Page 11 of Rugged Guardian

Then, the image of that ledger flashes in my mind, and all the doubts come rushing back. “It’s not that simple, Daryl.”

“Doesn’t have to be complicated either,” he counters, crossing his arms. “You care about her, right? Always have. So what’s stopping you from trying?”

What’s stopping me? The list is endless. The betrayal, the history, the fear of getting hurt again. But mostly, it’s the knowledge that I might already be too late. That the damage has been done, and there’s no going back.

“She’s probably moved on,” I mutter, more to myself than Daryl.

Daryl raises an eyebrow, but he doesn’t push the point. “If she had moved on, would she have spent last night with you? You won’t know unless you talk to her.”

He has a point.

But talk to her? Like that’s easy. Like I can just sit down with Angelica and have a nice chat about how our families hated each other. How we discovered her great-grandpa cheated mine, and thus my grandparents, parents, and me out of our birthright.

Deep down, I know Daryl’s right. I need to talk to her. I need to figure out if there’s a chance for us or if I need to let her go for good.

We finish the repairs, the silence between us more contemplative than tense. I’m lost in my thoughts, replaying every moment I’ve spent with Angelica since she came back. Her smile and the way her eyes softened when she looked at me...the rightness of making love to her, and the way she stiffened when she saw the ledger. I want to believe she didn’t know what was in it.

Once the railing is secure, Daryl steps back, examining our work. “Looks good. Should hold up for a while.”

“Yeah,” I agree, but my mind is elsewhere.

Daryl picks up on it, of course. “So, what’s the plan now? You gonna keep brooding, or are you going to do something about this?”

I run a hand through my hair, tugging at the strands in frustration. “I don’t know, Daryl. I just... I don’t know.”

He studies me for a moment, then claps a hand on my shoulder. “Well, whatever you decide, remember you have people who care about you. Don’t let this feud ruin your life. You deserve to be happy.”

I nod, appreciating his words even if I’m not sure I believe them. “Thanks, Daryl.”

He shrugs, a sincerity in his eyes that I don’t miss. “Anytime, boss.”

We pack up our tools, and as we load them into the truck, Daryl turns to me. “So, you sticking around here, or you want to grab a bite at King Tap?”

I hesitate at the thought of going to King Tap and running into people I know. I want to be on my own to figure out what the fuck to do with what I’ve learned and what to do about Angelica. But maybe not being alone is exactly what I need right now.

“Yeah,” I finally say. “Let’s go.”

The drive to King Tap is quiet, but the tension in my chest eases the closer we get. King Tap has always been a refuge for me, a change of pace from running the rental cabins and Creek Ravine.

The familiar scent of wood and beer greets us when we walk in. It’s still early, so the place isn’t packed yet, just a few regulars scattered at the tables. Marian looks up as we enter, a smile spreading across her face.

“Hey there, Waylon. Daryl,” she calls out, her voice warm and welcoming. “What brings you boys in so early?”

“Just finished some work up at the cabins,” Daryl says, sliding onto a barstool. “Figured we earned ourselves some lunch.”

“Well, you came to the right place.” Marian smiles. “You guys want the special?”

“Sure.”

“You know,” Daryl says after Marian heads to the kitchen. “Maybe talking to Angelica isn’t only about sorting things out for the future. Maybe it’s about making peace with the past too.”

I look at him, unsure what he’s getting at.

“I mean, think about it,” he continues. “Your family’s been holding onto this grudge for generations. And for what? A piece of land? What if you could be the one to finally put all that to rest?”

Put it to rest. The idea is almost laughable. I’ve spent my whole life thinking about that mountain, about what it means to my family. To me. But what if Daryl’s right? What if holding onto this grudge has been holding me back all these years?

“I don’t know, Daryl,” I say, shaking my head. “It’s not that simple.”

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