Joey snuck away the next morning, careful not to wake Ryder, who was sleeping soundlessly. She needed to check on Shiv before Peter arrived. But mostly she needed time and space. She was getting in too deep with Ryder. Her world couldn’t take any more disappointment, and he was disappointment with a capital D.
It was only a matter of time before this job would be over. Shiv was already making noise about leaving to live at Cascade Village. As soon as the retirement community had an opening, she would go, Joey was sure of that. And then there was Joey’s nursing license. If the gods were smiling, maybe she’d be reinstated and could start looking for a nursing job.
Her life was completely up in the air, and here she was, falling for a man who was completely unavailable.
She tiptoed into the house, praying that Shiv was still asleep. It was only seven, plenty of time for her to shower and dress before putting on a pot of coffee. She cracked open Shiv’s door to find her still in bed, then rushed to the bathroom.
After bathing, throwing on a pair of jeans, and applying a little makeup, she strolled into the kitchen to find Peter at the table.
“You’re early.”
“I wanted to take advantage of that fabulous breakfast at the inn before the rest of the guests woke up. I stuffed my face and found myself with nothing left to do. What’s on tap today for you and your daughter?”
“I was thinking of going riding. My ex has horses, and he’s gone for the weekend. It’s only his wicked stepmother. She probably wouldn’t mind if Roni and I availed ourselves of a couple of horses. The ranch is five hundred acres, so she won’t even have to see me.”
“That bad, huh?”
Joey wagged her hand from side to side. “A lot better since Ethan got engaged to someone more suitable.” She made finger quote marks in the air around “suitable.”
“Oh, honey, she’s crazy if she doesn’t think you’re suitable. I’m in awe. The way you’re able to juggle being a mom and an amazing caregiver. Color me speechless.”
“Peter, where have you been my whole life?”
He chuckled. “Miss Shiv had a good time yesterday. She’s smitten with Roni, you know? Thanks for letting us tag along.”
“It was my pleasure.”
“I was a little surprised about Cowboy Beef Cake.”
Joey nearly dropped the coffeepot, she laughed so hard. “Cowboy Beef Cake? Yeah, me, too. It was good for Shiv.”
“Honey, it was good for all of us. You do know the man has the hots for you?”
He had something for her, something physical. “Nah, he’s worried about his mother and just needs a friend.”
“I could be there for him.”
“Be there for who?” Ryder came into the kitchen, sporting a good case of bedhead.
Both Joey and Peter exchanged glances, fearing they’d been overheard. If they had, Ryder didn’t let on.
“Coffee will be ready in few.” Joey turned on the machine.
“What did you bring us, Peter?” Ryder searched the kitchen counter. “No donuts?”
“Nothing this morning, I’m afraid. The Lumber Baron ought to do take-out. They’d make a fortune.”
Ryder stuck his head in the fridge and pulled out a carton of eggs. “Anyone want an omelet?”
“I couldn’t eat another bite,” Peter said and rested his hand on his stomach.
“I’ll wait to have breakfast with Roni. But thanks.”
He glanced over at her and nodded. No one observing would ever guess that they’d spent the night having some of the best sex of her life. That was sort of Ryder’s MO. Hot and cold.
He got down a mixing bowl and found a pan in the cupboard. “My mom’s not up yet?”
“I’ll give her until eight, then rouse her. I know she wanted to see Cascade Village today, but I’m doubtful they’re open for tours on Sundays.”
Peter perked up. “Really? I’d gotten the impression she wasn’t too excited about Cascade Village. Though Cascade Village is like no senior community I’ve ever seen.”
“You know it?” Ryder asked.
“I worked there as a caregiver for two years. It’s gorgeous. The apartments and homes are spacious, and there’s three restaurants, an enormous pool, tennis courts, a fabulous gym, twenty-four-hour concierge, on-site health care. I’d move there if they’d take me.”
Ryder hunted through the fridge for cheese. “Will they let her tour the place today?”
