Page 64 of Home Tears

“For?”

Jake was frowning.

Julia’s eyes flashed. “I want Mom’s photograph back.”

Dani kept looking at Boone, and the hand that was resting on his arm. A part of her wanted to snatch it off him, but that wasn’t her place anymore. Feeling jealousy that she had no right to be feeling, she shoved it all down and concentrated. Her sister was trying to get her arrested—what a shocker.

“What are you talking about?”

“You know what I’m talking about.” Julia stepped toward her.

Jake hauled her back. “Whoa!” He clamped a hand on her arm. “You don’t take a threatening stance here. That’s not how anything’s going to get resolved.”

“There’s nothing to resolve. She stole a picture of my mother—”

“My mother.”

“Excuse me?” Julia’s eyes narrowed, her entire body went unnaturally still.

“My mother.” Dani didn’t move from behind the bar, but she wanted to. Letting go of the washcloth, her hands flattened on the counter. Her head lowered. Her eyes narrowed, mirroring her sister’s. “She’s mine, too. Maybe whatever was taken belonged to me as much as it did to you?”

“She did it.” Julia pointed at her, turning to Jake again. “You can arrest her. That was a confession.”

Jake tugged on his collar. His eyebrows bunched together. “That wasn’t a confession of anything, and this is a picture. You two are fighting over a photograph.”

“It’s something that’s priceless. It’s mine, and I want it back.”

It was more than priceless. It was a memory. It was a time capsule. It was the last item Dani had of her mother’s, and it was going to remain in her possession until she could pass it along to her children.

Jake let out an aggravated sigh. He raked a hand through his hair, looking at Dani. “Did you take it?”

A look of familiarity passed between them. He was remembering the times when they snuck into the creamery and stole candy, or when they sold candy at the football concession stands and pocketed a few items they shouldn’t have. He might’ve been a cop now, but he hadn’t always been above the law. Most those times were with her.

“Dani, come on. I’m not going to charge you. It’s your mom, too. I get it, but Julia has a right to know if you took the picture or not.”

She felt Boone observing the entire exchange. Her fingers curled into the counter, her nails pressed down. She couldn’t have taken away the way Jake just talked to her, how it spoke volumes of unsaid history between them. If it were her, she’d be hurting, but she didn’t dare sneak a peek at Boone.

She didn’t want to see what was there.

“Yeah.” Her tone cooled. She straightened up, her hands falling back to her side. “I took it.” Her eyes met her sister’s. “I’m not giving it back.”

“What?!”

Dani shrugged. “Sometimes we don’t get what we want.”

Julia’s reaction was immediate. She sucked in her breath. Her eyes widened, looking like they were going to pop out, and her cheeks reddened. She started forward again, saying, “You did not just say that!”

“He—hey!” Jake tried to haul her back. Julia kept coming. He jumped in front, holding both of his fiancé’s arms. He braced himself, holding her in place. “Stop! Julia. You can’t assault your own sister.”

“Watch me.” She lunged again, but he caught her in half of a hug/half of a hold. “Okay. We’re leaving.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Dani, stop pushing your sister’s buttons. We’re going, but I’d strongly advise you to give that picture back.”

She pressed her lips together. Fat chance of that happening.

Julia continued to protest, but Jake carried/dragged her out of the bar, leaving behind another awkward ex-couple. Dani pressed a hand to her forehead. She couldn’t imagine what Boone was thinking, and glancing to him, under lidded eyes, a wind swept through her. It took all her fight in one blast.

He was looking at her like she was a stranger. His top lip lifted in a small sneer. She was a stranger he didn’t like.

“Mitch, honey,” his friend started, patting his shoulder. “Maybe we—”

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