Page 131 of Shortcake
Tom. And the other construction workers. It had to be that they saw Meghan arrive this morning.
“Jesus,” I muttered and dragged a hand down my weary face. “So… just everyone in town knows my business?”
Terry bent over and stuck a celery stick through the bars of the cage. The raccoon grabbed it and shoved the whole thing in his mouth as she said, “Well, we know some of it, but not everything. Just that some pregnant city-looking woman showed up at your door with a suitcase. Then yelling ensued. And since we know you’re dating Addy, we thought maybe all that came to a head.”
If I hadn’t been clenching my damn jaw, it would have unhinged and smacked the concrete. “How do you knowthat?” I swung my accusatory gaze back to Warren who shook his head.
“Don’t look at me. I didn’t say a word.”
Terry fought a smile, but simply gave a little shrug. “Sherriff. You two were the worst kept secret in town.”
I groaned. “You say this is both the best and worst thing about living in a small town, but I’m failing to see what’sgoodabout everybody knowing my business.”
Warren angled his chin at my squad car and gave his head a little jerk. “What’s good about it? Is that you have friends and a team to support you. Go take care of stuff at home. We’ve got the shift for this evening covered. And if you need to take tomorrow off too? Just say the word.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously,” Terry stated.
“We may not be as exciting as a big city. But folks here have got your back. And we trust that you’ll have ours when that time comes.”
I was touched in a way that I don’t think I had been in a while. Other than my mom and Jim, there hadn’t been anyone in my life I could quite rely on like this. There was no one I could call to really step up and help me.
And in about eight weeks, I’d developed more friendships in this town than I had in almost forty years in New York.
I got into my squad car and even though things at home were a little bleak right now, for the first time in years, I felt a spark of hope. Of optimism.
Until I picked up my phone and found eight panicked messages and a string of text messages from Addy.
ChapterTwenty-Six
Addy
I stayed downstairs in the kitchen all day, hoping to see a glimpse of Harper, but she didn’t come out. Not once. Not even to pee.
Worried, I buttered two pieces of bread and toasted the most delicious grilled cheese with all her favorite kinds of cheeses—Muenster, Havarti, and Cheddar—being sure to avoid Swiss, her least favorite. And I heated up a can of tomato soup.
It was only five p.m., but she hadn’t eaten all day, so she must be starving. Putting the dinner on a tray, I carried it upstairs and set it on the floor outside of her bedroom door.
With a gentle knock, I spoke through the door. “Harper? I brought you some dinner.”
Nothing.
“It’s your favorite. Grilled cheese, no Swiss. And tomato soup?”
Still silent.
Sighing, I dropped my forehead to the door. “I know I can’t make things right when it comes to the stuff with you and your mom, but I want to try make it right between you and me. You’re more important than anything, okay? I’m not looking to take your dad from you.”
Crickets. I had to admit, I was a little surprised that that got nothing from her. I thought I’d at least get a frustrated:Go away.
I smiled to myself and fiddled with the doorknob. “It’s funny. When I was your age, I locked myself into my room all the time. Remember when I told you I figured out how to scale down the trellis of my house to sneak out…”
My heart rate sped up.
No.
No, she wouldn’t have.
