Shattered Dreams (Dream #1)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Charlie

I open the back door and storm out with the coffee in my hand, headed straight to the barn. My mind on the way Autumn was looking at the picture of Jennifer when I walked out of the shower, something we both need to talk about. It also makes me think about the last time I went to visit her, something that has been less and less in the last couple of weeks.

Walking in, I spot Emmett sitting on the desk, his coffee in his hand as he looks up at me. “Well, you look to be in a fine mood.”

He lifts the cup to his mouth and tries to hide his smile.

“I’m fine,”

I snap at him, even though I’m not fine. I woke up feeling like I’ve never felt before. I mean, never felt before, hands down, and it just got better, until it didn’t. Until I walked out of the walk-in closet and saw her staring at Jennifer’s picture by the bed. I didn’t even notice the picture until she mouthed something to it, and her face got white. The little happy that I had for an hour or less was gone, and I wanted desperately to get it back. I wanted it back more than I wanted anything before.

“You sound fine,”

Emmett fires back. “Peachy.”

I take a sip of my coffee. “Heard you were in town last night.”

“Yeah.”

I walk away from him when the phone rings again from my pocket. “I live here, so occasionally I go to town,”

I bark, looking down and seeing it’s my grandfather, and I’ve already ignored his call this morning when Autumn left. “I’m going to take this inside.”

I walk back out and head to my office, putting the phone to my ear. “Hello.”

“I called you,”

he states, “twice.”

“I know, I was in the shower the first time,”

I lie to him, “and now I answered you. What’s up?”

“What’s up?”

He laughs. “You called me last night talking in code.”

“I wasn’t talking in code,”

I deny. “I called to give you a heads-up.”

“Is that how you remember it?”

he pushes as I pull out my chair and sit on it. “Care to fill me in on the whole situation?”

I close my eyes, wondering how the fuck to word it without putting Autumn in this. I don’t want her to be involved in any of this. But I know I have no choice but to say everything, so I do. Well, definitely not everything. “I’ll see what I can get from my end. After everything fell to shit in court, I didn’t give it another thought.”

“Yeah, I’ve spent the last eight years with a chip on my shoulder and placing blame on someone who wasn’t to blame.”

“Is that so?”

he questions, and I close my eyes.

“Became a man I didn’t recognize,”

I say honestly. “I want to get back to the old Charlie.”

“Not going to lie,”

he huffs, “not too fond of that Charlie.”

I chuckle. “Well, hopefully, I can make you like the new and improved.”

“Rough around the edges,”

he teases. “I have to go. I’ll let you know what I turn up.”

“Appreciate it,”

I say and hang up the phone. I’m about to call Autumn when I hear my name being paged by Emmett.

“Charlie, you are wanted,”

he announces and then I hear the crashing of the phone when he hangs it up. I shake my head, getting up and walking over to the barn. Putting my phone in my back pocket, I step out into the sun.

I think about leaving and going to get lunch with Autumn when I step into the barn and my mother shocks the shit out of me when she yells, “Surprise!”

Her hands are in the air over her head.

I take a step back and look over to see my father standing there, the box of donuts on the desk and Emmett leaning against the other side of the barn. “Oh my,”

I say as my mother comes to me and hugs me around my waist. “What are you guys doing here?”

I hug her around her shoulders.

“We came to surprise you.”

When my mother looks up at me, her whole face lights up like a Christmas tree. “We’re going to stay with you for a couple of days.”

I should be excited my parents are here, but all of a sudden, I want them gone. I don’t want them here when things with Autumn are just starting. The less time she has away from me to think about things, the better it is. “Are you surprised?” she asks.

“You could say that,”

I reply and my father comes over to me and slaps me on my shoulder before pulling me to him. “Hey, Dad.”

“Hey yourself,”

he mumbles.

“I can’t believe you’re here,”

I say, looking at the both of them.

“You called your grandfather last night,”

my father starts and now it all makes sense.

“So you guys came to spy on me?”

I ask both.

“Of course not,”

my mother quickly refutes.

