“You had your shot in the pros and you blew it,” James continues. “All for some woman. And now you’re blowing it again.”
I get some of his anger, though it’s directed in the wrong place. James never got to play pro, which is highly unfair because he had the most potential of any of us. His career-ending injury came in the form of a blown-out knee playing college ball. Some knee injuries you can come back from. His was not one of those.
I glare at them both with all the fire I can muster. “Her name is Lindy,” I say. “And my injury wasn’t because of her. Our breakup was more complicated. I just never explained it all to you idiots. Because this is how you act.”
Chase raises a hand. “I’m not acting like an idiot.”
“Shut up!” James, Collin, and I say, and then a giggle escapes me.
James groans, threading his hands through his hair and staring up at the ceiling. “Not the giggles again.”
Yep. The giggles. What can I say? For better or worse—oh, most definitely worse—they’re a Pat trademark.
“Why don’t you try to explain?” Collin asks with forced patience.
“Fine. We met my last semester of college. She planned to be a travel writer. I had the draft coming up. We said we’d keep it casual.”
“Clearly, that worked well,” James mutters, and Collin shoves him.
“We knew things would end, but it was a mistake. I should have taken her with me or asked her to come or—I don’t know, something. Instead, I left town early and never told her goodbye. I’ve regretted that moment ever since. Yes, she lives in Sheet Cake. And yes, part of the reason I’m into this idea is because of her. But that’s not the only reason.”
“So, she didn’t cheat or do something horrible to you?” James asks.
“Nope.” Other than the lie about being in Europe. But honestly, in the context of it all, I get why Lindy didn’t tell me the truth.
“You were the idiot in the relationship,” Collin says. “That makes way more sense.”
I start to giggle again. I can’t stop, not even when I bend over, my hands on my knees. The giggles become belly laughs until Collin and Chase join in.
James, of course, is immune to laughter. It’s like he’s become a grumpy old man a few decades too early. The thought of him with white hair, a cane, and that same irascible look on his face only makes me laugh harder.
“What are we laughing about?” Chase asks.
“All of this,” I say through gasping breaths. “We’re fighting over nothing, and Tank bought a town that could be the set of a horror movie.”
“Wait,” Collin says, his laughter coming to an abrupt halt. “What’s this about a horror movie?”
“You said you saw potential,” James says.
And just like that, my giggles are gone. “I do.” I clear my throat. “It’s just, well, there’s a lot of work needed on the town itself. But I think Tank may be onto something.”
Collin hops up on James’s work bench a little too close to the table saw for my liking, but it’s his butt, not mine. “Give me three reasons that don’t involve The Woman,” he says.
The garage goes quiet and I close my eyes for a moment, linking my fingers behind my sweaty neck. “I don’t think I can explain. You’d have to go see it to know.”
I think we’re all shocked when Chase, whom we sometimes refer to as Boy Wonder because he’s just too dang good, starts spinning his keys around his finger, a mischievous look on his face.
“Anyone up for a road trip?”