Page 210 of Forbidden Heroes

I grab my phone, pull up contacts, and hope like hell I’m not too late.

Bela

“Are you going to hide out in there forever?”

I turn the door handle to the bathroom at the sound of Poppy’s voice. I called her five minutes after making my mind up about my next move this morning, painful as it is.

Miles never came home last night. And if that isn’t a dead ringer of how he feels, I don’t know what is anymore.

I push open the bathroom door, not even trying to hide the tears streaming down my face. “I’m not leaving forever, sweetie. Cherry Falls is where I want my new life. But I need to take a breather. I’ll use the few days the workers need to finish up the repairs and then I’ll be back. Mom wants me to visit anyway.”

“How am I going to live without my best friend for four days?”

I give a soft laugh, but my heart isn’t in it. “You’ll be fine! We’ll do a Wine Wednesday as soon as I get back.”

I head upstairs and Poppy is right behind me, unpacking everything I put into my small duffle bag.

I grab her hands. “Will you stop? I need clean panties and bras.”

“Not if you don’t leave. Look, ask your mom to come here. I’m sure she would loooove to help you pick out new curtains that actually match.”

I head to the bathroom for my toothbrush to come back only to find my duffle being shoved into the closet.

Poppy turns a triumphant smile on her face. “Do you love him?”

I fall onto the bed. “I swear it’s like a million zaps of electricity dances over my skin when he enters a room, Poppy. I see him and I can’t help but smile. He does this thing with his face that makes him look all tough but deep down he’s a teddy bear.”

“Don’t let him hear you say that.”

I huff out a deep sigh and sink to the floor, my knees to my chest. Poppy joins me. Together we stare at the patchwork to the flooring. “I do. I do love the man and it scares me.”

Sirens blast through the cocoon of silence and we both pop up, running to the window.

“Ms. Andrews, we know you are in there. This is the Cherry Falls Police.”

“Is this a good time to ask when was the last time you saw the fire chief? You didn’t brain him with a frying pan or anything, did you?”

I dash for the stairs and swing the front door open. “Officers?” Three police cars face the bakery and a small crowd starts to gather around.

“Bela Andrews?” Sheriff Graham Larson drops his loudspeaker into the seat of his cruiser. Everyone in town loves the guy with a deep love for my doughnuts and a good joke.

“Sheriff Larson, what’s this about?”

“Bela, I hear you and the fire chief are having a couple of issues.”

I prop my hands on my hips and eye the man across from me. He’s leaning on his cruiser, aviator glasses on with a smirk tucking the corners of his lips in place.

“And?” What is it with small towns and getting into everyone’s business?

“I’m just helping a friend out. Mind stepping this way, ma’am?” I take a hold of my arm and I follow the sheriff, curious as to where this is going. He’s only a few years older than me so for him to call me ma’am makes me want to laugh. I follow him around the corner and nearly trip over my own two feet. What the heck?

I turn back to Poppy, my mouth hinged so far open I’m pretty sure everyone can see the back of my throat. “Poppy,” I hiss. “Oh my God. What’s going on?” She waves a hand at me, shooing me on. “Go. Go.” The grin on her face tells me she knows more than she’s letting on about.

I spin back around to see the entire town standing behind Miles taking up all of Cherry Popper Way. Traffic has come to a huge standstill and unlike in Syn City, there’s no horn blaring and cursing. Not here. Nope, Cherry Falls folks are a different breed of people.

This town sees someone in need and they are all there to help. The proof is literally staring me in the face. Everyone I’ve ever meet and so many new faces are smiling back at me with so many varying degrees of hope I’m kind of intimidated. Like what are they expecting of me?

“Miles, umm...what’s going on?” I turn back to look at the sheriff but he’s no help. He and Poppy have their cell phones out like there’s something about to happen.

---