Page 14 of Forbidden Secrets
They made the bus, but only by hoofing it down Bluebell Lane.Olivia grabbed Addy’s hand and they clambered up the steps together.Melanie watched the bus pull away, taking her baby with it.
Maybe she should’ve waited until summer to move so Addy would start with the new school year, but that would’ve been months from now and they might not have found a house that suited at that time.She burrowed her hands into the pockets of the denim jacket she’d thrown on over her sweatshirt.
Did all parents worry this much about their child fitting in at school?
She retraced her steps along the dirt road.Maybe she should contact Mrs.Delgado herself and let her know this boy was bothering Addy.She was trying to raise a resilient, independent child, and part of that was giving Addy support while encouraging her to solve problems on her own.But if that kid put his hands on her daughter again, for damn sure she’d be talking to the teacher and the principal.
She walked back along Bluebell Lane, a light breeze stirring the pine-scented air.Melanie wasn’t sure what made her look.Maybe it was the prick of unease.The feeling of being watched.
She and Addy had passed a truck parked on the other side of the road on their way to the bus stop.Now she realized a man was sitting in the driver’s seat.He held a phone in front of him and the way it was angled made her think he was taking pictures or video.Of her.
She marched across the road.The guy saw her coming and fumbled his phone.She rapped sharply on the passenger side window.
“Hey.”She raised her voice to be heard through the glass.“Are you taking pictures of me?”Were there laws against taking pictures of people without their permission?She didn’t think so.
The guy turned his face away and the engine roared to life.She barely had time to jump back before the truck sped away.
She stared after the truck as it turned onto the road that led to town and disappeared.
Well, that was past strange.She filed away details: dark-haired white guy driving an older metallic gray Tundra with temporary paper plates.There was a dent in the tailgate like the driver had backed into something.
Her mind sifted through possible explanations for the guy’s behavior.She could probably chalk it up to weirdos being weird, but she’d keep an eye out.Experience had taught her to be wary.
A happy bark had her looking toward Gage’s house.Pancake stood at the top of the driveway, her gaze riveted on the tall man beside her holding a ball.Gage hurled the ball in a long arc worthy of a center fielder, sending it sailing into the open space behind his garage and out of Melanie’s view.Pancake streaked after it in a golden blur.
Gage spotted Melanie.He shoved his hands in his pockets, clearly hesitating before strolling down the slope of his driveway.
He did the guy chin-lift thing, which she guessed was kind of a greeting.
He looked vital and fit in his athletic pants and slim-fit shirt with a beanie covering his longish hair.Worn running shoes and the ruddy color in cheeks bristly with dark stubble made her think he’d just returned from a run.
She didn’t want to speculate on how she looked in her not-for-public-view clothing.She hadn’t had time to do anything with her bedhead, which meant her hair was likely sticking up in all directions.
With an internaloh well, she decided to ignore the hotness imbalance.“Hi.”
“Get your toilet fixed?”
“Yeah.You gave good advice.I only needed the flapper, no tools were necessary, and my toilet is no longer running.”
He gave what might have been a miniscule nod of acknowledgment.
His lack of communication wasn’t exactly encouraging, but joining her on the road had to mean something, right?It was enough for her to press on.
“Speaking of tools, can I borrow what’s needed to put Addy’s desk together?She’s excited about it and we’d like to work on it this weekend.”
“Yeah.I’ll bring them over.”His dark eyes glinted.
“Thanks.”She turned to gaze up at the mountains.The feeling that he could see more than she wanted made her uncomfortable.Not that he said a lot.Pancake trotted back with the ball and dropped it at his feet.Gage scooped it up and rocketed it back up the driveway between his house and garage with Pancake again in hot pursuit.
“That’s quite an arm you’ve got.”
“Get a lot of practice.”He cocked his head, that all-seeing gaze back on her.“You good?”
“Of course.”
His attention didn’t waver.
“Addy good?”
