Midlife Do Over

“People keep saying that,” I roared angrily and smacked the desktop with my palm. “I thought I was doing the right thing back then.”

She held up her index finger. “Bob and Marcy Johnson both left for Belmont University and they’ve been married for a decade. Tim Cranston and Jenny Welliver went to Vanderbilt together and broke up sophomore year.” She held up a third finger with a smug expression. “Jeremiah Wright transferred from U of Memphis to Austin Peay to be with Kelly and they married before graduation, have two kids and are still going strong.” She flashed another smug smile. “Should I keep going?”

“Are there more?”

Lacey shrugged and sat up, her gaze practically bored into my own. “This is a small town, so yeah, there are plenty. Many of them are married with kids, a few are divorced, and the rest figured out pretty quickly that they were only meant to be high school sweethearts. Your actions denied you and Pippa the chance to figure out which group you’d fall into.”

“It might be too late to figure that out.”

“Well, the sex and the arguments indicate that you’re something more than former high school sweethearts, even now.”

“So you’re saying it’s not too late?” That gave me hope that there was something I could do to make Pippa less angry and more willing to listen.

“If you think it’s too late, leave her be and hook up with one of the local groupies hoping to get a piece of you.”

I winced at her words. “No, thanks.”

“Look Ryan, I know women have been easy for you over the years, but even when Pippa was head over heels in love with you, she wasn’t easy. Why should she be now?”

That was a good question, one I had no answer for. “I don’t know, I just thought it would be easier than it’s been.”

“In the words of our old man, nothing worth having comes easy.”

Pippa was definitely worth it, which meant I needed to put in more work. “So I need to apologize?”

“Only if you mean it.”

I nodded. “Thanks, Lacey.”

“What are older, wiser sisters for?”

I laughed and looked around the mostly empty office. “How are things going around here?”

“All right,” she sighed. “Dad still thinks he’s in charge, and so he’s delaying my efforts to start an online version to increase subscriptions and bringing in guest writers.”

“Just do it. If I’ve learned one thing over the years, it’s better to ask forgiveness than permission. One always comes eventually, but the other may never come.”

Lacey let out a long breath with a genuine smile. “Thanks, Ryan.”

“I can be wise too.”

She laughed. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”

Yeah, me too.

Chapter 18

Pippa

“Hey Pippa, come and try this white truffle risotto with butternut squash. It’s got a twist, and I think it’ll be a good special since it’s supposed to cool down today.” Nina smiled in my direction, a large silver spoon in her hand.

I hadn’t eaten all day and Nina’s food was spectacular, so I made my way over to the stove and stopped halfway when my stomach flipped. The smell was divine of course, but the closer I got the more queasy I felt. I pushed through it, reminding myself not to skip breakfast again.

“All right let’s try this masterpiece.”

Nina’s face brightened. “I added roasted garlic and smoked some cayenne peppers. Let me know what you think?” Her gaze remained fixed on me as I accepted the oversized bite. The flavors popped individually to create an excellent bite.

Then my stomach turned over. And I took off, desperate to reach the bathroom before the risotto made a return appearance. I made it with just a few seconds to spare, retching and heaving long after the risotto came back up. “Whoa.”

“Was it the risotto?” Nina’s concerned voice startled me, but it shouldn’t have since she was a sweetheart.

“No. The risotto was wonderful and I think it’s going to be a hit tonight. I think I’m coming down with something.” I’d ignored the signs over the past couple days, the exhaustion and sore muscles. “Maybe I’m working too much.”

“How about I whip you up a hearty stew?”

My stomach rumbled and threatened another lurch. “How about a nice flavorful broth?”

Nina scoffed. “I’ll get a nice consommé going because I am not a neanderthal.” She flashed a playful smile and left the employee bathroom, giving me the privacy I needed to get myself back together.

Since the kitchen was off limits for a while, I went back to my office and got an early start on payroll. With every scroll down the screen, my eyes started to swim, which started a headache behind my eyes. By the time I finished the last employee, I had a full-blown migraine that for some reason, worsened the nausea I thought was gone with the risotto. “I can’t do this,” I said to myself out loud because I needed to believe it. I couldn’t finish my shift today which meant I needed help.