“That I don’t know. Call the concierge. They used to have models of the homes, but they may have sold those by now. From what I hear, it’s hard to get in.”
“We’re on a waiting list,” Ryder said. “Yesterday was the first time my mother ever showed interest in the place. I’m hoping she likes it and that it will give her something to look forward to. Get her out of her funk.”
“She definitely won’t be bored. There’s tons of social activities.” Peter got up, gathered a few mugs from the cupboard, and set them on the table with a container of milk.
Joey checked the clock. “How early do you think he can call?” she asked Peter.
“Any time. They’re there twenty-four hours.”
Joey went to wake Shiv and found her sitting at the edge of her bed.
“Morning. You want coffee and breakfast first? Or a shower?”
“A shower.” Shiv got to her feet. “I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”
Joey couldn’t gauge Shiv’s mood, but she’d made it clear that she wanted to get ready on her own. Fair enough. There was no reason Siobhan couldn’t be more independent. Her balance was getting better, and the dizzy spells were infrequent.
While Shiv was in the bathroom, Joey used the opportunity to strip her bed and gather up a load of laundry. She’d start the wash before she headed off to the Circle D. On her way out, she spotted a towel on top of the dresser and added it to her pile. A piece of stationery fluttered to the ground, and Joey dropped her load to pick it up.
She didn’t mean to pry but couldn’t help but notice the letterhead. It belonged to the judge Shiv used to work for. On occasion, she’d mentioned him, always with a degree of reverence that had made Joey wonder about their relationship. Shiv had never indicated that it was anything other than professional. Still, Joey had detected something there. A kind of longing that she’d initially attributed to Shiv missing her job and the prestige of serving an important judge.
Joey peeked at the first paragraph, and before she knew it, she had read the whole letter. It was fairly generic, the kind of note an employer who over the years had become a friend would send, asking after Shiv’s health. Yet, there was something about it that made Joey think there was more. The sentence: “I miss you,” which was quickly followed up with “We all miss you.” It was as if the judge realized the original sentiment was too revealing and tried to correct himself. There were other things, too, like “My dearest Siobhan.” It seemed like rather antiquated language for a friendly missive. To Joey, it was the way you would start a love letter. But older, proper people (maybe he was from England) spoke like that.
Besides, it was none of her business. She folded the note and returned it to the dresser.
Peter and Ryder were chatting when Joey got back to the kitchen. She poured herself a cup of coffee and sipped it, leaning against the counter. It was still too early to show up at the Circle D. If Ethan was there, she wouldn’t have cared. But Alma would act put out.
“If I can’t get in today, you want to come with me tomorrow?” Ryder asked and she assumed they were still talking about Cascade Village.
“Sure, I’d love to see it.”
“What about you, Peter?” She didn’t want him to feel left out. He was also Shiv’s caregiver, and since he’d worked at Cascade Village, who better than him to come along?
“I have a client on Monday. But I’m free Thursday and Friday. Besides, I’m hoping they let us in today.”
Ryder locked eyes with her. She knew he wanted her to go with them but didn’t want to come right out and say it. It was her day with her daughter, after all. And the fact that they’d slept together—not once, but twice—made navigating the work thing a ticking time bomb. Another reason why she needed distance.
But Sundays were also her days to hit meetings in Reno after her visit with Roni, so she’d be there anyway. And, of course, she wanted to make sure Shiv would be happy in the retirement community.
“Try to get an appointment for the afternoon, so I can spend a few hours with Roni.” She washed her cup and grabbed her bag. “Call me.”
She made it to the Circle D in less than ten minutes and sat in the driveway, deliberating on whether it was still too early to go in. But Alma saved her from having to decide by coming out onto the porch.
Joey prepared herself for Alma’s usual condescension and got out of the car. “I hope it’s not too early.” She shaded her eyes with her hand to block out the morning sun.
