Page 31 of The Art Of Starting Over

No, Devy didn’t know and was curious. What did that statement even mean when people said it?

“I’m looking for Crow, is he—”

Crow burst through the door with Cordelia hot on his heels and his duty belt slung over his shoulder, making Dev wonder if it even fit around his waist.

“Let’s go, Miller. Stay, Cordelia. Don’t wait up, Devorah.”

As if she would. The sentiment was still nice and appreciated.

Cordelia barked but sat on the porch as she was instructed.

Miller gave Dev one last look and then got behind the wheel of the patrol car. She shook her head as it pulled away and headed in the direction the wild kids had gone. Devy sighed and brought her knees to her chest.

“How come you always sit out front?” Hayden asked her as he leaned back against the stair. Cordelia took advantage of there being someone new to lick and showed Hayden some attention.

It was funny to Devy how Hayden remembered the littlest things about her. She was never a fan of the backyard because of the houses facing the yard. Everyone could see her. Never mind ever getting to lie out in the sun. She had no privacy back there. Even less than the front. At least out front she could hide behind the hydrangeas.

“Back then or now?” She glanced at him. He watched her and smiled when their gazes met.

“Either. Both.”

Devy shrugged. “This is where the action is, and the deck out back needs replacing. Crow doesn’t even let us step on it.”

“Why doesn’t Colt fix it?”

Dev shrugged. “Don’t know.” She looked down the street in the direction of her brother’s establishment. It was late, and most of the businesses had closed. The Lazy Lamb was still open and would be until last call. Then, she imagined, Colt would come home, crawl into bed, and start all over again in the morning.

Cordelia whined to go back inside. Before Devy could get up to open the door for her, Hayden got up and let the dog in.

When Hayden sat back down, Dev noticed he sat closer to her. Normally, she’d shy away or put distance between herself and another man because she wouldn’t want to upset Chad. This time, she didn’t move.

“I’m assuming she’s Crow’s?”

“Colt’s, actually, but she’s pretty obsessed with Maren. She’s been sleeping in her bed since we got here.”

“Dogs can help with grief.”

“Yeah. I like her. She sits with me during the day, when no one is home and I’m alone with my thoughts. She definitely helps.”

“Maybe I should look into getting Conor a dog.”

Devy nodded and leaned her head on her hands. “Can I ask about your wife?”

“It’s not what you’re probably thinking.” Hayden sighed. “Sofia was out one night with her cousin and friends for a bachelorette party. We lived about an hour from town, and I told her to call me when she was ready to come home. I didn’t want her to worry about getting home, and it’s not like we had Uber or anything. I wanted her to go out and have a good time with her friends. To let loose and enjoy the night.” Hayden paused.

“It was midnight when I started calling her. I think I must’ve called every five or ten minutes. Each call went to voicemail. The first couple of calls, I left her messages. Things like, ‘Hey, hon, I hope you’re having fun. Let me know when I should start heading your way.’ And then the frantic ones started. I was worried about her. After an hour, I hopped in my truck. About twenty miles from the ranch, I saw the flares, and then I was at the scene of this one-car accident, and I just knew. Like, deep down, I knew it was her, and my life was going to be changed forever the moment I got out of the truck.

“The car she was in had flipped and landed on the passenger side. She was gone by the time the medics arrived. The kick in the nuts is,Sofia was sober. Her cousin, the one driving, was well past the legal limit and walked away without a scratch.”

“Did she go to jail?”

Hayden shook his head. “I’m not sure there will even be a trial. If there is, I won’t be there. It’s one of the reasons we moved. Her family, they’re distraught and they don’t want their niece to go to jail for an accident. Whereas I want her to rot there for stealing away my son’s mother. We don’t see eye to eye, and that put a strain on our relationship. So, I quit my job, moved out of the house my father-in-law had built for us, and came home.”

“I’m sorry, Hayden.”

“Yeah, me too,” he said again. “It’s hardest on Conor. The decision to take him away from his grandparents, the life he had there. I just hope he makes friends here and can thrive.”

“Maren lost her best friend in this mess.”

---