Page 59 of Better Together

“No. He’s on a job. I don’t want to distract him.”

“General, if it were me, I’d already be distracted thinking about you. He’s crazy about you. Call him. Leave him a message. Tell him how you feel. Tell him you’re sorry. Tell him you love him.” Pete knocked shoulders with her. “Don’t try denying it. You love him, he loves you—it’s not rocket science. Spill your guts and then leave it up to him.”

“When did you get so in touch with your feelings?”

“Oh, please. I grew up with five older sisters. They talked about their feelings all the time.”

“Thanks, Pete. I’ll take your advice. But first, I have some news that should make your day.”

Alexis looked around at Kate’s living space, which still needed painting and trim work. “You have another week. Kate won’t arrive until Black Friday.”

“That is good news. The extra week will help.”

Alexis’s phone dinged. A text from Ryan: Can we meet?

Pete glanced at her phone. “Wonder what that’s about.”

“I don’t know and don’t want to know.”

“You’re not going to text him back?”

“Nope.”

Her phone dinged again: Please? We should talk.

“You know, Ryan isn’t a bad guy,” Pete said. “He’s an idiot for doing what he did to you, but you two were never right together anyway.”

“What? Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Not my place. Besides, would you have listened?”

“No. I guess not.” Alexis shoved him. “I would have thought you were jealous and I’d need to let you down easy, saying we could only be friends.”

Pete’s loud guffaw echoed through the building. “All kidding aside, I think you need the closure that Ryan can give you before you can move on with your life.”

Geez, why did everyone think she needed unsolicited advice? She picked up her phone and texted Ryan back: Tonight? The Blue Ox. 7:30?

She looked at Pete. “Happy?”

Ryan responded: Sounds good. I’ll be in the bar. Thanks.

* * *

Alexis had one goal after accepting Ryan’s invitation—get in and get out as quick as possible.

She’d been in a funk since the fight with Zeke, and she didn’t feel like dressing the part of the successful contractor. In fact, she didn’t feel successful at the moment, with now two failed relationships. She didn’t go home and change; she had no one to impress. Alexis didn’t care what Ryan thought of her. She wasn’t Raven, dressed to the nines at a jobsite, and never would be.

Scanning the parking lot, she noticed Ryan’s emblemed truck and pulled into the open space next to him. With all the energy she could muster, she climbed out of her truck and glanced at her image in the large side mirror. Dark circles had formed under her eyes. Running a hand through her hair, she tucked one side behind her ear and entered the bar.

The Blue Ox patrons were mostly vacationers who stayed at the Deer Creek Lodge. Moody blues played over the speakers, and the lights were dim. Alexis walked into the bar and scanned the area for Ryan. She found him sitting alone at the far end of the large walnut bar. She hadn’t planned to meet him while he was in town and had gone out of her way to avoid any contact. Maybe it was good that Pete had made her change her mind. The winner would be announced at the end of the week, and she and Ryan would probably never cross paths again. Did she hope for an apology? She did. He’d hurt her in ways she hadn’t realized until she sabotaged the only relationship she really cared about. Pete said she needed closure to move on. She hoped to get some.

She pulled out a barstool and sat. “Hi.”

“Hey.” Ryan rubbed his jaw. “Thanks for meeting me.”

Alexis nodded and signaled for the bartender. “Sure.”

The bartender placed a coaster advertising Garrett’s brewery. “A Loon Call Lager, please,” she said.