Page 18 of Crossroads of Love

“You’re kidding, right?” He chuckles harshly. “So what? You just popped in to make sure the body was cold, look like you gave a shit, and then take off again? You’re going to leave this all on Lena to take care ofagain?”

“He’s not leaving Lena to take care of anything.” Alicia sighs in irritation as she walks up behind us. “He’s not the enemy you all make him out to be.”

“A meeting can be done over the phone, Mikey,” I say jokingly, thinking it’ll ease the tension.

“That’s not the point.”

We used to get along so well when we were younger.Why is he being such a jerk?

“Maybe if y’all were nicer, he’d stick around longer,” Alicia says rudely.

“Hey, Uncle Mike,” Jayla interjects happily as she walks over and gives him a quick hug. “Thanks for all you did.”

“Henry was like a dad to me,” he answers, his eyes flitting to me accusingly.

I fight the urge to roll my eyes.

Seems like I’m still the scapegoat after all these years.

It does hurt to think that Mike was more of a son to my dad than I have been over the past eighteen years.

“It’s great that Uncle G is here, right? He’s going to stay at Gramps’s house for the week and…”

“Good, I’m glad. I hope he does. I’ll see you at my office at ten tomorrow morning, Gav. That’s the only time Lena could make it.”

He walks off before I can reply.I turn right back to my niece.

“I can’t stay for a week, Jay.”

“You haven’t been home in almost twenty years, Uncle G. You can’t stick around and hang out with me for a bit? I have a really big basketball game coming up. It would be great if you came to watch.”

Man, she’s good.

My heart squeezes as she gives me a sad look. I inhale slowly, mentally checking off what work I can do here in Hicks Creek to buy me more time before I return to my home in the city. Which isn’t a lot.

I sigh before I nod. “I’ll see what I can do.”

She grins widely before she scurries off. I turn back around to Mack.

“I hope you mean that,” Alicia whispers.

“I have a job, Alicia. This place is set in the Dark Ages. I won’t be here long.”

“Then you should have told her that. Just because your dad wasn’t updated doesn’t mean it can’t be done,” she snaps before she scurries away.

“How’s the feed store?” I ask Mack.

“Same old, same old. Not much changes around here.”

I feel a tap on my shoulder.I turn around and lock eyes with Lena. My stomach flips.

She’s standing there in that little black dress, looking as composed as ever, but she has a fire behind her eyes. I swallowhard. My breath catches as she quickly grabs my wrist, her fingers digging into my skin just enough to get my attention.

Dang it, the physical touch causes electricity to rip through me.

“Excuse us,” she says to Mack, who chuckles knowingly before walking away.

She tugs me toward the side of the church, away from the crowd. I follow without protest, too stunned by the suddenness of it all to do anything else.

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