“Roni just woke up. She’s getting dressed,” Alma said in that superior, you’re-a-bad-mother tone that always left Joey feeling guilt ridden. Her sponsor had told her to ignore it. Easier said than done.
The only woman more perfect than Brynn was Alma—okay, it was a toss-up. Alma was a retired news anchor, the toast of Reno, looked ten years younger than her age, and had helped raise Roni while Joey had been too stoned to do it herself. She’d taught Roni how to bake cookies, to always say please and thank you, and that red and purple clashed. Currently, she was teaching her Spanish.
From day one, Alma had made it crystal clear that she thought her stepson was too good for Joey. The sad realization was that she’d been right. Joey had been a terrible wife, a party girl who wanted to play more than she’d wanted a committed relationship. She’d never cheated on Ethan, but she’d gone out of her way to attract male attention.
Resentful of Ethan’s long hours, she’d spent more time in bars with her girlfriends than making their house a home. When Roni was born, she’d told herself it was time to settle down and be a mom. In those first years, she’d doted on her family. Then, she found opioid analgesics, and that became her life.
“Are you coming in?” Alma stared down her nose at Joey.
She climbed the stairs. “I thought I’d take Roni to breakfast.” It would be better than sitting around in the kitchen while Alma insisted on making something. “Henry, too.”
“Henry’s got a playdate.”
Joey followed Alma inside, stood at the staircase, and called up to Roni, “I’m here, baby. Hurry up so we can go to breakfast.”
Roni came out of her bedroom, still in her PJ’s. “Okay, Mommy. Should I wear a dress?”
“If you want to. But I thought we could go riding after we eat. So maybe jeans and boots.”
“I get to ride Choo Choo.” She danced back into her room.
Joey found Alma in the kitchen, making coffee from the fancy built-in machine.
“Would you care for a cup?”
“No, thanks. I had some before I came.”
Joey sank into a stool at the enormous marble island, noting a stack of wedding materials in the corner. It was next Saturday. She’d received her engraved printed invite, hand-addressed in calligraphy. She still hadn’t sent back the elegant RSVP card, which was beyond rude, but she hadn’t decided whether to attend.
The idea of going was right up there with having a colonoscopy. But if it would smooth the transition for Roni, she didn’t see how she could avoid it. One big, happy family.
Who knew? Maybe she’d meet the man of her dreams at the reception, not that she was looking. The thought conjured an immediate image of Ryder, naked, on top of her. She tried to shut it down, but it didn’t seem to want to go away.
“How’s the job going?” Alma asked, trying to be pleasant.
“Good. Ms. Knight is a lovely woman.” Unlike you.
“Nothing on your nursing license, huh?” Of course, Alma knew. Joey wondered if she asked just to be mean.
“Not yet.”
“How are your folks?” Alma hated Joey’s parents but was trying to make small talk to make up for how uncomfortable this was. Ordinarily, Ethan was here to be a buffer.
“They’re fine and send their regards.” What the hell was taking Roni so long?
She didn’t know why she said it, but it just fell from her mouth. “You must be really excited about the wedding. I hear you’re all going to Hawaii.”
“Yes, the wedding should be lovely. And the kids are thrilled about Hawaii. It was very sweet of them to invite me along,” she said, but without the victorious tone Joey had expected. She almost sounded like she wanted to downplay it for Joey’s sake.
“Of course, they would invite you. Ethan and Roni love you, and I’m sure Brynn and Henry do, too.”
A soft smile lit Alma’s face, and she reached out and ever so slightly touched Joey’s hand. That’s when Roni came running into the room.
“I’m ready!” She held up her foot so Joey could admire her pink cowboy boots.
“Ooh, where did you get those?” It was the first Joey had seen of them.
“Brynn got them for me from Katie’s mom.”
“Who’s Katie’s mom?”
“Tawny Rodriguez,” Alma said. “She’s a well-known boot designer, who happens to live in Nugget.”
