Page 35 of Sweet Somethings

"No problem. Time to go," Roman told her, as he moved toward the front door.

"Uh, all right," she said. "Enjoy the cookies."

She followed Roman outside and they didn't speak until they got into the truck.

"So what was that about?"

He put his key into the ignition and started the engine. "The past."

She frowned. "Martha told me that you were accused of setting fire to someone's house or something along those lines. Is that what Travis was referring to?"

"Yes. Travis, Doug and I were in a park one night after high school graduation. A house next to that park caught fire sometime after midnight. We were the prime suspects. I didn't start the fire. I had left the park before them. But they both pointed their fingers at me. They lied to protect themselves." He paused, shaking his head. "I knew I recognized Donna and that house; I just didn't put it together. Travis's last name is Hastings. I guess Donna used her maiden name because she was an actress."

Finally, he was being forthcoming. She had a lot of questions about the fire; she just didn't know where to start. "Putting your past with Travis aside for the moment, didn't you think he looked…beat-up, exhausted?"

"He didn't look good," Roman said tersely, as he pulled away from the front of the house and drove down the street.

"Cameron obviously loves him, but I still wonder what's going on with that family. When I was looking around the house, I saw stacks of unpaid bills with final notice on them. Maybe the pretty house is just an illusion for what's really going on."

"Donna told us that Travis's wife isn't around, so something happened there. But beyond that, who knows?"

She shifted in her seat. "When she first said her son was coming back, I was relieved. I thought now Donna has the help she needs, because she clearly isn't up to taking care of Cameron on her own. But Travis didn't look like he had a handle on things, either."

"You need to let this go, Juliette. Cameron has a father and a grandmother and probably other family or friends in this town for support. You need to stop trying to fix his life."

"I'm just trying to help."

"I'm getting the feeling your desire to fix Cameron's life is more about the fact that you couldn't fix your own problems when you were a kid."

"That's not true."

He shrugged. "I think it could be."

She thought about it for a moment and decided he was wrong. "I feel for Cameron because he reminds me of when I was a sad, scared kid, and I think he reminds you of your past, too. That’s why you came with me."

"Yes, but I can accept when it's time to let go and move on."

"I can accept that, too. I'm not crazy."

His hard profile eased at her comment and he gave her a small, dry smile as he stopped at a light. "All evidence to the contrary."

"Okay, getting back to you."

He groaned. "Let's not."

"I just want to say one thing."

"I seriously doubt you'll stop there."

"Let's find out," she said. "I noticed something interesting about your former friends. When Doug saw you at Donavan's, and when Travis saw you just now, they weren't just wary or angry, they were afraid. Why? Do they think you'll somehow get back at them now for pointing their fingers at you? Do you have something on them? Could you get them into trouble?"

"Just because you don't take a breath in between questions doesn't make it one long question," he pointed out.

"And you're stalling."

"Aren't you going to give me directions to the hamburger place?"

"Stay on this road for the next two miles and then I'll tell you where to go. In the meantime…"

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