Into the Tide (Cottonwood Cove #1)(26)

He’d been doing these check-ins ever since I moved into Hugh’s house on the days that I didn’t make it over to see him. I appreciated that he was trying because none of this would work if he didn’t.

“That’s great, Dad. I’m proud of you. One day at a time, right?” I encouraged.

He nodded. “One day at a time, sweetheart.”

“I have that appointment this weekend, so I’ll get all the information and bring that over to you.”

He stared at the phone screen for a long moment before speaking. “Sounds good. You know, sometimes, you take my breath away because you look so much like your mother. I miss her every day.”

A lump formed in my throat. “Me, too, Dad. And it’s okay to miss her. Just don’t try to numb those feelings away, okay? Missing someone you love is part of grieving. It sucks, and it isn’t fair that she’s gone—but she would want us to live a good life, wouldn’t she?”

“You’re right. Of course, you got your smarts from her, too.” He chuckled. “God, she would be so proud of you and Travis. I’m going to make you guys proud this time. I promise I will.”

“You don’t need to promise anything, Dad. You just need to do this for you right now. Wouldn’t it feel so good to not be a slave to this addiction after all these years? To just wake up and not have to battle it every day? I know it’s easier said than done, but I’m here to support you every step of the way.”

“I’m so glad you’re home. These last few years without my sunshine around have been tough, even though I have loved watching you accomplish so much. I’m just—well, I’m just happiest when you’re close by.”

“Me, too,” I said, blinking a few times because my eyes were welling with emotion.

“All right. I’m going to go heat up that lasagna you made for me. I swear, you froze enough meals to feed me for three months.”

“Eating well is important, too.” I shrugged. My father had gotten very thin, and I knew he didn’t bother preparing healthy meals for himself because he hadn’t done it when we were growing up.

We said our goodbyes, and I leaned back in the chair just as the door swung open and a sexy-as-sin Hugh Reynolds stood in the doorway, leaning against the doorjamb. He wore a wrinkled white button up and some cargo pants. His wavy hair stopped at his shoulders and was a disheveled mess, yet he managed to be the best-looking man I’d ever laid eyes on.

“Take a break. Travis is here picking up food for Shay, and someone else is asking for you.” He smirked, and I squeezed my thighs together because there was just something about the way those sage-green eyes looked at me lately.

“Who?” I asked as I pushed to my feet because I was glad my brother was here. I’d gone by to see him and Shay last night, but I’d spent the whole time talking to her and barely asked how he was doing.

Hugh smiled. “It’s Coach Lewis, and he just got back in town.”

I ran past Hugh and sprinted down the hallway and up the stairs to the restaurant, hearing him laugh behind me. Hugh’s office was in the basement, but I couldn’t wait to see Coach Lewis. He’d been out of town since I’d been back home. My high school coach was like a second father to me in a lot of ways.

Travis was standing at the bar talking to him, and I lunged at the older man.

“There she is,” he said as he wrapped his arms around me.

“I thought you weren’t getting back until next week?”

“Yeah, well, Brenda got homesick for the dogs, and Coach Callaway hasn’t been pushing the practices the way I do,” he said with a chuckle. Coach Callaway was his assistant coach, and the man was a big softy, so that didn’t surprise me. Coach Lewis’s wife, Brenda, was one of my favorite people in Cottonwood Cove, and I’d always loved them both dearly.

“Well, I’m glad you came back early.”

“Me, too. And standing here looking at a collegiate national champion. Do you know how impressive that is, girl?” he teased.

“I tell her that all the time,” Travis said, beaming down at me like he always did when he wasn’t being a domineering, stubborn ass.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’m just happy to see you.”

“How’s working at Reynolds’? This place has been the hottest restaurant in town since it opened, and it doesn’t look like it’s letting up any time soon from what I can tell. That’s why I thought I’d come and hit Hugh up at the same time I came to see the superstar.”

“What can I do for you?” Hugh asked as his chest grazed my back, and cedar and mint flooded my senses, per usual.

“Well, I was going to see if you and Lila would stop by our booth at the Cottonwood Fair,” Coach Lewis said. “We rented a large space this year to have all the families come out and kick off the season. I know you’re catering for the fair, but I was hoping you’d cut me a deal on providing some appetizers for our booth,” he said.

“I think we could probably donate the food, pending my new chief financial officer doesn’t have a problem with it,” Hugh teased. The man was ridiculously generous, and I loved that about him, but I was also a numbers person, and there were areas he could tighten things up. Charity was not one of them. There was always room to give back to your community.