Joey had a sudden memory of Annie telling her about the custom boot maker when they’d run into each other at Farm Supply. As Joey recalled, Annie had also said her cowboy boots were prohibitively expensive. A wave of agitation hit her so hard it nearly knocked her over. She did her best to hide her ire, afraid Roni, or even Alma, would pick up on it.
“Daylight’s burning.” It was something Ethan always said when he wanted to get everyone out of the house.
“Let’s go,” Roni shouted.
“You sure Henry won’t feel left out?” she asked Alma.
“No.” Alma waved her off. “He’s still asleep and will be excited about meeting up with his friend.”
Roni chatted endlessly on their trip to the Ponderosa. Even though Joey wished there were more sit-down restaurants in Nugget, you couldn’t beat the Ponderosa for breakfast. Really for anything. For such a tiny town, the restaurant was good.
“What’re you going to get?” she asked Roni as they went inside.
“Waffles.”
The waiting area was packed with people who spilled out onto the sidewalk. The owner, Mariah, spotted them and bobbed her head in greeting.
“Looks like we’ll have to warm one of these benches for a little while.” Joey grabbed a seat at the entrance and pulled Roni onto her lap to give an elderly man room to sit.
Two women across the restaurant waved, and she had to look closely to see who they were. Darla and her friend, Harlee. She waved back.
Roni jumped off her lap to run over to their table to say hello and returned a few seconds later. “They said to come sit with them.”
“Really?” That was awfully nice.
Roni took her hand and dragged her to their table.
“You sure?” she asked the two women.
“Uh, yeah.” Darla flipped her hair. Today it was platinum blond and Joey was pretty sure a wig. “Eat with us. We haven’t even ordered yet, and we have this whole table to ourselves.”
“Thank you.” Joey pulled out a chair for Roni and joined them. One look at Harlee and she tried not to laugh at how far she had to sit from the table. “Any day, right?”
“Ugh.” Harlee threw her head back. “Why can’t this baby be born already?”
“Can I hold it when it’s born?” Roni got up and touched Harlee’s belly.
“Yep. You can even babysit when you get older.”
Roni’s eyes grew round, and Joey laughed.
A server came and took their orders. Both women got virgin Bloody Marys, and Joey decided to get one, too. She ordered Roni a waffle and a side of scrambled eggs. She’d never eat it all, but at least there’d be some protein on her plate.
Roni saw a friend from school, and she sprinted across the dining room to greet her.
“Is this a regular thing for you two?” Joey asked Harlee and Darla, liking the idea of a ladies’ brunch.
“Not really,” Harlee said. “My husband is doing some work on the Barlow place, trying to get caught up before the baby comes. And Wyatt had to work today.”
“He’s a cop,” Darla reminded Joey. “The department is so small that everyone has to pull a weekend shift every month. At least he’ll be off for Brynn and Ethan’s…” she trailed off, remembering that Joey was the ex-wife.
“It’s okay. Even I got an invitation.”
The two of them looked at her, surprised. Good, at least it wasn’t just her who found the whole being invited to her ex’s wedding bizarre.
“Ethan thought it would be good for Roni if I was there. A way to show that I was giving my blessing.”
“Are you?” Harlee asked. “Giving your blessing?”
Joey had opened the door. Still, the question startled her. She thought about it. When he’d first met Brynn, Joey had been insanely jealous and had done whatever she could to win him back. Somewhere along the line, though, she discovered that it was the idea of him that she loved more than it was Ethan himself. The truth was, the marriage had been in peril long before she’d become a substance abuser. And despite everything they’d been through, Ethan continued to be her stalwart supporter and friend. He was a good man, possibly the best man she’d ever known.
“Ethan deserves to be happy, and Brynn does that for him,” Joey said at last. “So, yes, he has my blessing.”
“Wow, that’s, like, so refreshing.” Darla turned to Harlee. “Right?”
“If Colin and I ever got divorced and he married someone else, I’d slip laxatives into his breakfast cereal and post his fiancée’s profile on Tinder. And that’s before I truly got creative.”
