Page 23

Nothing, I do mean nothing, has been the same after he left. It’s been three years since he left. Three years of feeling like I belonged to someone. Not in the sense that I was his, but damn it, I was his and he was mine.
Just as I’m starting to curse Frankie for this attire, headlights spark light around the bend.
Please don’t be my brother, or worse, Grayson.I have no idea how I’m going to explain this. I left with Shane but now I’m walking home? That won’t go over well.
Relief washes over me when red and blue lights flicker to life, but no sound emits. It’s Sheriff Hicks’s way of letting me know he spotted me. Gravel shifts and I step to the side into the ditch. I regret it immediately because I don’t know about you, butditches freak me out and I’m barefoot. Sheriff Hicks rolls down his window, his arm propped up on the door frame as he’s scrutinizing my stance. Or my dress. He’s known me my entire life. Probably doesn’t want to think of me as little Evie Stevie all grown up. I’ll explain the nickname later.
“Evie Stevie?” His brow pulls together. “It’s a little late for you to be out here, don’t you think?”
Don’t you think I know that, old man? I’m not doing this for exercise.
Sheriff Kevin Hicks and me, we don’t have that great a relationship, partly because of Josh, and mostly because of Grayson. Though I have never done anything terribly wrong, I’m guilty by association. Fun fact for you. The sheriff’s department actually threw a party when Josh left for college. Mayor Thompson even provided the keg.
Staring at my feet, I check my surroundings for peace of mind. If something touches my leg, guaranteed I will be on the hood of his car before he can blink. “Howdy there,Sheriff. Just taking a little midnight stroll.” I smile and dangle my heels in front of him. “You know, to clear my head. Great night for it.”
Smirking at my sarcasm, he shakes his head and nods to the back. “Hop in. I don’t want you out here this late.”
Nobody wants to ride home in a cop car. It screams trouble, but I’m desperate.
I reach for the door handle. “Thanks, Hicks.” It swings open with a creak and I slide in. Although this isn’t my first time in the back of Sheriff Hicks’s cruiser, it’s still a bit awkward. Staring at the caged screen between us, an unexplained guilt rushes through me.
Our run-ins with Hicks started when Grayson and I were about seven. We got in trouble for cow tipping. Yep, it’s a thing. And, yes, in Pinckard, they take cow tipping serious. And then to top it off, we let out a herd of them into the city for fun. Our punishment for that one was picking up all the cow shit they left behind. Worst day ever. We never let those damn cows out again.
Down our dead end road, Hicks shakes his head when he pulls into my driveway. “Is Gomez back in town?”
I don’t look. “Oh, I don’t know.”
“You don’t?” Our eyes meet in the rearview mirror. “You two used to be inseparable.”
I snort, reaching for my heels next to me. “Used to be is the key word, Hicks.”
He tips his smile and thankfully doesn’t ask any more questions but tips his hat to me. “Tell that sweet mama of yours I said hello.”
I think Hicks has a thing for my mom, but whatever. When I’m out of the cruiser, I wink at him. “Will do.”
Careful of my steps, I make my way toward the house. I spot Frankie’s car in our driveway instead of hers. Ethan and Frankie have recently begun sleeping at each other’s houses. It’s not awesome. I don’t get much sleep because of those two selfish buttheads.
Despite me trying not to, I glance over athishouse to see Grayson’s black Chevy parked beside Josh’s truck in the driveway. Is Gomez back in town? My heart jumps into my throat at the sight of that familiar Chevy. If his truck is here, he must be home for good, right? He’d been stationed in New Mexico so to drive his truck all the way over here must mean he’s staying.
The house is draped in darkness so I don’t bother going over there. Normal people are usually asleep at this hour.
Inside my house, Mom is sound asleep on the couch with garden plans in her lap. I fold the plans away and cover her with a blanket before kissing her cheek. Mom always works so hard to provide a good life for Ethan and me. That’s part of the reason Ethan and I haven’t moved out yet. Not only does she cook for us, we both want to be around for her. We’re all she has left.
Mom’s parents died when we were four. Being an only child, we’re all she has besides a drunk uncle and a no-good, problem causing set of in-laws. I haven’t seen them in two years and don’t plan to. Their son tried to kill my mom and they madenothing but excuses for him. I’m a mama’s girl, and nobody will ever harm that woman without me throwing my own life on the line. I will probably never move away if I have my choice. And when I do, I fully intend on building her one of those little mother-in-law houses and she can live with me forever. Or a she shed. She’d love that.
I make my way to my room down the hall and pass by Ethan’s room. I can hear Frankie giggling in his room. Unfortunately for me, our bedrooms share a wall. It’s a nightmare for a girl being able to hear what goes on in her brother’s room.
Just as I make it inside, my point is made. I hear quite possibly the worst noise in the world. My brother moaning. I think I vomited a little in my mouth. I touch my hand to my mouth and swallow down the bile rising.
Definitely sleeping with headphones tonight.
I throw myself on the bed, hoping to finally get some much-needed sleep. And that’s when my brother and Frankie start in and his bedframe knocks against the wall.
“Come on, you two!” Reaching for a pillow, I smother my face with it, hoping to block out the noise, or die from not being able to breathe. Either one is a good option at this point. It’s amazing the thoughts you have when you’re lacking sleep and desperate.
While contemplating the many ways I can seek revenge on Ethan tomorrow, the moaning and grunting reach a climax.
You know what I should do, force the jerk to install sound deadener in the walls since he is, in fact, in the construction business. Surely, he should know how.