Page 140 of Cactus Heart
“I know you are,” she said. “I don’t give a fuck. You owe me after this absolute shit show.”
I shrugged my shoulders as she gave directions to the driver. Our last meeting had gone well for the most part, except that she keptlookingat me like she knew something was wrong.
The silence. I hated it. I hated everything.
I wanted to go . . .
Home?I was home.
My throat felt thick.
The car slowed to a stop after a few minutes and Robin opened her door. I sighed as I got out, giving her an annoyed glance, but her annoyed look back certainly beat mine. I’d known her for years, and in a lot of ways, she’d become a mom to me. She’d been in this business a long time—long enough that she sported a silver bob and wrinkles and a manicure that could tear up any cisgender white man’s ego.
Robin led the way to the restaurant. It was a nice sit-down place that had insanely expensive steak, but I owed her after the shit she’d been putting up with.
It took a few minutes before we were seated, but the moment we were, she ripped off her badge, folded her hands on the table, and looked at me. “All right, Rayburn. What the fuck is wrong with you?”
I opened my mouth, but no words came out. What was I supposed to say? That I’d fallen in love with two people then had left them both crying in Texas? That I’d fucked up? That I’d lied to my best friend?
“Spill,” she demanded. “Or I start spilling blood.”
“I visited my hometown in Texas, met two people, and fell in love.”
Her perfect brows shot up. She never broke eye contact as the waiter put down a basket of fancy rolls with grains and butter. She held up a finger.
“Bring us a bottle of Syrah.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The moment he left she leaned back in her seat. “Two people? Were they cheating on each other or something?”
I laughed and shook my head. “No. The three of us are—were—a thing. Avery is my best friend’s sister. And Mateo is his best friend. And the two of them are also in love, but they didn’t do anything about it until I showed up. And her brothers are overprotective, so we kept it a secret.”
Robin’s expressions ranged from surprise, to amusement, to her eyes rolling. “This is some real Texas shit.”
“How so?”
“Who gives a shit about her brothers?”
“I mean, I did. Considering they’re both my friends.”
“Uh-huh. Okay, so. What happened?”
I snatched a roll from the basket, earning an arched brow because in the past, I’d never touch bread on the table. Especially during a season. I took a bite and then sighed. The carbs didn’t fix a damn thing, but they gave me enough bravery to tell her everything.
By the time I finished, she was on her second glass of wine, our order was in, and it was clear Robin was mad at me too.
“You’re a fucking dumbass,” she hissed. “Why in the fuck are you back here?”
My mouth dropped. “What do you mean? Because this is my job. You would have literally come down to Texas to retrieve me.”
“Sure, I would have. But also, I think you and I both know you’re done.”
I opened my mouth but then shut it. She’d said that so . . . “Are you firing me?”
“No. I make a lot of money off you. But based on how you’ve acted this week, I don’t think you want this. Especially after hearing about those two back in Texas.”
I sat back in my chair as the waiter put our plates down. I’d ordered a massive chopped salad topped with steak and knew it wouldn’t disappoint. Robin had ordered something that was going to cost me a lot of money.
