Page 97 of Hidden Truths

“Why does everyone keep waving at us?” Kai asks.

“It’s a small town. We grew up in a small town. It’s exactly the same,” Belle points out, rolling her eyes at his back.

“This is a fake small town,” Kai defends. I just snort.

“I think it would be the perfect backdrop for a Christmas movie,” I say.

“See!” Cal says. “Fake town.”

“Beautiful morning for a walk,” an older man with stark white hair says as he passes us, waving.

Kai turns and starts gesturing wildly at the old man’s back. “See!” he whisper-shouts.

“We’re here. Behave or stay outside,” I tell the guys, making direct eye contact with both of them.

Kai grabs Belle by the hand, and Cal pulls me into him by the waist. “You two stay with us or you haven’t seen how dramatic I can be,” Cal says.

“I was there the day you lost in fantasy football and had to get your legs waxed,” Belle says. Kai barks out a laugh, clearly having seen the same event.

Cal glares at the back of her head as she walks into the store.

“Did you get it on video?” I ask as we follow them in.

“Of course. I’ll show it to you later,” Belle says, smiling over her shoulder.

Cal grumbles something about traitorous siblings when we’re greeted by a cheerful voice. “Welcome to Green Peak General Store, home of the famous Peaky Buns!”

The man who offered the warm greeting is sitting behind a wooden desk with a golden old fashioned cash register. There are jars of jams and jellies lining the counters and a basket of individually wrapped cookies.

“Your store is adorable,” Belle says.

“Thank you so much! It’s been in my family for over a hundred years!” This must be Joseph Pitts III. He’s tall and skinny, with brown eyes and gray hair that’s parted to the side and slicked back. He’s wearing a shirt with the general store’s name in front of a mountain. There are variations of the shirt in different colors hanging from racks in the store.

“What’s a Peaky Bun?” Cal asks, walking around Belle and Kai, where they’re looking through brochures of different activities in the area and pulling me with him.

“Oh! Let me get you one! The only way to explain is to experience!” Joseph practically runs to the back of the store, where there’s a small amount of grocery options and what looks like a bakery display case with a too-small cafe. He’s back a moment later, holding two bread buns and a small container of a brownish butter. At least I think it’s butter.

Cal and I each grab one and slather the sweet-smelling butter on them. They’re warm, and I groan when I bite into it.

“It’s a simple milk bun, but the secret is the maple butter. The maple syrup we use to make it is made right here in town,” Joseph says, clasping his hands together and smiling gleefully.

“Can I try one?” Kai asks. Joseph’s smile gets even wider until he turns to look at Kai. Then his smile drops and his face pales. “Are you alright?” Kai asks, alarmed.

“You’re back!” Joseph says, composing himself.

My eyes bounce between Joseph and Kai before meeting Belle’s eyes and seeing they’re just as wide as mine. Cal tightens his grip on my waist, the only indication he’s made the same connection. It’s the same assumption Jo and I had from reading his email. This man thinks Kai and whoever worked here are the same person. We just weren’t sure if he would when he saw Kai up close.

“I . . . Uh,” Kai stutters.

“Don’t tell me you don’t remember me, Ethan. I’m Joseph. It’s been a few years, but I’d like to think you liked working for me,” Joseph says, chuckling.

“Ethan Paul?”

We all turn at the new voice. A teenage girl with straight black hair down to her waist and the same shade of brown eyes as Joseph just walked through the doors to a backroom. She’swearing one of the store shirts and a green apron around her waist.

“You probably don’t remember my granddaughter, Fiona. She was only twelve when you left,” Joseph says, pulling Fiona over to him from where she was frozen by the door.

“How old are you now?” I ask. Kai is just staring at them with an unreadable expression on his face.

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