Fight Like You've Never Lost (Summer Lake #14) - S.J. McCoy Page 0,6
made a face.
Answer the question, Dan. I’m guessing you booked her seat as well as mine. Why do this? And why didn’t you answer earlier?
It amazed him that the messages could come through so quickly even at thirty-thousand feet in the air.
I didn’t answer earlier because I was answering Lee. She was more likely to get off the plane than you were.
Ryan couldn’t help a rueful smile at that. It was true.
Leanne’s coming up to do some work for me. I thought it was best for the two of you to air out your differences before you get here.
Ryan stared at the screen for a long few moments. Air out their differences? That made it sound so simple, like they’d had some misunderstanding that they’d be able to straighten out over the course of an hour’s flight. Dan knew better than that.
Like that would be possible! Why didn’t you just tell me she was coming? I could have stayed away until she leaves.
Dan’s reply took longer this time.
I want to make her part of the team.
Ryan had to wipe his hands on his jeans again. If Leanne were going to be part of the team, that would mean … It wouldn’t necessarily mean working with her. But it would mean working in the same place at least some of the time. Living in the same small town. He bit down on his bottom lip. Could he handle that? He risked a glance over at her. Probably not. He’d moved to Summer Lake, taken the job with Dan because he was ready to slow down, take life easier, relax a little. How the hell was he supposed to relax in a place where he might run into Leanne at any moment?
Talk to me?
He stared at Dan’s question. How was he supposed to talk to him? Dan, of all people, knew the score. He’d been around since the beginning. Hell, if it weren’t for Dan, he’d never have met Leanne.
I know you’re both going to be mad at me. But that’s a risk I’m prepared to take. You’re both the best at what you do. And I want you both on board. But I’m not just being selfish. You’re two of my closest friends. I want to see you both happy, and before you can be happy, you have to put the past behind you.
Ryan pursed his lips. He had toyed with the idea that maybe he’d be able to settle down in Summer Lake. It seemed that everyone who moved there met someone and fell in love and settled down. He didn’t expect to follow in their footsteps. Having a home base in one place was as settled as he’d ever get. Meeting someone and falling in love—that kind of happy? Nope. He’d tried that once and it hadn’t panned out. He’d also tried to put it behind him, to leave it—leave her—in the past. But the damned woman still haunted his mind, and right now, she was sitting beside him. How was he supposed to finally put her and their past behind him if they were going to be living in the same town?
Talk to me?
He imagined that Dan was nervous right now—he had good reason to be. Ryan was pissed at him. But he meant well, and he was a good friend. He doubted that Leanne would feel so forgiving.
We’ll have to play it by ear. But I think you know that you’re more likely to end up with one of us than both of us.
Ryan didn’t want to think about leaving Summer Lake, about not working with Dan in the way that they’d been envisioning. But he had to be realistic. He wasn’t sure that he could stand to be around her—or that she’d be able to stand being around him, let alone working together.
It took Dan longer to reply this time.
You know, you could just tell her the truth now—show her the proof?
Ryan’s lips pressed together in a thin angry line. Of course, he knew that. He could have told her—proved it to her—at any point in the last five years. But what was the point?
She hadn’t believed him. That was the point. Giving her proof wouldn’t change that. She hadn’t believed in him; hadn’t believed in them. It didn’t matter anymore. His jaw clenched as he tapped out his reply.
There’s no need. It’s all water under the bridge. I can be civil and that’s all that’s necessary, right?