“No.” Hank tossed the doughnuts on the table, disappointed. She’d left without saying a word. She’d seen he was busy and still bailed out. That wasn’t how a woman acted when she wanted to get back together, was it? Seemed like she was running from him, and that irked Hank.

His uncle sighed heavily. “Can I speak frankly?”

Hank’s back automatically went up. “Can I stop you?”

“You’re fucking shit up, boy.”

He scowled. “That’s your big statement? Just that I’m fucking stuff up? You do know it wasn’t my decision to break up, right?”

“Yes, but you’re letting her get away.” Doc shook his head. “You can’t let that happen. Let me tell you a story.”

Hank bit back a groan. One of his uncle’s long-winded stories. Great. This was just what he needed—a fairy tale wrapped in a lecture. Like he didn’t already know that things were a mess?

But his uncle didn’t ask. He just launched into his tale, leaning against the counter. “Years ago, back when I was about your age, I fell in love with this pretty little thing that lived in town. She was a good friend, and we always saw each other at get-togethers and parties. I was a mite shy then, and I just admired her from afar, trying to decide when was the best time to get up my courage to confess how I felt. There was no rush, after all. We both lived here all our lives and she wasn’t going anywhere. So I didn’t tell anyone about my grand plan; I just thought about it real hard every time I saw her, and waited for the right moment. When it was all perfect, I’d confess my love and then she’d be mine. Except I never told her that I had feelings. I just treated her like a friend. And when there was a big barn raising for the Cavanaughs a few towns over, she went with another man. Fell head over heels in love with him and they were married within a month.”

Hank continued to wipe at his hands with the towel, fighting back irritation. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because that woman was your mother.”

He looked up in shock, meeting his uncle’s gaze.

Doc nodded. “Yep. Your father had no idea I was madly in love with the same woman, because I never said a thing. After that, it was too late, you know? She loved him, he loved her, and that was the end of it. I missed out on my chance . . . Where are you going?”

Hank had gotten to his feet as Doc spoke, and he paused. “Gonna tell Caleb and Jack that if they touch Becca I’ll break their hands.”