At the same time my father says, “Yup.”

He nods. “We want to make sure that you’re okay and that everything and everyone is doing well.”

“I think everyone is doing well and it was just talk.”

“Did you hear about this?”

My father looks over at Emmett.

“Sure did,”

he confirms, and I roll my eyes.

“I’m surprised he can work since he’s always hooting and hollering with all the gossip in town.”

I glare at him.

“You look different.”

My mother puts her hands on her hips. “Something is different with you.”

“No, it’s not.”

I shake my head.

“Yes, there is.”

She turns to my father. “Quinn, do you see it?”

“He doesn’t see anything”—I walk over to the box of donuts—“because there is nothing to see.”

“I see it,”

Emmett agrees, and I turn my head. “He looks like less of an asshole.”

“That, I can see,”

my father says, slapping my back as he grabs a donut from the box. “So what’s this trouble you are in?”

“I’m not in trouble,” I groan.

“What trouble is this?”

My mother looks at me and then my father, the worry all over her face. “What happened, Quinn Barnes? Why did you not tell me any of this?”

“You heard the man, there was nothing to tell.”

He bites off another piece of donut. “I was just playing with him.”

He full-on just lied to my mother and even she knows that because he avoids looking at her.

“How long are you guys staying?”

I ask and my father stares at me.

“Not sure yet.”

I inwardly groan. “Is that a problem?”

“Nope,”

I lie to them. “No problem at all.”

I take a donut, glancing over at Emmett, who is looking down at his boots, laughing and shaking his head.

“Mrs. Barnes, did you see Goldilocks?”

Emmett asks, and she shakes her head. “Third stall from the end.”

He points down the barn. “Charlie has taken an interest in her.”

“Are you fucking done?” I ask.

“Not even close,”

he retorts, walking with my mother to see Goldilocks.

“What’s up with you?”

my father asks, looking to make sure my mother can’t hear what he says.

“Nothing,”

I lie to him and avoid his eyes, instead taking a bite of the donut. “Just got things on my mind.”

“I heard you threw down with the Cartwrights,”

he says, and I nod.

“Things came to light in the last little bit,”

I inform him. “I don’t like it.”

“What sort of things?”

he asks, and I don’t say anything. “You know that you can’t keep secrets, boy.”

He puts his ass against the desk. “So you might as well just tell me what we are dealing with.”

“They have been fucking with Autumn’s family.”

I look down the barn to make sure my mother isn’t near me. “Her family is practically bankrupt.”

His eyes are shocked.

“The whiskey one?”

I nod. “Saw her in town just before,”

he shares, and my head turns back so fast it’s a wonder it doesn’t snap off. “She looks like she’s been through it, all right.”

“She has,”

I admit, “and I was one of those who put her through it.”

He’s about to say something when I lift my hand to stop him from talking. “But I’m not anymore.”

It’s his turn to nod his head. “She’s got enough to deal with. She came back to town because her father is dying.”

My father doesn’t say anything, but I see it in his eyes, worry mixed with sadness. “We’ll scope things out, but your mother is right.”

He stands back up. “You look different.”

I roll my eyes and groan at the same time. “Can’t put my finger on it.”

I finish my donut. “Well, I’m fine. I’m all good. Nothing is different. And I’m happy you’re here.”

“So we aren’t cramping your style?”

he jokes, and I laugh.

“Dad, I know you are trying to sound cool, but”—I shake my head—“you don’t.”

“Are you seeing anyone?”

he asks, and I gawk at him. “What? It’s a question.”

I don’t even answer him. Instead, I turn and walk to my mother, but I can feel his eyes on me. When I look over my shoulder, he’s standing there with his hands on his hips, trying to figure me out. “Are you done, or are you going to help?”

He walks to me.

“Deflecting,”

he observes, “I know that game.”

“It’s not a game. Nothing is going on, and I’m not seeing anyone.”

The words feel wrong in my mouth. “At least not officially.”

I want to kick my own ass when the words slip out. “Or not.”

I try to take them back, but the only thing heard in the barn is my father’s laughter.