Page 20 of Sweet Escape (Whispering Oaks Ranch #1)
Mile High Mess
? Happy the rest can wait. The past isn’t going anywhere, much as I sometimes wish it would.
We pull up outside the diner a little before six o’clock.
They close early on Sundays, and I never stopped to question why.
Turns out it’s a standing dinner date with the whole Sullivan family.
Tables are pushed together in a line in the center of the space, but we’re early, so it’s only Liv’s grandparents here right now.
“Hey there, Livie girl.” Archie pulls her in for a one-armed hug, his other hand fixed on his cane.
Archie Sullivan is a staple in this town.
If he’s not sitting here at the diner watching his wife at work, he’s nursing a beer on his reserved stool at The Ridge, or milling about the family hardware store that’s been passed down to his son, AJ.
He’s wearing his signature overalls and Sully’s Hardware trucker hat, his grey hair peeking out from the bottom. “How are you feeling?”
Liv’s face blanches, and she glares at Rosie, who’s standing off to the side and wiping down the counter.
“You know we don’t have any secrets between us,” Rosie says. “I haven’t spilled the beans to anyone else, I swear.”
“I’m happy for you, darlin’,” Archie says. “Wilder Hayes, you treat my girl right, you hear me?”
“I hear you, Arch. ”
“Good man. How’re you and the little one settling back in at the ranch?”
“It’s good to be home, I’ll tell you that.
” I pull out a chair to the left of Archie, gesturing for Liv to sit.
I take the seat directly beside her and park myself in full view of the entire room.
Archie and Rosie may be supportive, but I have a feeling Liv’s gonna need a buffer.
Sandwiching her between me and her grandparents seems to be the safest bet.
She fidgets with her ring, and I instinctively cover her hand with mine to soothe some of her anxiety.
“Whatever happens, I’ve got you,” I say.
She flips her palm and weaves our fingers together, a small smile tugging at her perfectly plush lips. It feels like a major victory after how we left things earlier.
“Thank you,” she murmurs.
All heads turn to the door as her parents stride in.
Liv tenses, clutching my hand like a lifeline.
I’m more than happy to be that and more if she needs it.
Her dad’s gaze narrows on me before scanning the rest of the table with a forced smile.
Liv’s mom is none the wiser as she saunters over and wraps her arms around Liv’s shoulders. Their resemblance is striking.
“Mom,” Liv says, “this is Wilder Hayes.”
Her eyes widen for a second before she steadies herself and holds out a hand. “Lottie, Olivia’s mom. She didn’t mention she’d be bringing a date.”
Liv opens her mouth to refute the assumption, but I interrupt.
“It was kind of last minute. I hope I’m not intruding.”
“Oh, no. Liv’s welcome to bring guests around any time. We’re just so happy she’s home.” Lottie squeezes Liv’s shoulder, kissing her on the head before she takes a seat on the opposite side of the table. Liv’s dad, Nick, gives us a tight-lipped smile but doesn’t say anything.
An awkward silence descends over the room as they settle across from us, Nick’s arm resting over the back of Lottie’s chair. “AJ texted. He and the family are down with some sort of illness, and Sarah’s busy with the salon, so they can’t make it today.”
Archie clears his throat. “Ro, why don’t we go ahead and bring out the food. I’m starvin’.”
Rosie turns to Liv’s mom. “Lottie, do you mind helping me in the kitchen?”
It’s painfully clear what they’re doing. I’m not sure divide and conquer is the best course of action, but I don’t have an alternative. Lottie and Rosie disappear into the kitchen, and Nick doesn’t waste a second rounding on us. “Come clean or I’ll tell her myself.”
“That’s the plan. You haven’t exactly given us a chance.
” Liv’s lower lip trembles as she holds back tears, and it’s all I can do to keep from losing my temper.
She doesn’t deserve to be made to feel guilty for the decisions we made together.
I’ll be the first to admit it didn’t happen under the most ideal circumstances, but that doesn’t make it any less real or meaningful.
“You were reckless, Olivia! And that man’s family is the reason we almost lost our livelihood. If it weren’t for your grandparents, we would've lost everything.”
“Now, Nick. That’s not—” Archie doesn’t get to finish as Nick cuts him off, continuing his tirade.
Liv’s grip on my hand tightens a fraction as the first tear spills down her cheek.
“Think about that before you defend your actions,” Nick says. “Once again, you didn’t stop to think about anyone else. First, you run off to Colorado to be with that good-for-nothing lowlife. Then you have the nerve to come back here, knocked up by a Hayes, no less.”
The doors to the kitchen swing open, with Rosie and Lottie choosing the worst possible moment to return.
To her credit, Lott ie calmly places the food in the center of the table and takes her seat beside her husband.
Maybe she’s genuinely okay with the revelation, or maybe she’s doing mental calculations to figure out when and how this happened.
I can’t be sure based on the blank expression on her face.