The Goodbye Guy (The Men of Lakeside)

by Natasha Moore

  “I’ve heard that all my life.” And people wondered why she had a fear of failure.

  Her mother leaned in closer. “But did you have to choose Beckett Colburn to have a relationship with?”

  “A single father who’s never been a model of ambition or responsibility,” her father added. “You could do much better.”

  “You don’t know him at all,” she said, trying not to snap. It would be lost on her parents. “I like him. I like his whole family. Look around. There are a lot of good people here.”

  “They’re just not our kind of people.”

  “That’s too bad. Because I think you’re missing out.” Rachel stood. She’d had enough. “Excuse me. I have to talk to Mia.” She walked away from her family and didn’t look to see if they left.

  She moved to a table where Ginny and Mia were sitting, chatting excitedly about social media platforms. They were convinced by combining their efforts, they’d built a bigger buzz than they’d ever imagined.

  “Mia’s trying to talk me into starting a YouTube channel for Colburn and Sons. I’m still not sure what I’d do with it.”

  “Start with videos showing new items in the showroom,” Mia suggested.

  “Show the guys in the workshop doing their magic as they repurpose items,” Rachel suggested. She’d been supervising the projects they were making specifically for The Salvage Station, and they’d been doing a spectacular job.

  “Oh, that’s a good idea.”

  “You don’t have to do them every day,” Mia told her. “You could schedule one a week. Or even once a month. Just be consistent. Viewers will look forward to them. They’ll comment on them. You get enough followers, the business can even make some extra money.”

  Ginny grinned and turned to Rachel. “Mia is so much fun to talk to. It’s like we speak the same language.”

  “I could talk about this stuff all day,” Mia said.

  “Hey,” Ginny said to Rachel, “how are things going at the bar? No one will let me in to peek.”

  “Even Beckett is shut out now until it’s done.”

  “How’s he handling that?”

  “He has no control over his dream, how do you think he’s handling it?”

  “That bad, huh?” Ginny said. “I’m sure he trusts you.”

  The simple statement sent a wave of pleasure over her. She wasn’t certain it was true, but it made her happy to think it might be. But what was even crazier was that she was falling for the cocky jerk she hated in high school. She heard his laugh and glanced over to where he was sitting with his father and brother and nephew.

  “You’ve got it bad for him, don’t you?” Ginny nodded to Beck.

  What was it with everyone? “It’s just a fling.”

  “Are you sure about that?”

  “I’m leaving in a few days. And I have no plans to come back to Lakeside.”

  “Oh, come on. Are we so bad you’d never hang around with us again?”

  “Of course not.” She’d been considering coming back now and then, but it would kill her to run into Beckett. And Holly? It would gut her. No, she had to get out of there soon.

  She could never live in Lakeside again. That hadn’t changed.

  “Your fans are buzzing that you’ve found your true love,” Ginny told her.

  “True love? Come on.”

  “They can’t wait to watch this episode,” Mia chimed in. “In fact, I ‘leaked’ a video clip from the salvage filming, Beckett Colburn in tight T-shirt and jeans, throwing you to the ground to keep you safe. There have been millions of views. Your fans are eating. It. Up.”

  “Of course I’m thrilled.” What was wrong with her? This was why she agreed to come there in the first place. To build fan excitement. Bump up the ratings. Save her show. If adding Beckett to the equation helped at all, it was well worth it. It was just a fling.

  “Stu said the network is over the moon that there’s been so much buzz already.”

  Rachel couldn’t help feeling guilty for bringing so much drama into the Colburn family’s lives. She had grown to like and care about them. She jumped up and grabbed three bottles of water. “Enough work talk. It’s the Fourth of July. Does Lakeside still have the fireworks in the park?”

  “Of course.” Ginny twisted off the top and tapped the other two bottles in a Fourth of July toast. She turned to Mia. “Wait till you see the fireworks. The family gets together every year at the park right before sunset. Look for us.”

  Rachel caught a glimpse of Katie Colburn stretched out on a lounge chair on the deck. “Great to talk to you guys. I’ll let you get back to your discussion of posts and comments and rumor mills gone wild. See you later.”

  Katie smiled up at her when Rachel approached. “Hey. Have a seat.”

  Rachel sank into a matching chair. The sun was out but the cool breeze made the temperature perfect. “How are you feeling?”

  “Great right now. I should have another hour or so before the nausea hits.”

  “Congratulations again on the baby.”

  “Thanks. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do the whole raising a child again, in fact, I’d been certain I didn’t. I had Sean and I was happy. But then when I fell in love with Carter…I couldn’t stop thinking about having a child with him.”

  Rachel couldn’t imagine raising a child. At any age. She’d put the thought out of her mind years ago. But Katie’s announcement hammered home the idea that it wasn’t too late for her. It was possible, maybe even probable. The fact she still had a choice scared her almost as much as the possibility of losing her show. Maybe more.

  Could she still have it all if she wanted to? Career and family? Career or family? She never thought she’d have to make the choice at this point in her life. She’d gone over the reasons a million times why she couldn’t have it all. Dividing her time and energies between the two would mean she couldn’t give her all to either.

