Tinsel (Lark Cove #4)(91)

Sooner rather than later, he had to choose.

Maybe I should pull the pilot aside this weekend and clue him in that I might be flying back to New York next week too.

Dakota came back into the room, his face etched with concern. “Arthur’s son’s flight was canceled. I invited him here, but he said he’d rather stay home and listen to the television. He said he doesn’t even like turkey.”

“But he’ll be alone on Thanksgiving.”

“Maybe I could run up there.” Dakota looked at the time on his phone and frowned. “I’ll never make it back for work though. I don’t want to ask Thea to cover, not with everyone here.”

“I could go see Arthur,” I offered.

“Not on these roads.” He shook his head. “You’re not driving anywhere.”

“I’ll go slow. It’s not snowing hard, and it’s just a little foggy. I’ll stop at the grocery store in Kalispell and get him some of his favorite junk foods. Then I can hang out with him for a little bit.”

And I could use the break.

I could use the quiet drive to Kalispell to think. I’d asked Dakota to make a choice, but I had one of my own to make.

If he chose his family over me, would I be willing to give up my own dreams?

“Where are you going?” Logan asked, halting all other conversations in the room.

“One of Dakota’s tenants is this really sweet elderly man. He’s blind and his son’s flight was canceled, so he’s alone for Thanksgiving. I thought I would go there for a bit today and say hello.”

“You can’t drive to Kalispell.” Logan spoke first, stealing the exact words that were written on Dad’s face. “The roads are icy, and you barely drive as it is.”

He wasn’t wrong. I rarely drove my car in the city. It sat in the garage collecting dust most days. And I’d only driven Dakota’s truck a couple of times when I’d come to visit Thea while he’d been at the bar.

“I’ll drive you up there.” Xavier pushed up from the couch. “I know Arthur. Wouldn’t mind saying hello myself.”

“Thank you.” I stood too, ignoring the waves of frustration coming off Dakota.

He didn’t want me leaving, but he wouldn’t leave Arthur alone either. Since he trusted his uncle more than any other person in the world, he didn’t have any more excuses to keep me in Lark Cove.

“I’ll be back.” I went to the couch, kissed Mom and Dad, then waved to Aubrey.

They looked a bit baffled that I was leaving already, but they didn’t comment.

Before anyone could talk me out of this trip, I hurried to the kitchen, grabbed my purse and went to the door, where I’d hung up my puffer coat.

With it on, I stood by the door, waiting for Xavier and watching as Dakota stalked my way.

“I don’t like you going up there today.” He came close and planted his hands on his hips.

“It’s just a quick trip. And I need it.” The happy face I’d put on for the last week was getting heavy to wear. “Some time apart will be good for us both.”

“Yeah.” Dakota sighed. “You’re probably right.”

I stood there, wishing for a glimmer of hope on his face. But there was nothing. He looked to the floor, his hands falling to his sides. Was he even considering me as an option? Or had he already given up on us?

I swallowed down my disappointment, let Dakota kiss me on the cheek, then followed Xavier outside after he’d shrugged on his coat.

His and Hazel’s SUV was parked in the driveway. I got in, glad it was still warm. Just the short walk from the front door had frozen my ears.

Xavier climbed in and cranked up the heat.

“Thank you for taking me.”

“Glad to do it.” He reached over and patted my shoulder before backing out of the drive and getting us on the road. “You doing okay?”

“Not great,” I admitted.

“Want to talk about it?”

“No.” I sighed. “Yes. I don’t like your family much.”

He chuckled. “They can be a hard bunch to love. What happened?”

“I’m pretty sure they’ve been grooming Dakota since birth. That sounds extreme, but I can’t think of another way to describe it.”

He hummed. “Their beliefs can be hard to understand.”

“Has it always been like this?” I asked. “Has he always had this kind of pressure? I mean, it’s like when he was born they already knew how his life was going to be lived. He has to live in the right place. Work in the right job. Marry the right woman. Have the right kind of kids.”

In a lot of ways, his family’s expectations reminded me of the stories I’d read about princes and princesses of the past. If he wanted to inherit the crown, he had to toe the family line.

As a child, I’d wanted to be a princess. I was the princess.

A princess who would never get her prince.

“Like I said, it’s hard to understand,” Xavier said. “They are fiercely loyal to our family’s traditions. Which isn’t a bad thing. But it can make them too rigid. They can be closed-minded. And I’m afraid that some of what they’re putting Dakota through is my fault.”

“Your fault? How is it your fault?”