Page 78 of Tough Nut to Crack

I head out of the room and down to the guest bathroom. Staying wrapped in her blankets all night was creepy, but doing that and showering in her bathroom using her bodywash would be crossing a line.

My shower is quick because since she's not here, I don't really want to be here either.

Although I've thought long and hard about it, I can't seem to pinpoint a moment when things shifted enough that she didn't come home last night in an effort to avoid me. I hate the idea that she won't come home because I'm here.

I shower and dress, avoid the kitchen altogether, and leave the house.

The drive to Main Street is quick. I make my way to the bakery, noticing that her car isn't outside of the bookstore, but that's notsurprising, considering it doesn't open for another hour and a half. As busy as my day should be, I'll sit right in the middle of town and wait for her to drive by if I have to.

The scent of sugar hits me in the face when I open the door to the bakery. My stomach grumbles, reminding me that I haven't bothered to eat anything since the casserole Riley brought to my house yesterday morning.

"Hey," Adalynn says. "Picking up for yourself or the whole crew?"

"The crew," I tell her with a quick smile. "Have you seen Riley?"

She tilts her head to the side, but I see the smile she's trying to hide.

"Does she know you're looking for her?"

It's my turn to tilt my head. "What has she told you?"

"Any preference for flavors?" she asks, avoiding my question, but it makes it very clear that at some point Riley has mentioned me to her.

"Just a mix is fine," I tell her, quickly realizing it's some sort of girl code or something, and she isn't going to tell me a damn thing that might break her confidence with Riley.

I'd commend her for her loyalty, but right now, it just gets on my nerves.

"If you see her, will you tell her I asked about her?" I say as I pull my wallet out of my back pocket.

"Will do."

"Keep the change," I say as I hand over a twenty-dollar bill, hoping it'll help persuade her to reach out to my girl and tell her I need to speak with her.

The donuts are forgotten the second I sit them on the passenger seat. There's only one thing I'm worried about today.

The tension in my body eases when I take a side street off Main and another right. Riley's car is parked in Sage's driveway.

Instead of climbing out of my truck and banging on the door, insisting that she speak with me, I pull out my phone and call Ronnie.

"How did you know I was about to call you?" the man asks instead of saying hello when the call connects.

"What's wrong?"

We aren't the type of friends to call each other on the drive to work. We spend nearly ten hours a day with each other, and whatever we need to say can be done during that time.

"We had some shit go down last night," he mutters. "We're just running a little late. No big deal."

"Need the day off?"

It's a consolation offer because I don't know that I'm going to get much work done today myself.

"Naw. We'll just be like half an hour late."

"I'd say go ahead and head over to the Drocer house then. We got the things we needed to wrap that job up."

"Umm."

"Ronnie," I chastise, knowing from his tone that whatever happened last night probably has to do with the daughter that has moved in there.

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