“What do you mean?”
“With the Gram woman,” Cash said.
“Charlotte.”
Cash nodded. “Yeah, Charlotte. The same Charlotte who lives in the city and will go back to that city by the end of summer.”
“I’m aware.”
“So you meant to kiss her in front of God and country tonight? Here I thought you were going to tell me that your face slipped and accidently landed on hers.”
Tripp took a deep breath. Cash was his calm friend. Calculated. Hard worker. They had similarities. The only person he’d ever met who could rival Tripp’s control.
“It was intentional,” Tripp admitted. Maybe it was because he saw how lonely Charlotte looked sitting in that tent all alone while his idiot neighbors passed her by. Or maybe it was because the interactions they’d had so far, both with and without Gracie, led him to only liking her more. “I know what this is. And I know what I’m getting into.”
“Do you?” Cash said. “Because since Shania walked out, you’ve been all Gracie all the time. Now don’t get me wrong, I want you happy and thank God you’re finding that with a woman again. But I just don’t want you to be disappointed when you’ve picked another woman who is going to walk away from you. And from Gracie.”
“I won’t let Gracie get attached. It’ll be fine.” He reasoned that it would be. There were always options. Not that he was thinking of what it’d be like if Charlotte did end up staying around Cheyenne, but it wouldn’t be unheard of. She had kin here.
“I know your ways are set in stone, and I know Gracie will be okay, but what about you? You hang on to things—people—even if they aren’t good for you. You fall fast and hard. God love you for it, but I just don’t want to see you dive into a losing battle with a woman who isn’t from here and won’t ever be.”
Tripp looked at his friend and knew what he was saying, but the words didn’t hit. He enjoyed Charlotte and wanted to spend time with her. And so what if he hoped for maybe the possibility of more? It wasn’t like he wanted her to leave or was dying for her to stay. It wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if she did stay.
“We all have our reputations,” Cash said, and Tripp knew what he was referring to. They’d been in this town since they were boys, and what they’d become had never been in question, it was so obvious. Bo was the forever bachelor who would never settle down. Cash was a hard-ass. And Tripp? Tripp was controlled and responsible, until that control slipped and he went all in on a losing bet. Like Shania. But that wasn’t a loss. He got Gracie out of it. He was smarter now. A woman wouldn’t be his downfall again.
“I’ll be fine.”
Cash nodded, but he knew his friend well enough to know he wasn’t completely buying it. And Tripp wasn’t sure if he was, either.
…
Grammy had been healing well, and they were both eager to see what her doctor thought at her checkup that afternoon. Once her grandmother was settled in a chair in the waiting room, Charlotte hustled over to the receptionist and checked her in.
“Mrs. Gram is here for her appointment.”
“Mm-hmm, and you are?” the woman asked with an irritated tone.
“I’m her granddaughter, Charlotte Gram.”
“I see,” the woman said, not looking at her and typing slowly on her computer. The woman looked familiar, but she couldn’t quite place her. About Charlotte’s age, maybe just a bit order. Pretty. Thin lips…
Oh God. She was one of the women at the nut fry last weekend who glared at her. But maybe Charlotte misread her.
“I think I saw you at the nut fry last weekend. I didn’t get to introduce myself.”
“You just said you’re Charlotte.”
Okay, so the woman was harsh and hadn’t even spared her a glance. Maybe it really was Charlotte. She didn’t know what she could have done to upset this woman. Maybe she just didn’t have a sunny disposition? Was that why companies weren’t hiring her?
“You know Tripp Montgomery?” the other woman asked.
Charlotte frowned. “Kind of. We’re neighbors.”
“So you live here?”
“No, my Gram does. I’m just here helping for the summer.”
“Then you’re gone?” the woman asked, only it didn’t come out like a question. So much for finding a way to feel welcome. She had a sneaking suspicion it had to do with Tripp. And that the kiss he’d laid on her wasn’t helping.