Free Broken Road Café 1 - The Broken Road Café by T.A. Webb

think…someday I may be able to forgive you. For now, you have to go”
Wiping his face with his sleeve, Gary looked up. Tears still leaked from his eyes, and he looked devastated, but he held Dan’s gaze and nodded, not able to speak.
“Don’t call me. Just leave me be. I’m leaving Atlanta, and I need to be alone. You’ve done this. You and Kerry and Abe. You did this to me.” He tried to soften his tone so the words wouldn’t hit like stones, but from the expression on Gary’s face and the slump of his shoulders, he wasn’t sure he succeeded. “I know you’re hurting too, and I hope you and Kerry can work it out. But I need you to leave now.”
Dan took Gary’s hand and walked him to the door. Opening it, he watched as Gary stumbled down the hallway toward the elevator. “Gary?” The man stopped, but didn’t turn. “In spite of it all, I love you.” He closed the door before Gary could answer.
Then he stood with his head against the door, sucked in deep breaths as he cried for everything he’d lost.

Chapter Eight
    The check had come via courier around noon two weeks before. Thankfully—and a little surprisingly— it was for the exact amount he demanded. The separation agreement and confidentiality agreement and non-disclosure agreement and non-competition agreement—so much lawyerese Dan had to laugh— were all included. He reviewed them, signed it all, then called a courier to come by and take them back to the firm. Dan wanted this done; he was a little in shock they’d sent the check with the paperwork. They wanted his ass gone, or they were scared of him, or some combination of the two.
    Either way, Dan felt as if a weight had been lifted off his chest. As scary as the future might look sometimes, he was so glad to put the past behind him he wanted to celebrate. Oddly enough, he felt drawn to the people in Blue Ridge. Patsy would make him laugh, and Jake would flirt with him a little and make him feel like he wasn’t alone.
    And Nick…now why in the hell would he care what the chief thought? The man was straight, a pain in the ass, and no one Dan wanted to associate with.
    Now, though, it was two weeks later and as much as he liked sitting on his ass and watching court TV, Dan had a decision to make. Several, actually, but the main one drove everything else.
Should he buy the diner? Dan sat at his dining room table, all the paperwork regarding the Blue Moon spread out
    around him. He had the valuations and comps, the inspection he’d had done, the evaluation from the bank as to what they’d loan, and the name of an architect who could start designing the remodel immediately. Lying next to all that, he had his savings statement, a copy of the buy-out check, his 401(k) statement, and a legal pad with all the pros and cons as to whether he should buy the restaurant.
    In one separate stack, he had copies of real estate listings of homes he might want to look at. He had a good amount of equity in the condo, and the complex had a waiting list of buyers salivating at a chance to buy the lofts.
    So, what was he waiting on? Staring at the paperwork and his phone, Dan shoved it all aside and reached out to dial. Putting the handset on speaker, he felt a fine line of sweat break out across his forehead as the call connected. “Patsy Verline Realty. How may I help you?”
Dan cleared his throat. “Patsy, it’s Dan O’Leary. From Atlanta.”
A loud squeal had him scrambling for the volume button. “Yes, doll baby. How are you? It’s been way too long since I heard that sweet voice of yours. Now, tell Patsy what she can do for you today?”
Rolling his eyes, but loving it, Dan grinned. “I’d like to make an offer on the Blue Moon.”
“Well, now, darlin’, I’ll have to look. That’s a hot property, you know. I have two people gettin’ ready to fax over offers today, and—“
“Now, come on, Patsy. You and I both know that’s pure country crap. The sweeter the honey, the colder the