Page 39 of Pin-up Girl

Aubrey looked up from her phone, her gaze blank for a moment before her eyes seemed to focus on me. “She’s a kid. She doesn’t deserve this.”

I still didn’t know what this was, but it hadn’t come out of the blue for her or Clint. “I agree. This feels more personal. To you.”

“Dee is a good kid. She’s smart. She’s sweet. And her mother uses her as a bargaining chip. Dee deserves good things, not more of the bad.” Aubrey jumped at the sound of a chime, and gave her full attention to her phone again. “We’re back home. Dee’s all right,” she read aloud, relief bleeding into her voice.

“I’m going over there to check on her.” Aubrey swiped her screen as she talked. “I’m sorry about cutting the night short.” She glanced at me.

“I’ll go with you. I’ll drive.” I wanted to keep spending time with her, but I also wanted to make sure Clint was all right too. Because he was an old friend—boyfriend—and because I was tired of having spent the last nearly two decades watching the place I used to call home from a distance.

The impulse hit me hard, but I wanted to start being a part of Haddarville again. At least while I was here.

Aubrey did a little more texting with Clint, before saying, “He says it’s okay. Let’s go.”

I pointed her toward the bedroom door. “Put some panties on first. Maybe pants. It’s been getting cold at night.”

“Yes, sir.” She gave me a grateful smile, and turned in the other direction. “That’s the guest room where Sylvie is staying. My room’s over here.” She walked away, a fast clip to her step.

She returned just a few minutes later, wearing jeans and a T-shirt, her hair pulled into a messy ponytail. This wasn’t the made-up Aubrey who was always on display and dressed on-brand around town.

But she was every bit as beautiful, and still a pin-up princess. “Let’s go,” she said.

The instant we stepped outside, a blast of chilly, wet air hit us in the face.

Aubrey rubbed her arms. “I should go grab my jacket.” Despite the words, she hesitated.

She didn’t want to waste any more time. The impatience radiated from her.

“Come on.” I tugged her toward my car, and grabbed a hoodie out of the back seat. “Wear this.”

Aubrey only hesitated for a moment before pulling it over her head, but once it was on, she tugged at the bottom with a frown.

“What’s wrong?” I leaned in to sniff. Nope. I hadn’t accidentally given her a smelly sweatshirt.

She shook her head. “Nothing. Let’s go.”

I opened the passenger door, and she slid in, before I hurried to the driver’s seat. “Navigate.” I pulled onto the road.

“Hilltop Road. The Miller house.” Aubrey gestured.

I pointed us in that direction. Funny how much of this came back just being here. “Tell me what’s wrong with the hoodie.” I might as well prod over the next couple of minutes.

“It’s dumb. I just…” She sighed.

“Tell me.”

“I always wished I was one of those petite girls who looked cute swimming in a guy’s oversized sweater.”

Was she kidding? I glanced at her. “You look gorgeous.”

Her flush was visible even in the gray of the rainy evening, and she stared down, picking at the image on the front. “Did you graduate from UC Berkeley? I feel like I should know that.”

“I don’t know why you would.” Given how careful we were online to not share certain private details. “But no. I never graduated. They gave me an honorary doctorate a few years ago, though.”

“My fiancé the doctor.” Aubrey sounded amused. “Wait until Grandma finds out.”

I chuckled. “The only person I care about impressing is you.”

Nothing was far from anything here, and I pulled onto the street Aubrey indicated. “This isn’t where Clint grew up.” Though I’d followed most of what he was up to, some of the details had eluded me.

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