“Absolutely not,” Nell advised. “You have to be patient with him. Perhaps you should start by making certain you’re looking deeply into his eyes so he knows you see his soul.”
“Or he figures out you got some crazy in there and he runs,” Rachel replied.
“Some men like a little crazy,” Callie countered. “And are we forgetting that Tyler is also in love with Lucy?”
“What?” That was so news to her. It wasn’t, but it was. He’d said the same thing the night before, but she’d had no idea that people around town had heard the rumor, too. “We’ve never been anything but friends. I asked him out in high school, but he turned me down.”
“I don’t know what he did then, but he eats you up with his eyes now,” Callie replied.
“He eats other women up with his mouth.” Probably not the most tactful way to put it, but it was true.
“Not lately he hasn’t,” Hope offered. “At least that’s what Gemma says. Ty spends some time with Jesse and Cade, and according to them he hasn’t fallen into any vaginas lately and he whines a lot.”
He’d said he hadn’t slept with anyone in a long time. Could he possibly be telling her the truth? Would it matter if he was? He’d turned her down before and she’d moved on.
Did she want another chance? In a lot of ways she understood why he’d turned her down all those years ago. “Ty’s friendship is way too important to risk.”
“Well, then you should tell him you aren’t interested in him that way.” Callie smiled as though those words solved all her problems.
“I did. That’s what I told him last night.”
Nell reached across the table and patted her hand. “Good. You got it all out and hopefully now you two can move on as friends. Give Michael some time and perhaps the two of you can try dating.”
It was probably sound advice.
So why didn’t she like it? “Why would Ty suddenly be interested in me?”
“I don’t think it’s a sudden thing, hon.” Teeny sipped her coffee. “You know I did a bit of substitute teaching back in the day, and I remember he was always looking your way when he was a kid. And when the two of you were real young, you would stand outside the store waiting for the school bus and he would reach out and hold your hand.”
The bus didn’t come far enough out to pick any of them up, so they’d formed a carpool. Ty’s mom, River’s dad, and Sawyer’s granddad would pick them each up and cart them to and from the Trading Post all the school year. Rain or shine they would stand out there waiting for the bus that would take them into Del Norte, and often Teeny would be there with some kind of treat she claimed she’d just baked and oh, wouldn’t you kids like some?
There had been days when Teeny’s sweets were the only treats she and her siblings would get. Her younger sisters went to a closer school in Creede that had opened up after Lucy had graduated.
She felt tears threaten at the sweetness of the memory. “Yes, I remember how nice it would be to see your face when you would come to school. I never felt like we belonged, but when you were there it was better. But Ty…I think that taking care of me was a habit for him.”
“That sounds like a good habit to me,” Rachel said. “I wish like hell I could get my men in that habit. Don’t get me wrong. They get the job done when it comes to my physical needs, but sometimes a girl wants to wake up to the sound of a vacuum cleaner being used.”
“Don’t listen to her,” Callie said with a shake of her head. “Though she’s right about the habit thing. I’m not sure how that’s bad. It kind of is the definition of marriage. You take care of each other. Does he still take care of you?”
“Sure,” Lucy replied. “His mom sends home food with him almost every weekend. He always shares with me. He’s there when I need him.”
“But you’re not interested in him?” Hope asked. “Not in more than a friendship way?”
“Nah, she’s interested, but she’s scared because that boy has a bad reputation,” Rachel replied. “But Hope’s right about the fact that he’s slowed way down lately. You believe Gemma’s men?”
Hope nodded. “They said they haven’t seen him with a ski bunny in forever. I think he figured out that Michael liked Lucy and decided to get his head out of his butt and secure his girl.”
“But Michael doesn’t want me so if he’s trying to one up Michael, then he’s going to be disappointed, and then where would we be?” It was the conundrum that had gone through her head all night long. If this was really about making sure the other man didn’t have her, how long could they last even if she was willing to take the shot? How long would it be before Ty missed his freedom?
“What if they got together and decided to play nice and share you?” Cassidy asked.
“I would say they’d gone insane,” Lucy shot back. Those two didn’t like each other. “They’re complete opposites.”
Cassidy had been hitting the beet juice a little too often.
The doors to the kitchen swung open and Stella swept in, her niece Shannon walking behind her. Both women balanced plates on their arms as they started doling out the breakfast orders.
Lucy’s stomach growled but she ignored it. She had notes to take, after all.
“Here you go, hon. Chocolate chip pancakes and crispy bacon,” Stella said, putting the plate in front of her.
The heavenly scent hit her nostrils, and she kind of wanted to cry. “Stella, I didn’t order this. I’m sorry. I appreciate the kindness, but I can’t let you feed me for free.”
“Oh, I didn’t,” Stella replied. “Someone in the café ordered for you and asked to be anonymous. I’ve been told to tell you to pay it forward when you can.”
“That always happens to you,” Hope said with a frown. “The last three times we’ve been out with Lucy someone anonymously pays for her meal. It’s weird.”
“I bet it was them.” Cassidy had a grin on her face as she pointed to a spot behind Lucy’s head.
Lucy turned and felt her jaw drop because sitting right there across the café was Ty. That wasn’t so surprising. He often came to Stella’s, but he never came here with Michael Novack. The big, gorgeous former marshal was sitting across from Ty, and they seemed to be in deep conversation.
“Teeny, I would like to change my bet,” Rachel said firmly.
Lucy stood, picking up the plate. She was getting to the bottom of this.
* * * *
Michael watched as Lucy walked into the café, greeting her friends. It looked like there was some big gathering for breakfast this morning. “Any idea what’s going on over there?”
Shannon was fairly new in town. From what he’d heard, she was Stella’s niece, and like many people in Bliss had come with a shit ton of baggage. The dark-haired woman refilled his coffee. He pegged her right around twenty-five, though there was a grimness to the woman that made her seem older. She wasn’t the partying type. “My aunt said it was something to do with the festival.”
Ah, that made sense. Bliss loved festivals. The year was marked with celebrations of all kinds. Spring Festival, Big Game Dinner, Founder’s Day, Woo Woo Fest—which had another name but that one truly encompassed what it was like to be surrounded by people who believed in ley lines. There was a Groundhog Day party that did not in any way involve a groundhog after Nell protested. Now they all simply watched the movie at the Movie Motel and drank beer. If Max passed out before midnight, Bliss was doomed to six more weeks of winter.