Midlife Do Over

“There is no me and Pippa.” I’d spent every free moment between writing and recording, trying to figure out what I could say to her to make things right and nothing came to me. Just songs.

Derek shook his head. “I don’t know why you’re wasting time with a restaurant. You’re going to make a killing off all these songs and residuals.”

“I just wanted something else to keep me busy when I wasn’t obsessing about writing songs.”

“Speaking of restaurants,” Roman said and patted his belly dramatically. “I’m starving.”

“You’re always starving,” I shot back in a familiar refrain.

“He’s got a hollow leg,” Derek added with a smile. “But I could eat too, and I’m eager to get an up close and personal look at Pippa. Roman said she’s even hotter now.”

I knew he was trying to get a rise out of me so I gave in to the urge and punched him in the shoulder. “Don’t be stupid.”

Roman shook his head. “Let’s go. I hear you have a pretty little purple haired chef and you know how much I love quirky chicks.”

We all piled into my truck and headed for Dark Horse. The parking lot was packed, and I had to double check the schedule Pippa shared with me but I rarely bothered to check. “I hope there’s room for us.”

Derek laughed. “You own the place.”

“Yeah but this prime real estate is part of an events venue which means the restaurant is often booked out, or the special occasion rooms are full and, it’s a whole thing that Pippa keeps track of.” I hadn’t seen her in weeks and she hadn’t reached out either, which I didn’t know how to feel about.

“I’ll use my charm if being you being the boss doesn’t work,” Roman offered and hopped from the truck, full swagger on as he walked inside Dark Horse.

All eyes, of course, turned to us. The dining room grew quiet as we stepped up to the dark wood podium and waited like guests. Devon walked up with a frown on his face. “Hey Boss. Did I miss a reservation from you?”

“Nope. These knuckleheads showed up uninvited and begging to be fed. Any room for us?”

“Of course. Right this way.”

“Nice suit,” Roman said to Devon with a smile. “Think I could pull that off?”

“Absolutely. With that hair and the scruff, that’s a magazine cover waiting to happen.”

“Can I borrow him, Ry?”

“No,” I growled and slid inside the round booth, searching the dining room for the woman I couldn’t get out of my mind. “Where’s Pippa?”

Devon frowned at me like I should know. “She’s at home. Been fighting some bug on and off for the past few weeks, but when I saw her yesterday she looked much better.” He flashed a nervous smile. “Don’t worry, she’s still been working like crazy to make sure all the scheduled events went off without a hitch. That’s probably why she’s still sick.”

Pippa was sick. That’s probably why she hadn’t reached out to me. Yeah, right. It was a nice thought, but I realized that by not reaching out to her, my employee, I probably fell into the role of asshole. Again.

“All right. Good.”

Roman and Derek ordered the sample platter for two, just so they could set eyes on Nina. “I already called dibs,” Roman snarled. “So back off.”

Derek held his hands up defensively. “How about we just let the lady decide?”

“Whatever,” Roman growled and turned to me. “Real talk now big brother, what’s going on with you and Pippa?”

“Nothing and that’s the damn problem.” I gave them an abbreviated version of my relationship with Pippa since returning to Carson Creek. “She won’t let go of the past.”

Derek waited until the first course was delivered before he spoke. “I always wondered why she didn’t come with us to Nashville. I didn’t realize you kicked her to the curb before then. I just figured she chose not to come.”

My nostrils flared as anger surged in my blood. “I didn’t kick her to the curb, dammit.”

“You did,” he insisted. “I was fully prepared to have Pippa with us every step of the way, between college classes. It was weird that she wasn’t there.”

“Totally weird,” Roman agreed and popped the appetizer in his mouth with a groan. “So damn good, but too damn small.”

“She needed to live her life. Why am I the only one who understands that?”

Derek laughed. “Guess I see why she’s not getting over the past. You still haven’t apologized.” He let out a low whistle. “How in the hell did you get her into bed again?”

“I’m irresistible,” I growled. “Sexually, anyway.”

“More Than Chemistry,” Roman added on a knowing sigh. “That song, it’s another Pippa classic I’m sure of it.”

Derek nodded, a slow smile parted his lips. “Yep. Without a doubt.”

Course after course, my brothers continued to dissect my relationship with Pippa and my songs about her. It was tiresome, but it also highlighted the fact that I hadn’t gotten over her, that distance had done nothing to dull my feelings for her.