Page 1 of Ropers Can't Tie Knots
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Gabe
There’s a certain freedom that comes with age and a successful career.
You can choose holidays when you want, the boss leaves you to your own devices most of the time, and you can eat dessert for breakfast.
In my case, it also means you can decide to walk away from a position that no longer serves you and move on to a fresh life challenge. With no mortgage or family anchoring me to this job or city anymore, it’s time for a change.
When the law firm I work for passed me over again and still didn’t offer me a partnership after ten years, I knew the time I’d been waiting for had truly arrived.
It was scary as hell to acknowledge I was ready.
Watching my best friend fall in love and enjoy his life made me wonder if perhaps I had it all backwards from the beginning. Happiness wouldn’t find me when I holed myself up in my office sixteen hours a day, six days a week. Accumulating wealth and job experience before seeking a relationship seemed like a great idea in the beginning.
Over time, the only things that found me were loneliness, overeating, and self-induced heartburn. After several deepdiscussions with my best friend Riley and meetings with my financial planner…I resigned.
I won’t lie and say I wasn’t terrified to walk away to parts unknown, because I was. Working as an attorney for a prestigious civil law firm filled every moment of my life, and I enjoyed it. But the call to find the missing piece has intensified.
At forty-one, I have a lot of life to live yet, and with the increased time I spend with Riley and his friends, it’s painfully obvious I’ve let too much of the past ten years slip through my fingers.
But a man still needs to work. While I don’t mind an extended leave of absence, I’d need to work again, eventually.
Which is how I’ve found myself moved to the small town of Kissing Ridge, where my best friend lives. Fate must have been thinking of me when I came across the ad for a law practice for sale in the small town.
I liked the business the previous lawyer had built, and I was bursting to make the change, not just in my career, but in my life. I wanted to attend rodeos with Riley and walk to the farmer’s market for fresh food twice a week. Most importantly, I wanted to be a part of the friend group Riley invited me into.
They’re a close-knit group of rodeo cowboys and welcomed me without question. Well, the one guy was a little prickly, but I could manage him.
Parking my car in the lot of my new favourite coffee house, I exit the vehicle with a smile and enter The Thirsty Cow. City life has most things I adore, but it doesn’t have this quaint and cozy coffee house with the bubbly barista named Diamond.
Diamond looks up from the espresso machine and flashes a smile my way.
“Well, hello, Mr. Handsome. What can I get you today?”
His tone is flirty, and while he’s an attractive man, he’s not the type to set the butterflies off in my gut. He’s like a warm hug from an old friend.
“I’d love a mocha, please.” Scanning the seating, I wave to Riley. “I’ll be over there. No rush, darling.”
Diamond nods with a wink, drawing a small laugh from my lips before I walk across the room to meet Riley.
I wasn’t expecting him to be here alone. “Is it just the two of us today?”
After hugging each other, he returns to his place, and I sit beside him, angling so we can speak face to face.
“I’m afraid so. The boys have some kind of pressing rodeo thing, and it didn’t sound like any fun to me.” He smiles and reaches over to squeeze my knee. “Some days I still can’t believe you’re here.” His voice clogs with emotion. “Everything going okay?”
We’ve spent too much time apart. Sometimes it doesn’t seem real that I’m here permanently, either.
“It’s great, Rye. In fact, we signed the final papers today. I have officially bought the practice.”
His hand covers his mouth and mutes his squeal of joy. “Oh my god, this is so amazing! You’ll love it here, Gabe. Honestly.”
Diamond delivers my coffee with another wink, and I allow myself to appreciate the man a little longer. The legs he has go on for days, and while he’s not my usual type, he’d probably be a fun fling.
“I’m not on the market, handsome. Eyes up here.” He tsks, and Riley laughs.
“Busted.” I join Riley’s laughter. “They’re a lucky person then, Diamond.”
