Not the answer Lucas was hoping for. “I can withdraw my offer on the garage,” he said, thinking out loud. “Seems like that would be taking it away, but in a weird way, I’d be giving it back to her.”
“You bought Sid a garage?” Tom asked, surprise taking his voice up an octave. “One of those steel building things?”
Lucas shook his head. “No, an actual garage. It’s off Pamlico Shores. Red brick. Run down. She has plans for a boat repair and restoration place.”
“I’d forgotten all about that place. It’s been empty for decades.”
“Looks it too.” Lucas remembered he’d just shared Sid’s secret. “But don’t tell anyone. Not even Mom. Sid doesn’t want anyone to know.” He ran a hand through his hair. “And now I know why. She was afraid someone would butt in like I have.”
“I thought maybe you bought her a tool or something.” Tom leaned forward. “You tried to buy her a building?”
“It’s an old, dilapidated garage, not the Taj Mahal. She has her heart set on opening this business, but she’s insisting on doing it all by herself. She won’t take money from her brother or Joe, which I suggested.” She’d definitely made her intentions clear, and he ignored them. Such an asshole move. “I thought if I could give this to her, then …”
“Then what?” Tom asked, as Lucas trailed off. Excellent question.
Lucas shook his head. “I don’t know.”
“Lucas,” Tom said, his voice quieter. “Do you plan to stay here on the island?”
“What? No. My life is in Richmond.”
“Then do the girl a favor and walk away.”
The words were like a gavel upside the head. He’d given her the garage because he couldn’t give himself. Because he had to leave. Because he loved her.
“I can’t,” he said. “Not yet. I need to make her forgive me. Show her I understand and that I screwed up, but I’ll fix it.”
Tom laid his hands flat on the table and sat back with a sigh. “You kids always insist on learning things the hard way.” With that, he rose and grabbed a newspaper off the island. “Don’t forget that paperwork. And exactly how much money do you have floating around that you could afford to buy that garage after investing in the restaurant?”
Lucas shrugged. “Enough.”
Tom snorted. “That’s a first.”
“A first?” Lucas asked, feeling another insult coming on.
“Nothing has ever been enough for you, Lucas. That’s why you went running off this island chasing your fancy partnership.” He smacked the paper against the table. “There’s something to be said for being happy with what you have. Looks like you’re choosing to learn that one the hard way too.”
With that parting shot, Tom left the room, leaving Lucas behind trying to decipher the Yoda-esque message his father just delivered. What was wrong with wanting something more? Why did no one in this family understand that ambition was not a character flaw?
And how had he made such an unholy mess of his life in less than three months?
The smell of Opal’s chocolate cake was almost enough to make Sid forget she felt like roadkill. He hadn’t listened to a word she’d said. So much for him understanding how important her independence was. She’d pay him back every penny he put down. Only she’d been saving up for twenty percent, not fifty. If she used all of her savings, the garage would sit empty for who knew how much longer until she could save back up for the renovations.
It would be like not owning the place at all. Trying to make the mortgage payments while not making any money from the building would see her broke within a year.
That business was all she would have after Lucas left. Without him beside her, in her bed, in her life every day, she’d need the distraction. Something to keep her from focusing on the pain in her chest. Sid sighed. Nothing was going to block out that pain, and she was foolish to think any differently.
“Hey there, darling. You’re in early today,” Opal said, appearing at the front counter. She took one look at Sid and said, “Have you been crying?”
“No,” Sid said, shaking her head hard. “I don’t cry.” The tears started again, pissing her off even more. “Goddamn it!”
“Oh, baby.” Opal waddled out from behind the counter, arms spread wide. “Come here, sugar. That’s all right.” As Opal’s arms enveloped her, a feeling of comfort spread through Sid’s chest.
Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to cry on the older woman’s shoulder. Just a little.
She tried to say something about Lucas ruining her dream and breaking her heart and how stupid she’d been to think she could ever let him go, but what came out was a high-pitched squeal—like a dolphin on helium.
“Let’s get you in the back and get some tissues. Come on now,” Opal said, herding a snorting and squealing Sid toward the kitchen. “I’m guessing this has something to do with that man of yours.”
“He’s not mine,” Sid whined, then blew her nose on the towel Kinzie handed her. “I was stupid to ever get involved. God, am I an idiot.”
“Every woman in love is an idiot, darling.” Opal turned to Kinzie. “Put on some of that orange blossom tea and bring out the tub of chocolate buttercream.”
Kinzie went off to do as she was told and Sid asked, “What’s the buttercream for?” Maybe some homemade remedy for red, puffy eyes.
“To eat, honey child.” Opal handed over a spoon. “If we’re going to talk about heartbreak, we’re going to need a heaping helping of chocolate to get us through.”
At the mention of heartbreak, Sid snuffled up again. “This wasn’t supposed to go this way. It was just sex!”
“Few women can manage to have sex and not fall in love,” Opal lamented. “We’ve all tried it a time or two, and have the scars to show for it.”
“You tried having a casual fling and fell in love?” Discussing Opal’s sex life should have seemed odd, but the woman looked unfazed by the topic.
“I haven’t always been an old lady, my dear. The seventies were wild times.”
“I wasn’t alive in the seventies,” Sid pointed out, belatedly realizing this probably wasn’t the right thing to say.
“Yes, well. Let’s stick to the present situation then.” Patting Sid on the shoulder, Opal yelled, “Where’s that buttercream?”
“I’m coming, Granny. Hold your horses.” Kinzie dropped a large white tub on the stainless steel counter and peeled off the lid to reveal the biggest batch of frosting Sid had ever seen.
“Wow,” she whispered in wonder. “That’s like the Holy Grail of chocolate.” Looking at Opal, she asked, “Are we really going to eat this?”
“Not the whole thing, of course,” she said. “And just remember, there’s no calories in anything we eat standing up.” Sid moved to slide her spoon across the top, but Opal stopped her. “Wait. We can’t contaminate the whole batch. Let Kinzie scoop some into a bowl first.”
The words sent Kinzie into action. Once the bowl was filled, she put the lid back on the tub and stepped back.
“Aren’t you going to have some?” Sid asked.
Kinzie shook her head. “I’m trying to lose weight.”
“Please tell me this isn’t because of Manny.”
“How did you know?” Kinzie gave her grandmother a stink eye. “Did you tell her?”
“I didn’t tell anyone anything.” Opal took a scoop of frosting, then said around the spoon, “I’m innocent.”
Kinzie pouted. “You’re far from innocent.”
“She didn’t have to tell me,” Sid said. “I could see it at the ball last Friday. If Manny can’t see how awesome you are, then that’s his loss. I’m convinced that boy couldn’t spot a bluefin tuna if it jumped out of the water and poked him in the ass.”