needed a win right now more than I did.
I decided to go to Cottonwood Café to get some pie to go because it was my dad’s favorite.
“Well, look at you, Presley Duncan. Just as pretty as ever,” Mrs. Runither said as she wrapped her arms around me. The woman was one of the quirkiest people I’d ever met, but I’d always loved her. My mother was appalled by her, which only made me like her more.
“It’s good to see you.”
“You, too. I heard that weasel of a husband of yours strayed. Don’t let that get you down, though, sugar. You’re the whole package. Always have been. It’s his loss.”
It was hard knowing that everyone knew that my marriage had failed in such a humiliating way, but somehow, Mrs. Runither talking about it came off much kinder than the way my mother had thrown it in my face.
“Thanks for saying that.” I cleared my throat. “I wanted to get a blueberry pie for my dad. You know it’s his favorite.”
“Yes. I heard he was back home today, and I was going to send one over for him when I took them out of the oven in an hour or so. Can I have it delivered to you?”
“Oh, that would be amazing. Thank you.” I handed her my credit card, but she refused to take it.
“This one’s on me, sugar.” She squeezed my hand. “Have you seen that good-looking ex of yours, Cage Reynolds?”
I sucked in a breath at the mention of his name. “Yes. I ran into him last night.”
“That is one sexy man, isn’t he?” she gushed. “But so irritable. Every time I flirt with him, he acts like I’m committing a crime. The guy needs to relax. And you know what can take the edge off for a man like that?” She winked, and I couldn’t help but laugh.
I remembered how horrified Cage used to be by her when we were in high school. She made him so uncomfortable, and I used to find it hilarious.
I wondered how he took the edge off now. I knew he wasn’t married because that would be big news in Cottonwood Cove. But I wondered if he still hooked up with his baby mama. If he had a girlfriend. If he slept around. I didn’t know anything about him anymore. I certainly didn’t keep up with the gossip here, but Lola would occasionally fill me in if she heard someone was getting married or having a baby from the friends that she’d kept in touch with. Now that she lived here, I’m sure I’d be updated on the local gossip moving forward.
But I certainly never imagined that the first time I’d see him again after all these years would go the way that it did last night.
I wasn’t above admitting when I was wrong, and I knew he hadn’t deserved that.
“Hey, do you know where Cage lives now? I haven’t been back in a long time, and I have no idea where anyone lives, outside of my parents and Lola.” I chuckled, trying to keep it casual, like it was no big deal, but hoping she would tell me what I wanted to know.
The lawyer in me knew how to press, but I didn’t want it to look like I cared.
Because I didn’t.
I just wanted to apologize.
“Oh, yes. He built a beautiful home down by the cove where that old, abandoned pink house used to be. He tore it down and built a new one from the ground up.”
My heart started beating double time at her words. Memories flooded me, making it difficult to breathe.
He’d built a housethere?
“Ah, yes, I know the place. Thank you, and thanks for the pie. I’ll let Brenda know you’re having it delivered.” Brenda was the house manager for my parents, and she made sure that the place ran like a fine-tuned machine. Even when neither of them was there for months at a time, the woman kept everything going. My father had started spending most of his time here in Cottonwood Cove over the last two years, as he’d retired from practicing law and was just overseeing the family investments now. He loved animals, and the ranch was his happy place.
