I think of how my stories always end. The hero gives up everything for the heroine.
But none of those heroes have a sick father. Carwyn is needed here.
Sam ambles into the kitchen and makes himself some coffee. “Why are you two looking so serious?”
“Your sister’s trying to sort out her life,” Mom says.
“Trying to figure out how to spend your next big royalty check?” he teases.
He knows that’s still a long way down the road. If ever. Because now my writer’s block is back, and I can’t even think about the book, and my editor is going to kill me, and I’ll never get another book contract again. Then I’ll be a love loser and a career loser. A life loser.
I haven’t said anything, so he pushes. “Something go wrong with Carwyn? I thought you were into each other.”
“We are,” I say. “But he’s here, and I’m in New York.”
Sam holds out both hands and gives his head a little shake. “So move.”
“I don’t want to live in Cascade.” That sounds so... snobby. Ungrateful. Immature.
He frowns. “What’s wrong with Cascade? We’re all here. You’d pick a big impersonal city over the town where your family and friends live?”
“I don’t have any friends in Cascade,” I snap.
“You have Billie,” he suggests.
Billie is fine, but it’s Scarlet I’m friends with.
“And how about Eloise at the bookstore?” puts in Mom. “You could start a writers’ group and meet there.”
Sam downs half his coffee and shakes his head. “I guess you’re not that into him.”
“I am!” I protest.
“No, you’re not. Otherwise, you’d be willing to do whatever needs to be done to make things work. He’s got real reasons for staying put. You don’t, sis.”
I don’t know what to say to that, so I say nothing.
A moment later, Dad’s in the kitchen. “What’s for breakfast? I’m starving.”
“Waffles,” Mom says and gets busy with her waffle iron.
I set the table and Sam gets more coffee.
“Everybody sure is quiet,” Dad observes.
Yes, we are. Because now it feels like there’s nothing left to say.
Until Mom and Dad inform us that come summer, they are going to take a world cruise. Sam will be in charge of the store while Dad’s gone.
“About time you guys did something interesting,” he says to Dad.
“Our entire life has been interesting,” Mom says firmly.
Dad nods. “Yep. Good friends, good times. Good kids.”
“The best place to find gold is in your own backyard,” Mom says and looks at me. I don’t think she’s talking about New York City.
Carwyn comes over and hangs out. Holds my hand while we all watch the Rose Bowl. Then his parents call, and he has to take off.His dad has had a fall. “Nothing serious, but I’d better go,” he says. And that’s that.
