Page 71 of Lavender Lake

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“It’s about what he said.” I chewed on my lip.

Bowman reached out and pulled at my lip to stop me from biting it. “What did he say?”

My skin zinged from his touch.

He dropped his hand and waited for my reply.

“He asked that I not stress out Hadley. That she’s got enough to worry about. And with the baby . . .”

“I see,” he said. “You call your friends? Have you told them?”

“About the meltdown? No. About my dad waking up? Yes. Hadley and I did a video chat with them when we were making dinner.”

We continued to stare at one another, like both of us wanted to say more but neither one of us wanted to cross the chasm.

“Have I thanked you?” I blurted out. “For the—ah—comforting?”

He flashed a smile. “No.”

“Thank you, Bowman.” My tone was sincere.

“You’re welcome, Powell.”

And just like that, the walls of my fortress were once again erected between us.

The front door opened. “Salem?” Muddy called out.

“I’m here!” I called back.

Bowman rose from my bed and quietly moved toward the bathroom.

I got up and went downstairs. Muddy’s head was in the fridge when I made it into the kitchen.

“What did you all have for dinner?” she asked.

“That plate is for you,” I said with a smile. “Trout, snap peas, and rice.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Fish?”

“Hadley’s choice. Variety is the spice of life, you know? Not all of us want game meat and beef.”

We looked at each other, and then both cracked up. She pulled the plate out of the fridge and took it to the microwave.

“How many drinks did you have with Lucy?”

“Just one,” she said. “I nursed it while I told her about Connor. By tomorrow morning, the whole town will know everything so I don’t have to keep rehashing it.”

“Lucy is Huckleberry Hill’s town crier.”

“Thank God, too.” Muddy put the plate in the microwave and placed the silicone cover over it before pressing the start button. “Sit with me?”

I nodded. “Another drink?”

“Yes.” She nodded. “Now that I’m home, I have no place to go but upstairs. Is Bowman around?”

“His room, I believe,” I said.

The microwave beeped. She pulled out her plate.

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