  It would mean there was a good chance she’d fail at them both. Was it brave or foolish to even consider it?

  Katie placed her hand on Rachel’s arm. “Are you all right?”

  She blinked. “Yeah. Sorry. My mind flew away there for a moment.” She worried her bottom lip between her teeth for a moment, then plunged in. “You’re a photographer, right? Do you worry how having a new child will affect your career?”

  Katie studied her for a moment, then nodded slowly, as if she realized Rachel was asking more for herself. “Sure, I think about it. But there are lots of things that can affect your work. I admit it was tough and crazy for a while when Sean was growing up, but I think now that I’m older I’ll be able to find a better balance between work and family. At least, I hope I will.”

  Balance. “I’ve always been an all-or-nothing kind of person.”

  Katie shrugged. “It comes down to what’s most important to you, I guess.” She rested her head back and closed her eyes. “I’m trying to get as much work in while I can. Of course, that means I’m tired all the time. And we just moved to a big old house and…” She opened her eyes and laughed. “Maybe I don’t have the balance thing worked out yet.”

  Brave or foolish? Rachel still didn’t know, but she gave Katie an encouraging smile.

  “I’ve been having fun decorating the rooms,” Katie went on. “I can see why you enjoy it, but I’m frustrated. I can’t seem to wrap my mind around what to do with the odd angles in the nursery. Pregnancy brain or something.”

  “I could come over and take a look at it, if you want.” The offer was out of Rachel’s mouth before she thought about it.

  Katie sat up, her eyes wide. “Oh, I didn’t mean to hint…” She grinned. “But that would be wonderful.”

  “I’m happy to help.” Maybe they could help each other. “While I’m there, I’d like to talk to you about an idea I have for some of your photographs.”

/>   …

  Beck was talking with his brothers and keeping an eye on Rachel when Davis called. His first thought, of course, was that something had happened to Holly, so he ducked into the house to get some privacy as he accepted the call.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Davis laughed, which immediately brought Beck’s blood pressure down. “Everything’s good. No more homesickness.”

  Beck could hear laughter in the background. “She’s fine then?”

  “Holly’s definitely fine. In fact, she and Emmie keep themselves busy all the time. It’s been great.” His friend cleared his throat. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”

  “Is she being a pest?”

  “Not at all. It’s just…with Emmie occupied, it’s meant that Suz and I have had a lot of time together. Alone.”

  “You haven’t killed her, have you?”

  Davis laughed. “No.” He cleared his throat again. “Quite the opposite.”

  So Suz has been an ex with benefits? “I always wondered if you two did more than talk on those vacations.”

  “But we never talked before. Not any more than we had to. But this year’s been different.”

  “What’s going on? Spit it out.”

  “We’re getting back together. Suz is leaving her job and coming back to Lakeside with us.”

  “Wow.” Beck never saw that coming. “I mean, great, man.”

  “Yeah. Crazy, I know. But it feels right. I never stopped loving her. I just couldn’t deal with all the time she was gone.”

  “And she’s going to be happy walking away from her job now? She’s happy to stop traveling? Just like that?”

  “Don’t be like that.”

  “I’m thrilled for you. But I met you right after your split, and I know how torn up you were.”

  “Okay. I appreciate that. It’s going to be a big change for all of us, we know that. She’s going to take a few months off before she makes her final decision, but I’ve got a good feeling about this.”

  “I’m happy for you. Really.”

  “Thanks. Hey, it looks like things are getting pretty hot with you and Rachel, if I can believe all the buzz online.” Obviously, Davis was ready to change the subject.

  “What are you doing checking the internet gossip when you’re on vacation with our daughters and banging your beautiful ex-wife?”

  “Gotta come up for air every once in a while.”

  Beck chuckled. “It’s just a fling.”

  “Good. Don’t ever sign up for a long-distance relationship.”

  His friend’s was the voice of reason. “I won’t.”

  “Oh, hey, we’re planning to be home on Thursday.” Voices in the background got louder. Davis laughed, sounding happier than Beck remembered him. Maybe it would work out for him and Suz this time. “Gotta go. Time for a pizza run before the fireworks.”

  Beck sank to the sofa in the great room after he disconnected the call. What do you know? No woman who’d told him goodbye ever came back and said hello again. But had he ever really loved any of them? The way Davis sounded like he was in love with Suz? If Beck were honest with himself, he didn’t think he’d ever fallen in love, not even with Crystal.

  “Something wrong?”

  Beck looked up to see that Carter had come into the house. “Just thinking.”

  “That’s dangerous,” his brother said. He sat down at the other end of the sofa and was quiet for a moment. Beck was ready for some quiet. “Rachel seems to be fitting right in,” Carter said.

  “Don’t.” Beck cringed. “Don’t go there. Just because you’re all happy with Katie and the baby news…”

  “Listen to me. You guys seem good for each other.”

  “She’s been here only a week.”

  “So? She settles you down and you’re showing her some fun. I get the impression that she’s a workaholic and she could use a little fun.”

  Rachel settled him down? Hmm. “She is extremely focused, and definitely a workaholic. And she lives in L.A. and isn’t interested in more than a fling.”

