I licked my lips and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear as I cast my eyes down, just like I was in middle school and had a crush on the star athlete all over again. “Take that turn on the dirt road coming up. That’s his driveway, just follow it to the house. Yeah, I grew up in Austin, never wanted to leave the city. I loved it so much. At least until my parents bought the inn, and then again when I saw this view for the first time.”
I indicated the house in front of us, which sat near the edge of a bluff overlooking the lake. Rocky bluffs, which almost looked red under the sun, rose high above the deep blue water of the lake. A boat was coasting through, a trail of white, from the motor, behind it.
“When I saw this and lived at the inn for a while, there was no going back for me. This. This is what feeds my soul, and I love that my boy gets to grow up with this in his life.”
“Definitely getting the name of that realtor,” Gunner muttered. He put the car in park and got out slowly, never taking his eyes from the setting sun, falling behind the rolling green hills.
I slid out of the passenger’s seat and walked around the back of the car, popping open the liftgate. Gunner still stood in the same spot, staring out at the view. I smiled to myself. I was the same way the first time I came out here.
The door of the stone mansion opened as I walked around the car with the first box of food. Adeline stood in the doorway with her hands clasped in front of her. Her long straight chestnut hair hung loosely around her shoulders. She was absolutely graceful in every movement. I didn’t know her well, but I always enjoyed seeing her around town or here at Mr. Crane’s.
Gunner hustled over to me and grabbed the box from my arms just as Mr. Crane appeared in the doorway. He was in his motorized wheelchair and scowling at me. He raised his hand, flicked his wrist, and looked between me and the thick watch on his wrist. “You’re late.” I glanced at my phone. We were one minute late. Mr. Crane liked to create a ruckus at any opportunity.
I opened my mouth to speak, but Gunner beat me to it, throwing himself under the bus. “It was my fault, sir.”
Mr. Crane slid his gaze from me to Gunner and choked. All the blood drained from his face, and he started gasping for air. Adeline spun quickly and crouched down next to him, asking if he was okay. He batted her hands away from him.
“Gunner Gentry,” Mr. Crane said, standing from his wheelchair. He smiled as he stepped off the wraparound porch and came toward us, striding faster than I’d ever seen him move. He smiled. I checked the sky to see if pigs were flying.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Gunner said, tucking the box of food under one arm and extending his hand to Mr. Crane, who shook it vigorously.
“Come in. I have some sweet tea.”
Gunner looked over his shoulder at me and winked as I stood there with my mouth hanging open.
Chapter 19
Gunner
“I’m not sure what you were talking about. Earl is the best.” I swirled the short glass of whiskey while grinning at a glaring Delilah. Earl had welcomed me into his home with open arms. I’d seen the way he scowled at Delilah before he spotted me, but after that, he was downright sweet to her. She could hardly form sentences to answer him, and I had a hard time hiding my laughter.
“Earl is the best,” Delilah repeated and rolled her eyes. “If I hadn’t been there and if Adeline hadn’t told me that story, I never would’ve believed it. It’s hogwash.”
I smirked when she ended her mini-rant with Earl’s favorite word: hogwash. Delilah ran a hand through her thick, wavy hair. I watched her fingers as they disappeared into her tresses, making the reddish strands stand out from the dark brown underneath the bar lights. She took a long drink from her vodka tonic and slammed the glass down on the bar. “Gah! The only reason I knew his name was Earl was because of his billing statements. He always insisted I call him Mr. Crane! He even offered us his boat!”
I laughed. “I told you, he’s the best.”
“Sure, sure. I may need you to come with me every time I head over there.”
“Always happy to offer my charming services.”
Delilah snorted and shook her head before stealing a French fry from my plate. “Thanks for helping tonight.”
“Any time,” I said. “Have you heard from your cousin?”
Delilah pursed her lips and her eyes crinkled as she shook her head. “No, I haven’t. It’s…well, a lot of things. Worrisome. Terrifying. I’ve been so hesitant to let Tuck out of my sight. Tonight was actually a compromise.”
She twisted on her barstool to face me. I widened my legs and hers fell between mine. I leaned forward, creating a smaller distance between us. “How so?”
“I’ve been telling him no every time he asks to go out.” She shrugged. “I knew if I kept denying him, he’d know something was up, so when my mom picked him up from school and he asked about a sleepover, she said they could stay at her house. I don’t know what to do.”
“What do you want to do?”
“Grab hold of Tucker and run somewhere she can never find us.” She shook her head. “That’s not really true. I want whatever is best for Tuck, and I just hope that’s me. I’m sorry for laying it on you like that. You were probably just looking for a simple answer.”
I reached forward, locking a piece of her hair between my fingers, and gave her complete honesty. “I want to hear everything you have to say.”
She bit her lip and smiled. “I’m sure you’ve heard far more interesting stories than mine.”
“I don’t think so.” I picked up her hand from the bar top and held it. “Are you cold?”
Her hand was like a little icicle inside mine, even though it was warm inside the bar. It was packed tonight, but I was oblivious to everyone except the woman who’d occupied my thoughts more than any other woman ever had. I’ve never let a woman know who I was. My previous relationships had been only surface level, but I wanted everything from Delilah. Every thought. Every laugh. Every quirk. I wanted them all. Everything.
“No, but my hands are always freezing.”
I turned her hand over, palm side up, and traced her fingers. While her hands were smooth, there were little nicks, scars, and even a burn. She had a small burn on the edge of her pinky. I traced it with my fingers, totally engrossed.
Like I said, I wanted everything from her. Every damn inch.
“That burn is a little party favor from my twenty-third birthday. Makenna brought over vodka and, really, the rest is history. She’s pretty persuasive.”
“She always has been. Even back in kindergarten when she convinced Tommy Miller to jump off the jungle gym. He broke both arms.” I chuckled at the memory. I didn’t lose only my best friend the night of the fire, but all of them. I couldn’t face them anymore without him there. It wasn’t the same. We were broken from then on. Growing up in a small town, there’re only so many kids to play with, and when a tragedy strikes, it strikes the entire town.
“I forgot that you know her.” Delilah shook her head. “I’ve lived here for years now and still feel like I’m on the outskirts about some things. Especially everything that happened here.”