Page 21 of Crossroads of Love

“You think Jayla will want to stay with you? You’re a fucking joke.” He laughed. “She’ll live with me, I’ll make sure of it. Just because you’re the mayor doesn’t mean shit. The judges in this town love me, and they’ll side with me.”

“Not when they learn about your cheating.”

“They’ll never believe the lies. Our own daughter saw it, and I was able to convince her it wasn’t the truth.” He rolled his eyes. “I have a work thing for the next few days. A stakeout so I won’t be home. When I get back, you’ll be over this bullshit. You know I’m not cheating on you. You just love to play the victim and get attention, so you make shit up.”

He walked out of the house that day, and I went into work as if I hadn’t been crying my eyes out all morning. I still took Jayla to school, picked her up, and did everything like I was supposed to. The entire town thought our marriage was a fairy tale.

Two days later, I dropped Jayla off at school, called Tatum, and told her I’d be working from home. I drove three towns over and got new locks for all the doors and changed them myself. I packed up a suitcase of Aaron’s things and drove over to Henry’s house.

Henry didn’t seem surprised.

“He’s cheating on me again.” I sobbed. “I can’t pretend anymore.”

“Lena, I know I have no right to ask you this, but…please don’t leave him. I know he doesn’t deserve it, but I don’t think he’ll survive if you divorce him. This town won’t survive it either. I can’t lose another son. Let me talk to him.”

“It won’t do any good. You’ve tried. I’ve tried. He just…no matter how much I want to believe that he’s a good man, it’s clear that he’s not. I can’t force him. I can’t save him anymore, Henry. I can’t, and I won’t.”

“Lena,” he sighed as he wrapped me into one of his warm hugs. “Please.”

Both of our phones began ringing at the same time with the Hicks Creek Sheriff Department. My eyes flit to Henry’s as my stomach dropped. I’d never forget the dread and the guilt that filled me because I knew what the phone call signified…I thought it was that he had been hurt. I never dreamed he’d been killed in the line of duty.

“Mom, you okay?” Jayla asks as she reaches over and touches my hand gently, pulling me back from the memory.

“Yeah, yeah, sorry,” I breathe as I shoot her a fake smile.

“It’s okay if you’re not okay, Mom. Isn’t that what Grandpa used to say?”

“It is,” I answer sadly as I squeeze her hand. “I’m not okay, baby, because I miss that old fart something fierce, but this is going to be a night to celebrate him and not to be sad.”

Henry’s last wish had been for a celebration at the farm—a send-off of sorts for everyone who’d meant something to him. And Henry, being Henry, had a knack for bringing people together. It was his way of making sure we wouldn’t all scatter once he was gone.

The man loved a proper party. A moonlit night with a bonfire, food, and friends.

“I think it’s gonna be really nice tonight.”

I smile, grateful for her optimism. Tatum, Jayla, and I had spent the past few days planning this party, determined to make it something Henry would’ve been proud of. The church ladies went ahead earlier to set everything up, laying out food, stringing lights, and preparing the bonfire pit. It will be a night to remember.

As we turn down the long gravel driveway, the farmhouse comes into view, and when I pull in behind Henry’s truck, I see a sleek Maserati parked right in front of the porch.

“What the…?” I murmur, squinting to make sure I’m not imagining things.

Jayla lets out a small gasp.“That’s Uncle Gavin’s car! I almost thought he left, Mom, but he didn’t! He stayed for me like he said he would!”

My heart sinks a little at the idea of her holding so much expectation on Gavin’s actions.

Of course, it’s Gavin’s car. Who else in Hicks Creek would drive a Maserati?

I glance over at Jayla as she grins ear to ear. She hasn’t seen her only uncle in years, and I know how much she misses him, how she idolizes him. But I also know Gavin. He never sticks around for long, no matter how many promises he makes.

“Don’t get your hopes up,” I warn gently, my voice a little softer than usual. “You know how he is. He might be here tonight, but I wouldn’t count on him to stick around.”

Her smile falters briefly, but then it returns, just as bright. “No, Mom, this time’s different. He promised he’d stay for my basketball game on Friday. He told me himself.”

We’ll see.

We step out of the car, the smell of freshly cut grass and barbecue already filling the air. The familiar sounds of laughter and conversation drift from the barn where people gather, but my focus is on the house.Jayla runs ahead of me.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath. Seeing Gavin at the church today was harder than I expected.

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