  “Remember when we had this conversation with Noah?” Carter asked.

  “Yeah, we warned him away from Anita because she wasn’t staying. You should be warning me away from Rachel. I’m not interested in a long-distance relationship, especially when I have Holly to think about.”

  “But Rachel could live anywhere, couldn’t she? Like Anita. She fell for Noah and moved here to be with him.”

  Like Suz was moving here to be with Davis?

  Was it possible? Were their feelings for each other that strong? Strong enough for Rachel to upend her life and move back to the place she fled?

  The questions kept whirling in Beck’s mind that evening in the park. Surrounded by family, with Rachel nestled up to him on a big blanket, his mind wasn’t on the brilliant fireworks bursting overhead. Rachel did seem to be fitting right in. But then it was all for show, wasn’t it? Besides, it was one thing to hang out for a week or two, knowing you’d be going home soon, and another to move across the country for someone you hadn’t even admitted you’ve fallen in love with.

  Even if she had fallen for him, he doubted Rachel would ever admit it. Love didn’t go along with her goals. The admission was on the tip of Beck’s tongue, though. No doubt about it. He’d fallen in love with a woman who was going to leave him behind.

  Chapter Fourteen

  For the next few days, Beck went out on salvage jobs like he had for years, trying not to worry about what was going on next door. Rachel stayed busy during the day doing whatever she was doing in The Salvage Station and spending more time with her family. And then spending the night in his bed.

  She wouldn’t tell him anything. He’d heard from some of the guys that she was directing a lot of building of furniture and “other stuff” but apparently, they were sworn to secrecy about what the actual items were. He was going crazy with the need to see what the bar—his bar—was going to look like. He wasn’t even allowed to go into the workshop until the reveal on Saturday.

  His frustration was building by the day. After he got back from a salvage job on Wednesday, his mind was obsessing about the bar. He started unloading the lengths of molding rougher than was necessary. He dropped the entire armful into the rack.

  “Watch it!” Pop called out.

  Beck hadn’t noticed his father had rolled out into the salvage yard. He knew he’d been careless and could have broken some of the hard-earned oak. “Sorry.”

  “What’s wrong with you today?”

  He could make excuses, but he wanted his father to know what was bothering him. “Can’t stop wondering what’s going on next door.”

  Pop waved off his concern. “Well, get your mind on the work. We don’t need to lose money because you’re not paying attention.”

  “I need to know what they’re doing to my bar.”

  “You need to work on your patience.”

  “I have been patient. If I’d been doing the work myself, I’d know what was going on. I’d have a say in everything.”

  “And you’d be working on it six months from now and the bar still wouldn’t be open.”

  Beck let out a frustrated breath.

  “We took this deal to help you, to make it easier for you.”

  “Or because you didn’t think I could do it?”

  “You’re always saying crazy things,” Pop grumbled. Then his voice rose. “You were always going crazy about something.”

  “Because no one trusts me!”

  “What’s all the shouting about?” His mom and cousin rushed out the door.

  Beck almost groaned. Now Mom and Ginny were involved. “Nothing. I dropped some moldings.”

  “His mind isn’t on his work,” Pop grumbled.

  He’d heard that same statement gr
owing up when he was supposed to be getting his homework done and his mind was anywhere but on chemical equations or reports on Shakespeare.

  “My mind is on the work going on at The Station. They won’t let me in to see what they’re doing.”

  “You knew it was going to be a surprise,” Ginny said.

  “I thought it was going to be a surprise for the viewers. I didn’t think they really wouldn’t let me in my own place.”

  “Calm down now, dear,” his mom said.

  Calm down. He’d heard that more often than he could count growing up, too. Like he shouldn’t bother to get upset no matter if it was his future, his life they were talking about.

  “It’s only a few more days,” Pop said.

  Why didn’t they understand how hard it was for him to give up control when he’d only just taken hold of it? This was the first time he’d had any say in business decisions since he came back to Lakeside almost ten years ago. Were they always going to treat him like the wild little kid he used to be?

  How the place was going to be finished in time was beyond him. There hadn’t been a whole lot of demo needed, except for the restrooms, so he was sure that helped. He’d actually thought about sneaking over there a couple of times late at night, but Rachel had been in his bed every night, and he was afraid he would have woken her up. And he sure didn’t want to risk a fight if she had. And he hadn’t wanted to leave her anyway.

  But man, if they hadn’t been sleeping together, he’d have snuck in by now and eased his mind.

  Beck was relaxing on the sofa with Rachel for what would most likely be the last time. Mocha was snuggled in between them. Rachel’s back was to him because somehow he’d found himself offering to French braid her hair. She’d looked surprised and then pleased by his offer.

  “I can’t remember the last time someone else braided my hair,” she murmured with a sigh. “It’s nice.”

  Her hair was silky, like Holly’s, and he spent time simply running his fingers through the softness before he began. Weaving the strands of blue into the braid made it a completely different visual experience. He soaked up the scent of her skin and the sound of her voice as she talked about her day without revealing anything she was actually doing inside The Station.