Holy crap. This was huge.
I couldn’t imagine him living more than four hours away. Shawn and I saw each other several times a year. I’d grown up taking summer vacations and helping his family with their farm.
“Yeah. I met this guy Jaxon Hayes last year when you were down visiting for the celebrity golf tournament. He was there doing some security for Bethany.” Bethany Carlson was a country singer who had performed on the main stage after one of the day’s tournament was done. Jordan, a friend of Shawn’s and a former pro baseball player, had opened a golf course after he retired from playing. Throw in the fact another of his friends was married to some movie star, Cooper Hawke, and he was also friends with singer, Liam Allistor, it was the perfect storm and location for the event. “Anyway, we got to talking since I helped the local PD and his guys coordinate security. He ended up letting me know if I ever wanted to get out of the farm town to hit him up. I’m thinking of it.”
I rubbed my chest. This was shocking news. I couldn’t exactly picture him anywhere other than Carlton. “Are you going? Taking the job?”
He took a long pull from his beer. “To be honest, Carlton’s growing, but it’s still a small town. I want to serve. I want to make things better, but some days, the work we do feels pretty inconsequential. Be nice to know I’m doing something bigger every once in a while, rather than shutting down keg parties because teenager’s parents are out of town and neighbors are pissed at the noise. Jaxon’s firm does private security and investigating. It’d be a wild switch, something new to try.”
He shrugged like it wasn’t that big of a deal, but I could see the excitement glimmering in his eyes. The thrill of an adventure. While I’d miss him, this wasn’t about me.
“I can see the appeal in doing something new, I guess, although it’d suck to have you that far away. When do you think you’ll decide?”
He sipped his beer and his lips twitched. “To be honest, I think I already have. Now it’s just a matter of when.”
“Before you take off, there’s something you should know.”
At the seriousness in my tone, his beer bottle paused at his mouth. “What is it?”
Dad hadn’t wanted to say anything. Not this weekend. But I was tired of secrets and if Shawn was thinking of taking off sometime soon, he’d want to know. “Dad was diagnosed recently.” I cleared my throat.
“The hell?” He stood straight, shock made his tanned skin pale and worry flash in his eyes.
“Prostate cancer. Beatable. But…” The burn in my throat ignited and the alcohol I drank did nothing to simmer it down. I hadn’t yet had to actually speak those words out loud yet to anyone and my words dropped a hammer to my chest.
It made it feel more real, and for once, I’d like to shove my head in the sand.
“He starts treatment soon. This coming week, actually.”
Shawn studied his boots. I gave him the time he needed to let all I said sink in even though I wanted to rip this conversation back from the air. Shove it in a box titled This is a fucking dream. It’s not real. He raised his head, sadness penetrating his blue eyes. “Does my mom or dad know?”
“He was waiting until after the wedding to let them know.”
“Want me to handle it?”
“I’d appreciate it.”
“This sucks.” He spun his beer on the bar, his gaze far-off and somber. “Sorry, man.”
“Yeah.”
He drank his beer. I sipped my own drink. We were both lost to our own thoughts when he shook his head and asked, “So… Huntington? That’s the judge’s name?”
We came full circle. I gave him the out of not thinking about Dad, definitely glad he didn’t want to talk about it with me. “Yeah. He’s easy to find online, but I need his personal address and that’s more difficult.”
“For Lilly.”
“You’re too damn smart for your own good.” I clinked my glass against his and then caught sight of the woman we were just talking about and I was always thinking about.
I grinned at her when she caught my gaze, watching as she paled like Shawn had said when she caught who I was talking to.
Yeah. She didn’t like cops.
A quick scan of the reception hall from her told me she’d rather be anywhere than talking to the two of us,