Page 93 of Return of the Bad Girl (Rock Canyon, Idaho 4)

“I appreciate it, Ms. Willis, but in actuality, I asked you out here in the hopes that you might be interested in saving my bar . . . for yourself.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“I’m getting older, and to tell you the truth, my memory isn’t much these days. I can’t leave this place to my sons. I let them manage it for me this last year, and they’ve almost ruined me. Not a brain between them, as you can see. I’d like to sell the bar while it’s still worth something, but I can’t bear to see it torn down or turned into something that it isn’t.”

“But I just settled down in Idaho, and I have . . .”

How about friends? How about a beautiful man who makes you feel whole for the first time ever?

But what if she had screwed that up beyond repair?

Then you still have your family.

“Just take the night to consider,” he said. “I assure you, the price I’m willing to sell it for is quite reasonable.”

Thanking Mr. Kline, she left the bar and decided that a walk would clear her mind. The problem with New York was, if you were looking for peace and quiet, it was a pretty long taxi ride to get there.

Still, after hailing the cab, she climbed in and said, “Central Park, please.”

“You got it,” the cabbie said, turning on the meter.

As the cab pulled into traffic, she took her cell phone out of her pocket and checked the missed calls. Three. One from Valerie, the next from a number she didn’t know, and the last from Zoe.

Did you really expect him to call you? He’s not going to chase you if you don’t give him a reason to.

The three calls haunted her, especially Zoe’s. Not ready to face that one, she started off with what would probably be the angriest and dialed her sister.

“Is there a reason why you left for New York and didn’t even ask me to drive you to the airport?”

“I just parked my car in the extended-stay lot. It’s only for a couple of days.”

“Still, it would have been a fun road trip,” Val said. “Besides, I’ve been dying for an excuse to go to Boise and shop. I miss real shopping.”

“Sorry,” Caroline said, laughing. “The guy I’m consulting for just offered to sell me his bar on the cheap, so if you wanted to go into business together, we could move to New York. Then we could do some real shopping.”

Silence took over Val’s end of the line for half a second before she asked, “Are you trying to tell me something?”

“No, I was just kidding.”

“Did he really offer you the bar?” Val asked.

“Yes, but—”

“Then at least some of that was the truth,” Val said.

“Okay, you got me. There is nothing better t

han shopping in New York.”

“Except for living close to your family and friends,” Val said coldly.

“Yes, and so far, that’s been delightful,” Caroline sneered. “People talking shit behind my back. And Ellie . . . well, she won’t even return my phone calls.”

“That’s because she’s going through one of her phases. But you still have me, and didn’t you just tell me you were making friends last week?” Val asked.

“Yeah. Look, Val, I’m not being serious.”

“And what about Gabe? I thought things were going great between you two,” Val said.