make the first move, the one that would get them past this distant, polite existence they’d fallen into, and damned if he was going to do anything to make her uncomfortable, even if this in-between place was driving him crazy.
Ethan was nearly done with his draft when Link strolled in and grabbed the empty stool beside him. They talked about the bike and decided on baby blue for the body. Ethan informed Link he was nearly done and anticipated a delivery date by the first week of December. Link told him about the first Triumph he’d ever owned, a gift from his paternal grandfather for his sixteenth birthday.
Their conversation took on a melancholy mood—turned out Link had crashed the bike a week after he’d been gifted it because, as the Brit said with disgust, “I was a right young asshole with an attitude bigger than the whole of England. He was a good man, my grandfather. His son was a bastard, but he was okay.” He paused and finished his beer. “Turns out the old guy doesn’t have long. Bloody cancer.” Sheepishly, he glanced at Ethan. “Sorry, mate. I don’t mean to be such a downer. I just… My grandfather means a lot to me. Didn’t matter what I did, he always believed in me. That I’d come around and make a life for myself. And through all that, I’ve been a shit grandson. Haven’t been back to see him in over a year.”
Ethan didn’t know much about Link Major other than that he was a big deal in the soccer world and had pretty much shocked everyone when he’d retired from the game and come to live in Crystal Lake.
“You heading back to England?” Ethan asked.
“Leaving tomorrow.” Link cracked a smile. “Don’t know how it’s going to go. I’m not welcome at my dad’s. His new wife isn’t a fan. Says I’ll upset their kids.” He shook his head. “Me mum wasn’t even six months dead and he’d already knocked up the new one.”
Ethan’s gaze slid away. The scenario was too close to the reality he was living in.
“Hey, sorry, I didn’t mean anything by that. You and your lady are worlds away from my father and the secretary he should have seen coming.”
“So you’ve heard,” Ethan replied. Of course he had. Mouth tight, he looked away.
“It’s all anyone around here seems to be talking about these days.” Link got to his feet. “I wouldn’t worry about it, mate. I haven’t been here long, but it’s no different from the town I grew up in. People like to gossip. Makes them forget about their own shite lives. But one thing I’ve learned is that folks generally move on to something new in a couple of weeks.” He slapped Ethan on the shoulder. “And for what’s it’s worth, Elise thinks this is probably the best thing to happen to the both of you.”
“Elise?”
Link smiled and took a step back. “One hell of a smart lady I know. Smarter than me, that’s for sure, and if I had my way, all of Crystal Lake would be talking about the two of us instead of you. As the good Lord said on the sixth day, we can’t always get what we want.”
“Pretty sure that was the Stones.”
Link tossed some bills onto the bar and grinned. “Mick is God to me. I’ll touch base when I get back from England.”
Ethan passed on another drink. One was more than enough with a drive ahead in snowy weather. He slid off his stool with every intention of leaving, when he turned and nearly ran over Paul Davenport, Rick’s cousin.
“The hell?” Paul said with a glare. On top of being loud and obnoxious, the guy was a dick, the kind with a self-inflated ego and constant need for attention. What made it worse was he was also the kind of guy willing to do just about anything to get that attention.
Ethan had only tolerated the man because of Rick. For whatever reason, he’d had a soft spot for his cousin. Ethan took a step back at about the same time he realized Paul had had more than just a couple of drinks. Not a good combination.
“Hey, sorry, but dude, haven’t seen you in ages.” He was loud and slurred his words, and who the hell said dude at their age?
“I’m just leaving,” Ethan said, moving out of the man’s way.
“Have a drink with me,” Paul insisted, shoving past Ethan and yelling for Tiny.
“I’m good. Maybe another