Page 48 of Hide Me Darling

Hydessa

As we step out of the gym, I can see the carnival rides being set up more clearly now. A small thrill of excitement goes through me at the sight. The prospect of going to a carnival makes me giddy in the same way a child would feel. I never got to go to carnivals as a kid.

Maddie and I walk towards the bakery together, the morning seems to brighten with the promise of coffee and conversation. The small shop is already bustling with locals grabbing their morning treats and caffeine fix. Just as we're about to step inside, something catches my attention—a figure emerging from the waves at the beach, carrying a surfboard under their arm.

I can’t see their details clearly from this distance, but their hair is slicked back and the wetsuit shows clearly defined muscles. It's still early, so seeing someone already out surfing indicates dedication.

Maddie pauses beside me and follows my gaze. When she sees who it is, she giggles softly. "Umm yeah, that's probably one board you don't want to ride," she remarks cryptically.

I turn to her, curiosity piqued. "What do you mean?" I ask, trying to decipher her meaning.

She grins mischievously. "Let's just say that board is well-ridden. Chester likes to keep it, um, available for rent at all times," she explains with a wink. “That saying ‘Save a horse, ride a cowboy’ does not translate to surfers and their boards… or at least not that one.”

I can’t stop the laughter from erupting from me. I haven’t really had friends in a long time, not since I lost my best friend when I was younger. I could see Maddie, and perhaps even Allegra, being among those I would call friends now though.

"Got it," I reply, shaking my head slightly. "I'll keep that in mind. So Nathan doesn’t ride a board?"

She exaggerates a look of shock, but the devious gleam in her eyes gives it away. “I have no idea what you mean,” she says before looping her arm through mine. “But if I did, I’d defend that he spends more time on the mats than the waves.”

She laughs at her own joke and the sound is loud and bubbly like her personality. There aren’t too many people wandering along the beachfront area yet given the time, but it does catch the attention of the few that are. One of those is Chester himself who is still making his way toward his studio.

Looking away from him I see that our laughter has also caught the attention of Jonah, who is pushing a cart with tubs of what I am assuming is the catch of the day towards the cafe. He’s paused to look back toward us for a moment but he doesn’t linger, continuing on with his delivery after a short nod in my direction, his muscles flexing under his shirt.

There needs to be fewer hot men on this island. Maybe I should just kill a couple off to reduce the options.

Turning back to Maddie, she grins at me knowingly. “So, who else should I be staying away from then?” I ask with a laugh.

“Oh my god, dishing on the men in this town is my specialty. Let's grab caffeine first, though,” she gushes as she pushes open the bakery door, leaving me no choice but to follow.

The scent of fresh coffee and baked goods is enticing but also reminds me that I need to go to the store for a fresh supply, as I can no longer trust what I have back at the house. Allegra grins and waves at the sight of us as we walk toward the counter.

“You two look like you could use a coffee, or a shower,” she says in greeting and Maddie giggles. “And maybe a little less rough sex.” She indicates to her neck while looking at mine and my fingers automatically reach up to touch the bruises there.

My heart speeds up at the memory of Abel’s hand wrapped around it while they fucked me, but I push that aside quickly. “Both of you are just assuming it was a good time… what if it was some asshole getting violent?” I ask with a smile so they know I’m only joking.

Allegra moves to grab a pen and paper, writing something down quickly and holds it out to me. It’s a phone number. “Then I would expect you to call me, so I can help you hide the body.”

I take the note from Allegra, glancing at the phone number and giving her a playful smile. "And where would we hide the body?" I joke, but there's a hint of seriousness in my voice. "Do you have experience with covering up murder?"

Suddenly, there's something dark lurking behind her eyes. "You'd be surprised," she replies with a grin, her tone making me wonder how much of it is just a joke.

Maddie laughs loudly, drawing a few glances from nearby patrons, but she doesn’t care. "Two large coffees, please," she says and Allegra moves to start preparing the order. "And throw in a couple of those chocolate croissants. We deserve a treat after that workout."

"So, Maddie, I heard there’s going to be a dunk tank at the carnival. Any chance you’ll be volunteering?" Allegra asks while she works.

Maddie grins and shakes her head. "No way. I've done it once, and that water is freezing. But I heard Sheriff Brooks might be in it, so that should be entertaining."

I chuckle at the mental image of the stern sheriff being dunked into icy water. "That sounds like fun. Maybe I'll have a go at it."

"You should," Allegra encourages. "It's all for a good cause. The money raised goes to local charities and community projects."

She finishes making our coffees and croissants, and we grab them with thanks. Maddie leads us to a cozy corner table by the window, where we can watch the town start to wake up.

"So, back to our conversation," Maddie says, tearing into her croissant. "Who else should you stay away from? Well, there's Chester, obviously. He's more trouble than he's worth. Then there's Bryce—he works at the bar and is a bit of a player. And maybe steer clear of Ryan, the lifeguard. He's nice, but he tends to get too attached too quickly."

I nod, mentally noting the names, two of them I haven’t even met yet but will now be at the top of the suspect list, once I get through the first twelve at least. Well, nine if I crossed off the woman. "Got it. Anyone else?"

Maddie thinks for a moment. "I think that covers the main ones. Oh, and Ty,” she says before leaning closer to me. “You know how his tattoo shop is close to the real estate office right? I was closing up late once and I saw him fucking one of his clients on the tattoo chair. I’d never wanted a tattoo so badly before that moment.”

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