Page 148

I laughed. “No. Not at all. This isnota fancy place.”
Cain met me at Riverside Burger Shack, a tiny hole-in-the-wall joint with only outdoor seating.
“You chose an outdoor eatery in late fall?”
I shrugged. “I’ll live.”
He rolled his eyes, but peeled off his flannel and placed it on my shoulders. “It’ll be even better now.”
How much could he do for me in one night? My tears had dried, but they were already threatening to fall again.
We walked up to the counter and ordered before grabbing one of the wooden picnic tables.
“Not too bad of a place,” he said. “I expected something more ... uppity.”
“There’s a time and a place for that. And after the night I’ve had, I’d rather eat a burger on the side of the road.”
“Fair enough. Now, about this ex ...”
“I can give you the address to find him, but it’s a shitty high-rise apartment.”
“I’m tempted, but no.”
“You’re gonna tell me I need to talk to my parents, aren’t you?”
“In a perfect world, you should.” He sighed. “But the reality is that he did a number on you. Jackiestillcan’t talk about what happened.”
“Hers was worse.”
“It doesn’t matter whose is worse. It matters that it happened.”
“It feels like my family is falling apart all because I came to Strawberry Springs. They hate that I’m there. They don’t understand it, and I don’t know if they ever will.”
“A family shouldn’t fall apart because you’re making one choice they don’t understand. Jackie makes a lot of choices I don’t get, but I still care about her. And it doesn’t help that they have a shithead in their ear telling them lies.” He paused and then winced. “Sorry, I’m trying to be mature here. I just ... hate it when someone I care aboutgets hurt, but the last time I did anything about it, it didn’t go well.”
“Trevor isn’t even worth your time,” I said. “But it’s nice to know someone cares.”
Our order number was called and he grabbed our plates. I watched as he took a bite of the greasy burger and considered it.
“What do you think?”
“It’s good but ... have you been to Center Point for lunch yet?”
“I’ve only gotten breakfast food.”
“Theirs is a little better,” he admitted.
I gasped. “Cain, are you admitting you like something in town?”
He chuckled. “I’ll happily admit that I like things in town. It’s the people who don’t likeme.”
“I’m sure if they knew the whole story they would.”
Cain shrugged. “It’s not my secret to tell. It’s Jackie’s.”
“Would she ever?—”
“No,” he cut me off. “Unfortunately, everything you felt is multiplied with her. And it doesn’t help that once it’s out, everyone would know.”