Long Road Home (The Barker Triplets 4)

“I’d never met anyone like you before. Jumping off the roof of the boathouse like a boss.”

She held his gaze for a bit, and then the sweetest smile touched a mouth that had haunted his dreams for months now. “I was trying to impress you.”

“You did.” He fingered the edge of the menu. “You still do.”

“Do I?” she asked, her voice small and unsure.

The fact that she had to ask, that it was even a thought in her head, made him feel as small as her voice.

“Every day.”

“Here you go.” Their trip down memory lane was interrupted by Selma and their drinks.

“You two ready to order? The shrimp special is real popular tonight, and I don’t think there’s much left in the kitchen, so if you’re headed in that direction, you might want to pipe up real quick.”

“I’ll just have a salad and maybe some grilled chicken on the side, please.”

Selma looked aghast at Bobbi’s order. “Honey, don’t blame me when your man here orders him up a plate of shrimp and don’t share any on account it’s the best around.”

Shane laughed. “I’m having the gumbo and side of deep-fried gator.”

Selma grabbed their menus and winked. “Now that is what you order when you come out here. But don’t you worry, sweetie, we also make the best damn fresh salad in the parish.”

She left them alone, and for a moment, the two of them soaked up the atmosphere, Shane cradling his draft while Bobbi sat back and had a good look around.

“This is kind of like a Southern version of that bar we used to go. The one where…”

“I found you drunk in your wedding dress?” he interrupted.

She laughed, and damn, but it was a sound he hadn’t heard in a long, long time.

“Oh my God, I can imagine what I looked like walking in there in my designer gown and, oh Lord, I had on a fur stole. I was belly up to the bar in white satin, tulle, and lace, trash talking like a trucker and tossing shots back like they were water.”

“You were something else.”

“Why were you there that day?” she asked lightly, though her eyes had darkened and she watched him intently, waiting for an answer.

“Same reason you were. I was looking to disappear for a while. I couldn’t be in New Waterford on the same day you were giving yourself to another man, so I took off with no real thought of where I was going and found myself in that bar, in that place that used to be ours when we were younger. God, some of the best nights I remember were with you and Logan and whatever flavor of the month he had, and that jukebox and the big guy behind the bar.”

She was quiet for a bit. Remembering.

“I wonder what would have happened if you’d never gone there that day,” she whispered. “Or if I’d never gone. If I’d have married Gerald even though I knew it was the wrong thing to do.”

Shane looked her straight in the eye because this was a no-bullshit answer she needed to know. “I would have come for you. Might not have been that week or month or even that year.” He nodded, never more serious. “But I would have come.”

Chapter Thirteen

“How was Moss Growed Over?” The question came from Miss Callie.

It was nearly noon, and Bobbi had just come down for lunch. Coral was sitting in her favorite spot, and Miss Callie was right there with her.

“It was lovely. I’d definitely go back.”

“That’s what your man said,” Miss Callie replied with a smile. “I’m glad you two had a good night.” She struggled a bit to get to her feet and scooped up her empty plate. “I best get back inside and look over the grocery order. Marybeth is headed there this afternoon. If either of you has something to add, just let me know. I feel like apple cobbler myself.”

Bobbi sat down beside Coral and took a good long drink of water.