Page 111 of That One Heartbreak

“I haven’t messaged him,” Kate told her. “And I’m not planning to. He’s the one who walked away. I have some damn pride.” And of course she went and spoiled it by letting her voice waver like she was on the edge of tears.

“And to think I actually told him I loved him when we were at the cabin.”

“You what?” Shana asked. “What did he say?”

“It doesn’t matter. Because it doesn’t mean anything. He picked a fight with me, did exactly what I asked him not to, then he walked away from me. I’m not going to go running after him.”

“Of course you’re not.” Shana reached for Kate’s hand, squeezing it tightly. “You’re worth so much more than that.”

Yes, she was. Even if it hurt like nothing else had in a long, long time. She took a deep breath, checking the clock. Two more minutes then she’d have to be ready to face the public. It was baby and toddler reading hour first – something she’d created after having to juggle three kids during the summer herself, knowing how desperate she would be for something to entertain them.

She’d tell the stories to them as they played on the cushions, along with the puppets the fire station had donated after their last fundraiser.

That Marley had donated. Ugh, there was no getting away from the man.

At ten they had two law enforcement officers coming in to demonstrate how they protected Hartson’s Creek. This was aimed at six-to-ten-year-olds. Ethan was already excited about that one.

Then at eleven they had research hour for the high schoolers. The ones who were trying to get ahead for the upcoming school year. One of the teachers from the high school would come in and along with Kate they’d help the kids with their searches on both the internet and in the non-fiction section to find the answers they were looking for.

And of course this afternoon they had the Stitch and Snitch Club. She was already dreading it. Even if they didn’t know the latest update on her non-relationship with Marley, they’d still know that they gone away together for the night. And that she and her parents had joined his family for lunch the other Sunday.

Nothing got past the gossips of Hartson’s Creek.

“Can you come over tonight?” Kate asked Shana. “If I promise absolutely no smores but lots of wine?”

She didn’t want to be alone tonight. She needed her friend.

“Of course I can.” Shana hugged her. “You say wine, I say when. You know this.”

Flashing her a smile that didn’t quite make it up to her eyes, Kate walked over to unlock the sliding glass doors at the front of the library. There were already a few moms waiting out there. Beyond the library was the town park, along with swings and slides, and a few more families that were making the most of the cooler morning before the temperature got too hot to be outside.

Because when the West Virginia sun shone, it shone humid. Unless it involved being in a swimming pool, everything that needed to be done outside was done in the early mornings or late evenings throughout the summer.

“Thank God,” one of the moms said as the doors swooshed open. She was holding a baby, with a toddler by her side, whose face was red from screaming.

Kate smiled and took the little one’s hand. “What’s up, sweetie?”

“I’m hot.” The girl’s words were stuttered with sobs. “And I want ice cream.”

“It is warm,” Kate agreed. “But if you come inside you’ll cool down. We don’t have ice cream, but we do have stories. And if you take a seat over there, you can help me choose the first one.” She pointed over at Addy, who at six probably seemed grown up to this three-year-old. “You see that girl over there?”

“Yes.” The little one sniffed.

“That’s my daughter. Addy. She’ll find you somewhere cool to sit.”

Mollified, the little girl ambled over to Addy, who looked pleased as punch to be given a task to do. Kate turned to look atthe mom. “Why don’t you and your baby go to the recliners?” she suggested, pointing at the chairs on the far side of the children’s library. “I’ve set headphones at each chair. You can choose an audio book to listen to or just zone out, up to you.”

“You have headphones?” the mom asked, her eyes wide with interest.

“Noise blocking ones.” Kate winked. “I’ll come get you when the reading hour is over.”

More parents and caregivers started to pour into the library. Over the past few years she really tried to make it a hub of the community during the summer. Not everybody had pools or access to one, and being stuck in the house for two months was nobody’s idea of fun.

“Okay,” she said, forcing a smile onto her face as she walked over to where all the parents and little ones had gathered. Addy was with the little girl she sent over. Her daughter looked proud as punch to be a quasi-big sister for once.

Maybe she should encourage that more. As the youngest of the family, Addy always got babied. But she looked like she was glowing right now.

She’d think more about that later. The same way she’d sort out her life later. And then she wanted to laugh because nothing was sortable.

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