Page 30 of Lovetown, USA
Again.
I blow out a sigh, trying to sound casual. “Hey, man. It’s your pops. Just checking in again. Look, I know you’re busy, but…call your old man when you get a chance. I need to hear your voice.” I clear my throat. “Love you.”
I end the call, then immediately send a text to Desiree to update her on my progress with our son.
Or, lack thereof.
Been trying to reach Cam. Left another voicemail. Let me know when he reaches out to you.
Pam knocks once before entering again, her hands full of envelopes of various sizes.
“Here you go, Dr. Montgomery.”
I give her a grateful nod and flip through the stack. Insurance shit. Coupons. Medical device sales brochures. And then—Zoning Board of Appeals.
I pause as my stomach drops. Pam sees my face and immediately perks up.
“Is that the one?”
“Yeah,” I say quietly.
She nods and exits quickly, leaving me to either bask in my success or wallow in my failure.
I take a long, deep breath and tear the envelope open, holding the paper up as my eyes scan the page.
Denied.
Again.
I blow out a breath and toss the letter on my desk. It lands on top of the wood like a brick.
“Fuck.”
Pam pokes her head back in. “What’d they say?”
“Same thing they always say. ‘Wrong use of space. Not in line with commercial code. No variance granted.’ They might as well have written ‘fuck you’ at the top.”
She frowns at the news. “I’m so sorry, Trey.”
“I don’t get it. It’s a clinic, not a fuckin’ strip club.”
“I know.” She steps back inside and leans against the doorframe. “But don’t let this make you give up on your dream, sweetheart. A delay isn’t a denial.”
I hold up the paper so she can see it. “You see that word right there? Bold letters. DENIED.”
“Okay, but it’s not the end of the story, you stubborn-headed mule.”
“That’s redundant,” I mumble.
She chuckles, just like she always does when I’m on my bullshit. “Pout a little bit, and then think of Spain. That’ll get you right again.”
I shrug, but she’s already walking away.
Pam’s not wrong. Thinking of Spain always does it for me. I had the time of my life playing basketball over there. It was only four years, but it was long enough for me to consider it my second home.
Then I blew out my knee, and it became something even better.
It became my inspiration.
