Page 92 of Pin-up Girl

“Dee. We could make you actual dance clothes out of that.” Aubrey sounded excited.

In a blink, Dee’s expression fell flat. “No thanks.”

“Are you sure?” Aubrey asked. “I know you have a lot of awesome ideas. You can help me design something and we can create it.”

Dee’s blank expression slid into a scowl. “I don’t want your stupid ideas or your stupid clothes. I don’t want you to pretend to be my friends so you and Brodie can get married and move away and leave me behind. I don’t want any of it. I want you to leave me alone.” She finished with a screeching shout, and ran out the front door.

Fuck. I chased after her. As I reached the front porch, she ducked around one side of the house, where a thick row of hedges separated us from the neighbors. I tried to follow, but she was smaller and faster, and stuck to the foliage. Within seconds, I lost sight of her, and there were at least four different directions she could have run in.

Did I let her go or grab the others to split up and chase?

And what was I supposed to do once one of us found her?

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brodie

“I’m sorry if I pushed.” It was driving me nuts watching Clint pace, and not being able to help. It was worse knowing it was because Dee just ran away.

Clint raked his fingers through his hair and let out a long sigh. “No. I would have done the same.”

“Do you want me to start calling people?” Aubrey asked. “Get everyone looking for her? Or do you want to just put out a whisper to keep an eye out for her?”

Clint had his phone out. “I’m going to start with her friends’ parents, but yeah, it wouldn’t hurt to have other people keeping an eye out too.”

“Do you want me to go out and look while the two of you make calls?” I liked Dee. She was a smart kid. This was one of those towns where everyone knew everyone, but Dee was still a ten-year-old who was frustrated and hiding. And I knew what it felt like to believe no one understood. “Would she go far?”

“I don’t know.” Clint’s expression changed, and he diverted his attention to the phone by his ear, asking the person who had picked up on the other end if Dee was there, and then to call him if she showed up. “When I got divorced she ran away and I found her in her playhouse in the back yard.”

“I'll circle the house a few times, just to make sure.” I did that, checked back with Clint, and then went out for a wider circuit around the block.

When I returned again, Aubrey and Clint were focused on her phone.

“There’s a mini-you here.” Evie’s voice came from the speaker.

“My sister? At the hardware store?” Aubrey looked confused.

Evie huffed. “Why did you call me? No. Dee. At the motel in the main lobby.”

What?

“She came to hang out with Kurt,” Evie said. “Said something about Dad doesn’t know you’re my friend and I don’t want to talk about horses and stupid ballet.”

If I was relieved, Clint had to be overjoyed. “I’ll be?—”

“No.” Evie cut him off. “She said if I called you and told you where she was, she’d never speak to me again.”

“So the first thing you did was call him?” Aubrey asked.

“No. I called Aubrey. How was I supposed to know you’d be with the same people you’ve spent every free moment for the last few weeks with?” Evie teased. “Besides, I’m more worried about her safety and Clint’s sanity than anything else.”

When I was younger, the sense of community here was potent, and always made me feel like I was on the outside. I hadn’t been the only one. Evie had told me more than once that she felt the same way, and I knew Aubrey and Deacon had too.

It seemed while I was gone, they made their own community, and I couldn’t help but like being a part of that.

“You’re the best,” Aubrey said.

“I know,” Evie replied.

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