“You would not. That’s just the hormones talking,” Darla said.
“Talk to me in a few months when you look like me.” As soon as the words left Harlee’s mouth, she covered it with her hand. “Oops, sorry.”
Joey stifled a laugh. “I guess congratulations are in order.”
“We’re not telling anyone yet.” Darla smacked Harlee’s arm. “I’ve got another week until we’re out of the woods.”
“I won’t tell a soul.” Joey pretended to zip her lips shut. “Promise. We won’t even discuss it.” She understood wholeheartedly.
“Thank you.”
Harlee gave Darla a hug and let out a little squeal. It was so sweet that Joey reminded herself to get a best friend.
“Let’s circle back to the wedding,” Darla said and turned to Joey. “Does that mean you’re going?”
Joey let out a puff of air. “I haven’t decided yet. Although he has my blessing, I’m not sure I can withstand the awkwardness of it.”
“You should take a date,” Harlee said.
“A super-hot guy,” Darla added.
Ryder came to mind. As if. A man who didn’t do relationships wasn’t likely to do weddings either. Even as a guest. “Yeah, maybe. We’ll see.”
“If nothing else, you should go to witness the spectacle,” Harlee said. “I hear it’s going to be glitzy, like a wedding on steroids. Brynn hired a caterer from Manhattan, who’s coming all the way here.”
“Brady must be pissed.” Darla filled her glass with ice water from the pitcher on the table.
“Who’s Brady?”
“He’s a local chef who works for Nate Breyer’s hotel chain. He always caters the weddings around here.” Harlee did a quick look around to make sure no one could hear them. “Brynn said she wanted him to be a guest, not a worker.”
“I can see that.” One of Joey’s college roommates was a photographer. She had once confided in Joey that she hated shooting their sorority sisters’ weddings. Not only had she felt left out, but the pressure was worse when it was a friend.
“I heard she’s also having some of the members of the New York Philharmonic do the music,” Harlee said.
Joey wasn’t surprised. “Her father is the conductor.”
Harlee nodded. “Weddings around here are big to-dos if they’re held in Lucky’s barn. You can only imagine how everyone is talking about this one.”
Joey could relate. She and Ethan had gotten married at his family’s ranch outside of Reno. The wedding cake had come from Costco. Ethan’s dad had donated a half side of beef. Alma had worked a week straight, making her famous tamales. The music had been provided by a country-and-western band that played at a bar not far from the hospital. And Joey had worn an off-the-rack wedding dress.
She was stunned that Ethan was going along with a big, showy shindig. It wasn’t at all his style. But that’s how crazy he was about Brynn.
Roni skipped back to their table, and the conversation turned to other residents of Nugget, including the Addisons.
“I heard a rumor that they may be interested in selling the Beary Quaint,” Harlee said and stopped talking when the server brought their food.
“Where’d you hear that?” Darla asked as soon the waitress left. She sounded skeptical.
“Sources. But yeah, I have my doubts about the credibility of the information.”
“If I were you, I wouldn’t go to press with it just yet.” Darla drowned her eggs in hot sauce. When she realized Harlee and Joey were watching her, she said, “I’m craving spicy like you wouldn’t believe. So good, right? Anyway, I find it highly unlikely that the Addisons are selling. They’ve owned that relic of a lodge since the beginning of time.”
Harlee shrugged. “Keep your ears open. You never know, and it would make a hell of a story.”
Joey wondered why, if the Addisons were trying to sell, they would be hassling Ryder. Then again, perhaps they thought Ryder’s trucks would scare away potential buyers. She stored the information so she could tell Ryder about it later.
In between bites of her waffle, Roni entertained everyone with a story about her new best friend. It was a thoroughly delightful morning. Yet Joey couldn’t shake their discussion about Ethan’s upcoming wedding. In just a few short years, everything had changed. Yet it still felt as though she was the one standing still.