Holden sighed. There was no arguing with Vince. He’d already made up his mind. Still, he said, “I live in Atlanta. Remember the job I have there? And the apartment I own? Let’s talk about you. Are you going to do it? Move in with him?”
“I haven’t decided yet. I don’t know why I’ve never been able to shake him, even though he hurt me. I guess it’s what you said. We can’t control who we love.”
Holden hated asking, but he cared about Vince, so he did. “Are you sure you can trust him?”
“Is anyone ever sure they can trust anyone? Everyone thinks they can, until they discover they can’t. It’s always a gamble. The question is, how much are you willing to risk?”
Holden had a feeling they weren’t only talking about Vince and Gregory. “I should go. I need to pick Roe up at work soon.”
“Why?”
“I have his truck.”
“Sounds like L-O-V-E to me,” Vince teased. “Talk to you soon, babe.”
“Talk to you later.” Holden disconnected the call.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Monroe
“What are you thinking about?” Lindsey asked him. They were sitting at the table in the yard while Wyatt finished up a few things inside.
Roe drew his attention away from the small cabin next door. “Nothing. You excited to see your mama?” She’d moved to Wilmington a few years back. Lindsey’s dad had passed away, and eventually her mom had met another man and remarried. When they retired, they’d wanted to be closer to the ocean.
“Of course. And Wyatt always enjoys it. You know how much he loves the water, and it’ll be good to get away. Don’t think I missed how you skipped answering my question.”
He gave her a small grin. “Are you kiddin’? I know nothing gets past you. I wouldn’t even try.”
“You care about him a lot, don’t you?” There was no question who the him was that she was talking about.
There was no sense in trying to deny it, so Roe didn’t. “Yep.”
“Does he know?”
“Basically.”
“The boyfriend?”
“They broke up. Don’t say anything, though.”
Lindsey cocked a brow as if Vince and Holden breaking up was some kind of sign, or like he’d done it for Roe when he hadn’t. “Does he feel the same?” she asked.
He groaned at that, resting his elbows on the table and leaning in. “Shit, Linds. I don’t know. I think so, but I don’t know that it matters. I don’t know if it changes anything. Is he supposed to uproot his whole life, leave his career, his home, and move here?”
“What about long-distance?”
“That didn’t work so well last time.”
“Holden isn’t Rich. Let’s forget for a moment that he has a sister and nephew here he adores, but…Holden is different. I think I always knew you and Rich weren’t meant to be. You probably did too.”
Maybe he did, but rehashing that wouldn’t do him any good. It didn’t matter. “He makes me feel…don’t know. All twisted up inside.”
“Such a way with words,” Lindsey countered, and he chuckled. “You know there’s nothing in this world I want more than your happiness, right?”
He nodded. “Yeah, I know. I want the same thing for you.”
“Are we going to tell Wyatt soon? You’re his favorite person in the world, Roe. He looks up to you so much, and I don’t want him to feel blindsided if he finds out another way.”
Roe agreed with her. When or if Wyatt found out, he wanted it to be from him and Lindsey, wanted the two of them to tell him together, a united front. “He likes Holden, but I want to make sure it’s going somewhere before we tell him. Plus, Holden isn’t ready for Sean to know. Sean already thought something was up with us and that Holden would stay because of it. It’s not all cut-and-dried.”
She nodded. “That makes sense. At least you’ll have the next week to yourself.”
“Is it time to go?” Wyatt and Zeus came running out of the house. Wyatt had a bag slung over his shoulder. Most of what he’d wanted to take with him had been at his mom’s house, but some had been here.
“It is,” Lindsey replied, and they both stood.
“Come here, buddy.” Roe wrapped Wyatt up in a hug and kissed the top of his head. “Have fun, okay?”
“I will.”
“Miss and love you.” He ruffled Wyatt’s hair.
“Love you too, Dad.”
Zeus sat beside Roe as he stood there, watching Lindsey and Wyatt drive away. He couldn’t stop himself from mulling over his conversation with Lindsey—his feelings for Holden, and where they would all go from there…
When he heard a car, he looked up to see if Lindsey and Wyatt were returning, having forgotten something, but it was Holden, Marilee, and Sean. He wasn’t sure where they’d been, but then why would he be? It was a Saturday, after all, and they were a family off doing their own thing.