Page 10 of Out to Get Her
Samantha was running for Chief of Police, and the Chief of Police couldn’t run around kissing citizens during unannounced house calls.
But Erin wasn’t technically a citizen of Etta…
Samantha held up the paper bag in her hand. “I just wanted to bring you this.”
Erin took the bag hesitantly. Her eyes lit up as she peered inside, and a smile played at the corners of her tiny mouth. But suspicion lingered in her voice. “You brought me a sandwich?”
“Consider it your Welcome Back to Etta basket.” Samantha lifted onto her toes, then rocked back on her heels. “I felt bad that you couldn’t get one earlier, and I know that with all you have to do, things can’t be easy. Plus, I figured you probably didn’t have anything in the fridge here.”
Erin poked inside the bag. “It’s… a BLT.” Her voice cracked the tiniest bit at the edges of those letters. “Thanks. Where did you find one? Zach said nothing was open around here.”
“Tiny lunch place by the station. The owner was still inside, and he owed me a favor.Stillowes me a favor, but we agreed on this as a favor down payment.” She tried not to sound too pleased with herself.
“I appreciate it.” Erin nodded inside. “Do you want to come in? You were right about not much being here, but I think I saw a few root beers in the fridge.”
YES.
“I probably shouldn’t.”
“Sure you should.” Erin opened the door wider. “Come in for a minute. I insist.”
Against her better judgment, Samantha stepped inside. Her brain was running in twenty different directions, reminding her of all the reasons she shouldn’t be in here and all the reasons she really wanted to be in that house with Erin right now.
But her mind quieted once she was fully inside. It was like stepping through the wardrobe into Narnia.
Michael Sonnier had collected all kinds of vintage memorabilia. And not just cheesy Burger King glassware or plastic Coca-Cola polar bears. Everything in this home was the real deal, purchased at rural estate sales and, later, on eBay.
This was why she’d agreed to linger for a minute. Her curiosity couldn’t resist the pull of this place. She’d been inside only once before, to take his statement after he’d witnessed an accident on the road in front of his house, and everything was exactly as she remembered.
Sure. This was why she’d taken Erin’s invitation to come inside.
“Yeah, it’s a lot,” Erin said.
“It’s great. Very him.” Everything was meticulously placed and in mint condition. She wouldn’t be surprised if he also kept a detailed ledger of every single item in his collection. She spotted the cage hanging from the ceiling near the edge of the living room. “I see Marty’s still here.”
“You should have heard him when I got here. The damn thing must have worn himself out.”
Samantha followed Erin into the kitchen, but declined when offered a can of root beer.
“You sure?”
Samantha nodded. “I really should head back out soon. I just—”
Her phone chimed in its holder at her waist. When she pulled it out and looked at the screen, she regretted not putting the phone on silent and ignoring it. Even though it wasn’t exactly a thing she could do with her job.
“Problem?” Erin asked.
Dinner Sunday. Here. 6pm.
It was more of a summons than an invitation. But coming from her mother, that was fitting.
“Just a family thing.”
“Sooooo definitely a problem.”
Samantha looked up from her phone to see that playful smile she remembered Teen Erin walking around with so often. It was a rock candy smile. All pretty and sweet, but sharp and could secretly cut the roof of your mouth.
Erin knew exactly how to flash that smile to get what she wanted. Samantha knew this. Even so, here she was.
