“Like you’d know,” he says.
He’s not wrong. I’ve never been serious about a woman in my life until now. I can’t imagine a breakup with Callie, even though I was determined to let her go mere days ago. In the end, I couldn’t, of course. Giving up the love of your life? It’s not really ever an option, no matter what the circumstances are.
It wasn’t an option for Dale, and it’s not an option for me.
But Brock isn’t looking for the love of his life. He’s looking for some action, and he’s looking for it with Callie’s sister.
I don’t want to see Rory hurt.
“Every eligible young lady in town will be at that party tonight,” I say. “Maybe you could look around. Rory will probably be singing with Jesse anyway.”
“I suppose I could look around,” Brock says. “But there’s not a woman alive who’s hotter than Rory Pike.”
“Except her sister,” I say.
“Love is clouding your eyes, cuz,” Brock says. “Callie is gorgeous, but Rory… That girl is model material.”
“Just go easy on her,” I say again.
“I’ve never in my life done anything without a woman’s consent,” Brock says. “And fuck you for thinking that I would.”
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it. I’m just saying that I care about Callie, so by extension I care about Rory. I don’t want to see her hurt. She’s probably vulnerable right now after the breakup with Raine. She may not be looking for anything like a one-nighter.”
“And if she’s not, I’ll move on.”
“Good enough,” Dale says. “You can’t protect Rory, Don. Not if she doesn’t want to be protected.”
I nod. My brother is right.
But I have a bad feeling about this party tonight.
And I wonder…
If most people from town will be here…does that mean Pat Lamone is coming?
And if he does… What will happen?
With everyone here at our place, the time would be right to do some searching around town. Is that what Lamone will be up to? And if so, I want someone on his tail. I pick up my phone, thinking.
And spy a text I missed from Callie earlier.
I’m going into the office to do some research. Hope that’s okay.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
CALLIE
It’s weird being in the office on a Saturday.
I feel like I need to keep looking over my shoulder, though that’s silly. No one else is here. No one even knows I’m here other than Donny. And it’s strange that he never returned my text.
My phone buzzes.
“Speak of the devil,” I say out loud.
Yeah, that’s fine. But I don’t like the idea of you being alone.
Strange. Why would he be concerned about me at the courthouse and city administration building? He knows it’s Saturday. No one’s here.