He propped his elbow on the window ledge and his head in his hand. God, he was starving and that menu made his mouth water. But Ethan didn’t want to face his father until he knew what he was going to say, lest he blow up and say the wrong thing and make their abysmal relationship even worse. Besides, he wasn’t up for another night of rants over Delaney’s return.
“I’m already running late on appointments,” he told her. “I won’t be done early enough to catch you for dinner.”
“Oh, that’s too bad.” His mother sounded sincerely disappointed. “You and your father have been at such odds lately. I was hoping you two could smooth things over.”
Not in this lifetime. “I know it upsets you, Mom, and I’m sorry. But honestly, I don’t see that changing anytime soon unless Dad backs off.”
“I’m sorry, too. I’ll talk to him. Honey, there’s one other thing. I hate to ask with your time so limited, but my friend Bunny, she’s at Wildly Artesian working in her space, and she noticed that Colleen McKay is struggling to put up some shelves in the next space over. You know Colleen, her husband, Dick—”
“Passed away last month.” Ethan stopped at a light and rubbed his tired eyes, barely holding back his exasperated sigh because he knew what was coming. “Yeah.”
“If you happen to be going by the shop, it would really mean a lot to me if you’d stop by and help her out. I’d do it myself, but we both know I’m as good with a hammer as your father is with a cupcake pan.”
That made Ethan laugh. And he was only a couple of blocks from the shop. “Sure, Mom.”
“Thanks so much, honey. I love you.”
“Love you, too.” He disconnected with his mother and turned the corner onto Main Street, pulling into a spot beneath the Sycamore trees in front of Phoebe’s shop. The building was a grand historical colonial situated at the center of downtown; one Phoebe had bought when Ethan had been away at college. She’d put a lot of money into restoring it and kept it in pristine shape. And every time Ethan looked at the turn-of-the-century colonial, a sense of pride welled inside him.
He wished he could have afforded one of these historical buildings to house his brewpub, but land was far more affordable. It also allowed him to start small and expand without going too deep into debt. The thought of offering to buy The Bad Seed from Delaney had crossed Ethan’s mind several times. It would be an easy way to gain prime real estate and a liquor license at the same time. But he also knew that doing that would have been considered the worst kind of betrayal to his family.
And, as Caleb had said, going up against Jack wasn’t the best way to ensure success with a new business in town. If there was one thing he’d need with this business—it was success. Pops was counting on it. Besides, that building was going to be a cavernous money pit. He was sure she’d see that in time.
Ethan got out of his truck and waited for two women pushing baby strollers to pass before he crossed the sidewalk and started up the old wooden steps to Wildly Artesian’s double front doors.
A bell jingled as he entered, and the scent of peaches and lavender filled the air. Phoebe looked up from the front counter where she had paperwork spread out across the glass.
“Well, Mr. Hayes.” Her smile was at half-mast, which caused Ethan a pang of unease.
“Hi, Phoebe. How are you?”
She leaned her forearms on the glass and met his gaze directly. “I’d be better if you weren’t sleeping with Delaney.”
Her statement hit him like a brick. His smile vanished, and he glanced around to see who else might have heard, relieved no one was within earshot. Then he rolled back on his heels and shoved his hands into his front pockets. “Your candidness is always so . . . refreshing.”
“I doubt it.” She set down her pen and clasped her hands.
A middle-aged woman strolled from one section of the building to another, passing through the lobby, and Phoebe held whatever she had to say until the shopper had moved out of range.
Still she kept her voice low. “You know I like you, Ethan. Despite your father’s and uncle’s overshadowing presence in town, you’ve carved your own path. It’s clear that you’re your own man, not your father’s son, if you know what I mean.”
“I do, and thank you. Though I feel a but coming.”
“But,” she said with a grin that lasted only a second, “your little anonymous rendezvous with Delaney has me wondering if there’s anoth
er side to you.”
What in the hell did he say to that? “I really like Delaney, Phoebe. And as you’ve said, I’m not my father. Not everyone sees that, and I wanted Delaney to form her own opinions.”
“I’m disappointed in the way you went about it. Still, what’s done is done. But that doesn’t mean mistakes need to be repeated.”
All the air left his lungs in one heavy breath. A gnawing pain aggravated his gut. This woman’s disappointment hurt more than his mother’s. “I don’t see my time with Delaney as a mis—”
“Your family has done enough damage to my girls, especially Delaney. Don’t think I’ll stand by and let it happen again. I may not be your daddy, but I have a lot of deep, loyal friends here and elsewhere that I will call on if necessary.”
“I don’t want to hurt Delaney,” he said deliberately.
“Good. Hold to that goal, and we’ll keep the drama at bay.” She straightened, her voice light, her smile refreshed. Clearly that conversation was over. “What brought you in today, Ethan? Looking for a gift for your mama?”