Intent(20)

This is a bad idea on every level.

“Want to take a walk?” I ask, completely disregarding my inner voice warning me to stop now.

“Sure.” She nods as we begin our stroll. “It’s so beautiful here. Have you lived here all your life?”

“Yeah, pretty much. I thought about moving away to a big city like, say, New York.” I cut my eyes to her to gauge her reaction. “But after River was born, I knew I’d never be able to rest because I’d worry about her all the time. So we stayed here. It’s worked out well, though.”

“She certainly seems happy here.”

“I think I made the right choice. My sister is here and River likes spending time with her. She’s spending the night with her tonight, actually.”

“It’s nice of your sister to take her and give you a break.”

When I saw her, I stopped to talk to her for a reason. It’s time to man up and get to the point. “On Friday nights during the warmer months, the town council shows a movie projected on a big screen on that barge floating out in the river,” I incline my head toward it. “How about I pick you up at eight? We’ll grab something to eat and go watch a movie on the water.”

She deliberates for a moment, her internal struggle still waging that war, before she finally relents. “Sounds fun. I’d like that.”

“Don’t stand me up,” I warn. “I should get back to work now. Justin will wonder where I’ve been, and he’s worse than an old woman about gossip. How about we leave around seven to grab a bite to eat before the movie?”

“That’s perfect. I’ll be ready to go by seven.”

A few hours after I get back to work, I’m busy with the horses when my cell starts ringing. After the first thirty seconds on the phone, my day has turned to shit.

“What do you mean you can’t babysit River anymore?” I ask Rose a little louder than I should.

“Just for the next couple of months or so, Ace,” Rose explains. “My daughter is having a baby and she wants me to come stay with her in Austin to help out. I’m so excited to finally be a grandmother.”

“That’s great news, Rose. I just don’t know what I’m going to do.”

“Ask Layne to watch her. River jabbers about her all the time. She loves that young lady, there’s no doubt about that. I’ve heard all about her every day for the last several weeks since the first night she had dinner with the two of you,” Rose states.

She’s been dying for more information, something she can gossip about with the other old biddies around town. I’ve seen Layne every day for the past four weeks, spent time with her every evening until long after dark, but it’s always been with River there as our distraction, our buffer, our chaperone.

Absently running my hand through my hair, I concede. “I don’t know who else to ask with such short notice. I’ll ask her later tonight.”

“So you will see her again tonight?” Rose asks, but it sounds more like a statement of confirmation.

“I’ll talk to you later, Rose. Have a safe trip and give me a call when that grandbaby is born.” I hang up before she can pressure me for more information about Layne.

“Trouble in paradise?” Justin asks.

“You could say that. Rose is going to Austin for a few months and leaving me without a babysitter.”

“Oh, shit. What are you going to do? Can you ask Lily to watch her?”

Every time Justin mentions my sister, Lily, I cut my eyes toward him, but he’s never looking at me. When I mention Justin’s name to Lily, she won’t look at me either. Neither will say anything about the other, which tells me more than I really want to know. Since I love them both, I don’t push it because I don’t think I want to know what their deal is.

“Lily can help out from time to time, but she wouldn’t be available full time.” My chin drops to my chest and my eyes squeeze shut as I contemplate my next step. “As much as I hate to do this, I don’t have any other choice.”

“What?” Justin asks, finally looking at me.

“I have to ask Layne. I’ve known her all of a month.”

“You know she’s a good person if Marcia let her stay in her cabin until the end of summer,” Justin points out.

“She’s great with River. There’s no doubt they already love each other. They’re as thick as thieves. But I haven’t known her long enough to impose on her like this. She’ll think I’m a complete loser.”

“Not if you explain it to her,” Justin argues. “Wait. Why do you care what she thinks of you anyway? You said she’s here alone and she’s leaving at the end of the summer. What else does she have to do?”

“She didn’t come here to babysit for me on her vacation.”

“That’s a long vacation by anyone’s standards.” With his pointed look and his doubting tone fully intact, he turns to face me. “Why is she really here?”

I’ve honestly wondered the same damn thing at least a hundred times a day. I have my suspicions, but she’s been careful to avoid too many personal conversations. The things she says and what she doesn’t say clue me in, but her deep blue eyes leave no mistake. Even though he’s my best friend, I can’t share my hunches without feeling like I’ve betrayed her, so I stick to what I know for sure. “She hasn’t said.”