Page 91 of Angels and Skulls
I follow her in, ducking my head when I enter. Lily and JD would go nuts over this place. I run my hand over an old desk in the corner. It’s filled with odd trinkets, vases, and plants.
Dirk rounds me, catching up to her in the kitchen. “Is she here?” he asks, leaning his hip against the counter beside her.
She cuts into the most beautiful pie I’ve ever seen. Maybe someday there will be time for her to teach Lily how to bake … yeah, let’s keep that random thought to ourselves.
“She was but you just missed her,” she says, ignoring his glowering like she’s been doing it for years.
He pulls out his phone. “She’s still offline,” he says more to himself than anyone else.
“When Jesse wants to be found, that’s when she’ll be found,” Raffe tries to reason with him.
“Where did she go?” Dirk asks Jenny, not giving a second thought to what his friend just said.
Jenny hands me a plate that holds a piece of purply-looking sweetness covered with a golden crust. “I hope you like it. Aspen helped me forage all the berries to make it. It’s a mix of several different kinds.”
“Looks delicious.” I take it from her and sit at the table.
“Raffe, would you like some?”
He sighs. “Just answer him, Jenny. But yes, I’ll take some.”
She hands him a helping and then looks at Dirk. “I’m sorry, I don’t know where Jesse went. Actually, I went for a walk, and when I returned, she was gone. Pie?” she asks, holding up a plate.
He sneers but joins Raffe and me at the table with a slice of his own.
Jenny continues to busy herself around the kitchen. “Oh, you have to try this milk. It’s the freshest you’ll ever taste. It was milked from the cow just this morning. From teat to table,” she jokes lightly.
“You don’t seem like the type of hostess who would leave her guest alone and then go for a walk,” Dirk notes as she fills his glass.
“We had a deep conversation. I needed a moment.”
Dirk looks at his phone again, his brows pulling together in concern. “She should be home by now. I don’t like it.”
Jenny turns away, and her shoulders slowly crawl up to her ears. She’s worried about Jesse too. Ain’t no doubt in my mind – this woman knows where she’s at.
“Sweetheart, we’re going to need you to tell us …” I pause when my phone begins to ring. I pull it from my pocket. “Speak of the devil.”
“Oh, little girl, you’re in so much trouble,” I say to her the minute I answer.
She laughs loudly, and Dirk’s eyes narrow.
“At least she’s okay?” Raffe whispers, trying to ease some of the tension in the room.
“I’ve got a surprise for you,” Jesse says sweetly.
“For me?” I ask, confused.
“It’s something you’ve always wanted. Meet me at the shed.”
“I’m out of town. It’s going to be a few.”
“You’re at Jenny’s?”
“Weare.” My gaze rests on Dirk. I need her to know how much trouble she’s in with her husband.
“She’s perfect for him, isn’t she?”
I close my eyes, because it’s been a long time since I’ve heard the vulnerable girl who walked into my shop all those years ago. Jesse’s always had a soft spot for Raffe.
